Help! Need AC! Orlando Florida!
 

Help! Need AC! Orlando Florida!

Started by Seangie, June 27, 2013, 03:31:59 AM

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Seangie

For anyone who can help us -  we are leaving wilmington NC today and headed to Orlando.  Our mini-split system died last night. 

We have no AC.  If I can get some suggestions or help from someone who can get us some roof airs installed,  I'd be grateful.  We are headed south on 95.  Really tired right now and just looking for help with solutions/suggestions.

Thanks All!

-Sean


www.herdofturtles.org
1984 Eagle Model 10S
'Cause you know we,
we live in a van (Eagle 10 Suburban)
Driving through the night
To that old promised land'

Nick Badame Refrig/ACC

Hi Sean,

If you have time to give us any symtoms, maybe we can help you get it running again.

Nick-
Whatever it takes!-GITIT DONE! 
Commercial Refrigeration- Ice machines- Heating & Air/ Atlantic Custom Coach Inc.
Master Mason- Cannon Lodge #104
https://www.facebook.com/atlanticcustomcoach
www.atlanticcustomcoach.com

Emcemv

Hey Sean, you sure you want to put holes in the roof? What happened to the mini-split? It may just need a re-charge and any local AC guy could do that.

Bruce
Bruce & Nancy Fagley
1973 MCI MC-7 Combo Freighter
450HP DD 8V-92T 2000 Reman
HT 740 Allison
Woodbury CT.

robertglines1

Hopefully it will restart when it cools off.  When parked leave door open. Mci8 tin tent(board member) has same setup and has box fan in compartment to help aid flow--he leaves baydoor open when parked.  FWIW  Bob
Bob@Judy  98 XLE prevost with 3 slides --Home done---last one! SW INdiana

Van

Best of luck Sean, we're in for a scorcher out here ;)
B&B CoachWorks
Bus Shop Mafia.
Now in N. Cakalaki

bevans6

The hardest part of installing a roof air, aside from the obvious, is getting the 12/2 wire fished up to it in a neat and tidy manner.  If you have a roof vent the hole is the same size (14" square) so you can install an AC in place of a roof vent.  If you have a ladder that is tall enough you can tie a strap around the AC unit and pull/slide it up the ladder to the roof with one person.  The easiest way to accomplish all of this is to stop at a hardware store, buy the wiring and breaker you need to pre-install the 12/2 wire (new colour code for the outside sheath is yellow for 120V 12/2 Loomex I recently discovered, red sheath is for 240v now, and white sheath is for 14/2 120v, if they have different colours in your store of choice).  Then pull into a Camping World or equivalent RV store, buy the unit and install it in their parking lot.  I've seen that being done before...  Agree with trying to fix the mini-split, they are usually designed to be serviceable to some extent unlike the typical roof-top unit that usually can't even be recharged easily.

Brian
1980 MCI MC-5C, 8V-71T from a M-110 self propelled howitzer
Allison MT-647
Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia

luvrbus

Could be a generator problem also like dropping 1 leg when hot
Life is short drink the good wine first

lvmci

Hi Sean, an immediate fix is the portable air conditioners which run off 110. Walmart or HD has them, easy and quick to put in as a temporary fix and additional coveage, dryer type duct work to exhaust hot air and drip bottle or hose to shower for gathered humidity, good luck, tom, lvmci...
MCI 102C3 8V92, Allison HT740
Formally MCI5A 8V71 Allison MT643
Brandon has really got it going!

RJ

Sean -

Slightly out of the way, but Welch Industries does a LOT of HVAC work on buses:

650 Red Oak Rd
Stockbridge, GA 30281
(770) 474-1150

FWIW & HTH. . .

;)
1992 Prevost XL Vantaré Conversion M1001907 8V92T/HT-755 (DDEC/ATEC)
2003 VW Jetta TDI Sportwagon "Towed"
Cheney WA (when home)

tomhamrick

Sean,

The openings for the 4 roof vents you have are the same 14 X 14 openings needed for roof airs. The were also constructed to hold roofs airs if ever desired. Also the 12 volt wiring to each of those is in a plastic conduit from the bottom of the ceiling cover to the vents so it should not be a problem to run the 120 volt wire needed. Roof air installation is easy if you are not using a remote thermostat. That does complicate it a little but not a lot, just more wires.  Nick can advise you on the roof units or the minisplit either one.  Talk to him before you do anything.

Tom Hamrick
Tom Hamrick
1991 Prevost H3-40 VIP
1981 Eagle 10
Forest City, NC

Len Silva

Any AC guy should be able to help you.  The first thing I would do is break out the manuals and look for a reset button.  My guess is that the compressor overheated and very likely no serious harm done.

Hand Made Gifts

Ignorance is only bliss to the ignorant.

lvmci

Hey Sean, how about an update, are you ok? Lvmci...
MCI 102C3 8V92, Allison HT740
Formally MCI5A 8V71 Allison MT643
Brandon has really got it going!

OneLapper

Hey guys,

I spoke with Sean a short while ago.  It turns out that the generator doesn't have any electrical output.  Sean has been driving to his next client so he hasn't had time to reply.  So, the Martin Diesel generator is running, but no AC output.  When he as a moment he'll post an update.

Meanwhile, summon the generator gurus!

Mark
OneLapper
1964 PD4106-2853
www.markdavia.com

Seangie

Hey All -  it has been a crazy week.

Quick answer....it was the generator that stopped outputting power.  I got to bed about midnight and the bus was nice and cool,  wifey woke me up at 2am to let me know the AC was off.  I checked the breakers and none were popped but the generator was still running.  I figured the AC died.  In the am we went by an HD store to grab a portable AC unit and quickly found that there was no power from the generator. 

We started our drive south in 93 degree sunshiney weather.  Bus windows, no power for AC or big fans.  Had a couple of 12v fans and that was it.  Very very warm.  We are currently in a campground plugged in and the splits are up and running and its very comfy (and quiet).

Trying to make it to Orlando by tomorrow.  Any suggestions on generator gurus in O town would be helpful.  I'd love to have this generator serviced properly and make sure it's 100% reliable.

Fulltiming has been very challenging so far.  Still no shower, just replaced a kitchen faucet that failed and now some more plumbing is leaking in the bathroom.  We will get through this.  Kids having fun.  Wifey is an absolute rock star and God is showing up all over the place.  I think this has been the toughest week of my life but am enjoying every minute of it.

Thanks all for your help and suggestions.  I'm thinking some alternate AC solutions are on the table for the future.  At the least some kind of belt driven compressor AC.

-Sean

www.herdofturtles.org
1984 Eagle Model 10S
'Cause you know we,
we live in a van (Eagle 10 Suburban)
Driving through the night
To that old promised land'

Scott & Heather

Hang in there Sean!! We prayed for you!! The best we can do from Michigan. Too bad we are not still in Orlando...would have loved to see you guys again. Fulltiming will get easier and eventually you'll wonder how on earth you lived in one place tied down to a mortgage :) hang in there. We love you guys!!!


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Scott & Heather
1984 MCI 9 6V92-turbo with 9 inch roof raise (SOLD)
1992 MCI 102C3 8v92-turbo with 8 inch roof raise CURRENT HOME
Click link for 900 photos of our 1st bus conversion:
https://goo.gl/photos/GVtNRniG2RBXPuXW9