On the way to Creede (the first day) when I stopped in Kingman, AZ to fuel up I noticed something dripping from my condenser (the dash a/c condenser), and thought initially it was just condensation, but as I lingered there and focused in on the puddle I realized is was refrigerant (slight green tint....the die?). Oh no.....the heat of the day is yet to come and no dash a/c.....ugh!! Of course, when I started her up again I was just getting warm air....not cool, or cold. So, off went everything, and on went the genset and the roof a/c for the rest of the day.
I, of course, shared my mishap with Tom and Richard after I first arrived. Richard immediately crawled under the front the coach and I hear "Uhuh, UHUH".....he, of course, found the leak immediately...the hose coming into the dryer had leaked around the clamp. So, to make a longish story a little shorter, we got 4 new clamps (smaller in diameter) and double clamped each hose (in and out) and then added some refrigerant...pretty soon the vent temp came down to 40 degrees (outdoor temps around 60 at the time. As many of you will guess, Richard carries a couple of 25 lb bottles of R134 with him, as well as gauges, electronic sniffer, and soapy water to check for leaks. After double clamping the hoses no leakes...even checked the vents inside. I'll stop in South Fork on the way out tomorrow and pick up a couple of cans of a/c oil, and add them as a precaution per Richard's instructions. In addition I'll cut off about 12" of the hose running into the dryer (it looks old with some surface cracks) and splice in a newer section.
I guess we are all going to be continuously battling our dash a/c issues, and once again the Newell gang has saved the day for me. Elaine and I thank you, Richard, as you have made our drive homethrough the Mojave Desert less ominous now that we have dash a/c again.....I owe you one! We still have to turn on the roof a/c when it gets to 110, but we won't see those temps again until well after Williams, AZ. Our plan is to get to Flagstaff late afternoon on Saturday, get a bite to eat, and hit the sack early and then make a dash for Southern California at midnight when it's a little cooler.
This has been an amazing trip.....after the April trip to Austin we told each other that was the best trip ever, and it has already been eclipsed by this one, even though it is shorter in distance and duration. I think part of the reason is after Austin we had existing friendships to start the process, and have been able to get to know everyone so much better, and in addition, have made new friends. We've all been talking about the next rally, and when it will be....looks like Tiger Run (Breckenridge, CO) next September right after Labor Day (2010), but we'll have to get together again sooner than that. Any suggestions????
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