MC-9 Roof a/c

[DavidInWilmNC]

All you need  is a farm tractor with a loader (campground probably has several). 

    Worst case scenario, if no tractor or machine to lift the AC to the roof, I have installed several Roof ACs by placing an extension ladder against the side of the bus, placing the AC (still boxed in the shipping crate) against the ladder. Put a strap tightly around the AC  box, attach a rope and from the roof of the bus, pull the AC up the ladder onto the roof. The old AC is then placed in the box and lowered the same way.
    Of course, IF you have a tractor available it is much easier.  Jack

If the escape hatches are still available (i.e. not framed for the A/C itself), you might be able to get the unit through the opening.  That's how we got the full-sized Carrier 15k on my MC-8.  It's definitely easier to do this with two people; I'm not sure if I could have done it by myself.

David

[Kwajdiver]

JR, and everyone,

The unit runs, just does not cool.  Guess I should open it up and see if it something simple.

Thanks,

Bill

[H3Jim]

I first tried the loader method, but the flex of the tires allowed it to move back and forth by 4 or 5 inches.  My coach is tall enough, I needed to get the loader close so I could grab the air cond unit.  The bucket bounced lightly off my drip rails.  Not good.

The others I put up using Jack's method or variant.  Worked well.  Those units are not that heavy and one guy can manhandle them up with out too much trouble.

[JackConrad]

How old it the unit?  If iut runs but does not cool, this usually means the freon has leaked out.  Jack

[Dallas]

JR, and everyone,

The unit runs, just does not cool.  Guess I should open it up and see if it something simple.

Thanks,

Bill

Bill,

Just a suggestion here,

When I was working at the campground I had a lot of rental campers to take care of.

One of the major complaints was A/C's not cooling. About 40% of the time the problem turned out to be dust plugging the evap and condenser fins. My fix was to get an air hose on the inside and clean them out. I found that no matter how good the filter was, they always leaked air around and through them.

You might want to try cleaning the unit really well. Oh, and put down a tarp ofer every thing you want to keep clean. It's amazing how much crud will get blown around.

Dallas

[belfert]

I used a forklift at a friend's house to install my roof AC units.  He has a little electric forklift with hard tires.

He just parked the lift alongside the roof and came up to help me lift the units into place.

[Kwajdiver]

Jack,

Not sure how old the unit is.  Will have to call and find out.  My though is that it has lost feon.  That can't cost that much to have it tested and fixed. Does it?

Would be hard for me to replace it and use it for a spare.  Remember, I am a full timer and my company moves me every couple three months.  I would not have any place to store the other unit.

Bill
Currently in Phoenix

[TomC]

Considering you can get a new A/C from Camping World for about $550.00, I wouldn't fool around with the old one.  Once you fix this, what will go next?  Good Luck, TomC

[JackConrad]

Bill,
   I replaced a couple roof ACs last summer on travel trailers. One of these, the owner called a local AC company to check and repair her unit. They told her to replace it when she called them. Their experience was that repairs did not last and they had unhappy customers, so they no longer repair them. On both the units I replaced, you could see a lot of corrosion on the aluminum condenser. I think that is probably where the leak was, and there would probably be other leaks in the near future due to the continuing corrosion. I would not consider keeping the old unit as a spare.

[Kwajdiver]

Guys,

My units are 4-5 years old.

I will clean and check for dust as Dallas recommends.

If that doesn't correct the problem I will replace with a new unit.

Thanks again gentlemen,

Bill

[Kwajdiver]

Should I replace the entire unit or just the top part?

Thanks Again,

Bill

[JackConrad]

Last one I replaced the  inside piece would not match the new top part. I forget why, but I know we tried and could not get them 2 pieces to work together.  Jack

[Sam 4106]

We had one of our roof A/Cs recharged in 1996. I looked up the bill. The only thing that the tech could figure out as the cause of the problem was that our bus sat outside in the extreme cold (-35degrees) the previous winter and the freon leaked out. There was only one HVAC guy that would work on roof A/Cs in our area so we took it to him. He installed two tap valves and recharged the unit and it has worked well ever since. Total charge was $78.81. Remember that was 11 years ago, but a new A/C was about the same price as they are now so I felt it was worth the risk.
Best wishes, Sam 4106

[Kwajdiver]

Hey Guys,

Replace the rear roof A/C today.   Pretty easy to do, the hard part was getting the unit to the top of the bus, by myself.  I don't recommend this appoarch.

The first try was with a ladder leaning on the bus,  a rope around the unit. Me on top of the bus. Sliding the unit up the ladder.  This "almost" worked.  If the ladder hadn't had a plastic top that the box hung up on, this "may have worked". After trying this a second time, I gave up.   

As luck would have it, there was a stack of hay 25 yards from where I'm parked.    Loaded the A/C unit back in the car, then stair stepped it to the top of the hay.  Backed up the bus to the hay, the hay was level with the top of the bus.  From this point it was easy to slide the box with new A/C over to the bus. 

Changing out the unit was easy.

Tomorrow, I will remove from the roof, the old unit. 

Bill

Still in Phoenix