Question for arveetek

[Jim P]

I have been getting my new to me fifth wheel ready to go and I found out that the air conditioner does not work. The book has a diagram of the electrical parts and it shows a defrost thermostat and it lists it as optional. If I bypass this thermostat, the air works great. Would it do any damage to just leave this thermostat bypassed since it is optional anyway? I am assuming that this thermostat is just to shut the compressor off if the evaporator ever gets iced up. I ran it this way for a couple hours and it never iced up but I just wonder if it might if the weather conditions are right.

[arveetek]

It shouldn't be a problem to leave it bypassed for right now. You're right, it's just to shut the compressor off in the event the evaporator should get iced up.

Do you have a Duo-therm or Coleman? The Duo-therm unit has a temp sensor that clips onto one of the evaporator tubes, while the Coleman unit uses a little probe that just sticks into the evaporator fins. A lot of times the Coleman style doesn't stay in place and falls down, so it ends up not being used anyway. I believe either one of them can be replaced separately. Just contact an RV parts supplier/dealer with the model number of your a/c and they should be able to get you a replacement part.

Casey

[Jim P]

Casey,

Thanks for the reply. My unit is an Emerson. I was wondering if I could leave this permanently bypassed because the manual says that it was optional. This unit also has a heater built into it and this also is listed as optional. Could it be they only put the defrost thermostat on the units with heater?

[arveetek]

An Emerson, eh? You must have an older model trailer. They quit making those a/c units several years ago. I think around early 90's. You can't find parts anymore, so leaving your defrost t/stat bypassed is probably your only solution and shouldn't be a problem. I don't think it would have anything to do with the electric heating element.

Out of the hundred or so roof top a/c units I work on during the summer months, I see maybe one or two Emersons a year. Colemans are by far the most popular, followed closely by Duo-therm, and now Carrier is making an impressive showing in the market as well.

Casey

[CleviteKid]

Casey:

With your outstanding knowledge of RV technology, and a rare skill at being able to explain things so people understand them, when are you starting your own website about RV's to feed the hungry masses, and bring some extra coin into your own pocket?

Dr. Lee :cool:

[arveetek]

Originally posted by CleviteKid:
Casey:

With your outstanding knowledge of RV technology, and a rare skill at being able to explain things so people understand them, when are you starting your own website about RV's to feed the hungry masses, and bring some extra coin into your own pocket?

Dr. Lee :cool: Aww, gee....shucks! You speak too kindly, Dr. Lee! :cool:

I wouldn't say I have an outstanding knowledge of RV's, but I do have quite a bit of experience. I have been repairing RV's for 9 years now. I spent 3 years as shop foreman for an RV dealer, and have been working for myself for 6 years this month. My work mostly revolves around repairing refrigerators, roof top a/c units, furnaces, water heaters, etc., and installing a few hitches. Today I packed the wheel bearings and checked the brake shoes on a Kountry Star 5th wheel. I gave up doing major work like replacing roofs and siding. Takes too long to do it by yourself!

I do have an interesting project at the shop right now. The man who owns our local phone company had a custom built RV made on a Kenworth OTR truck chassis. It's very large, but the guy who built it didn't have a clue what he was doing. I just got finished changing the basement model a/c out to a heat pump model(so he'll have some sort of heat in cool weather....total electric rig, no furnace), and am in the process of changing the industrial style diesel generator out for an Onan Quiet Diesel genset. I also just discovered the builder installed a 220 volt cooktop, but wired it up to 110. He also installed a couple of windows upside down, so I'll probably have to pull those and correct that problem.

That's the best part about my job....something different everyday!

My main speciality is making service calls. There are several RV parks in the area, and I stay pretty busy just doing small repair jobs. None of the RV dealers or repair shops around here are willing to make service calls. I don't know why, but I won't complain!

I do have my business domain name registered, www.thervguy.com (http://www.thervguy.com) , but I haven't had time to do anything with it yet. There just aren't enough hours in the day to get it all done! My next immediate project is installing the turbo on my 6.2L. I just ordered the crossover pipe from Banks, one of the pieces I was still missing, so I hope to have that done here in the next few weeks. The wife and I are heading to Florida around the 4th of July, and I wouldn't mind having some extra power to tow my trailer.

Okay, enough about me! :D

Thanks for asking though!

Casey

[Jim P]

Casey,

Thanks again for the reply. My trailer is an 88 so they very well could have quit making them in in the early 90s.

[tanker]

Casey, "The man who owns our local phone Co."? :rolleyes: Wow, around these parts the phone Co. is too big for one person to own! ;)
Thanks for the information on your service business, your quite the man. Keep up the great work. ;)

[arveetek]

Originally posted by tanker:
Casey, "The man who owns our local phone Co."? :rolleyes: Wow, around these parts the phone Co. is too big for one person to own! ;) Well, we have a bit of a unique situtation here. Our town of about 2000, and another town of about 900, are both served by a local phone company. It was established three generations ago. They provide the only phone service, sort of a monopoly. This guy is 34, and inherited his fortune. :rolleyes:

Casey