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Dometic 15K Air Conditioner


JohnEM38

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I have a 2014 Montana and the Dometic 15K air conditioner quit blowing cold air.  I took it to the local Camping World and they are telling me its the compressor and that the entire unit has to be replaced($1200) because its a sealed unit.  Is this normal or am I being taken to the preverbal cleaners?

John

Kristin & John

2022 Winnebago Travato 59K “Ruby”

2021 F350 CC SB 7.3 4:30 “Big Red” (Traded)

2018 Grand Design Reflection 26RL “Tail-wagger”(Traded)

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It is sealed BUT the compress can be changed out. I would guess 1/2 of new. Big job to do

2000 National RV Sea Breeze 5th wheel 30ft.

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1950 F1 street rod

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     As a retired HVAC tech., I'd advise trying a hard-start kit.  I won't try explaining what this is here but, any competent HVAC technician can easily do this. Camping World  will likely not do this,  but a competent independent technician will gladly help. The hard-start kit itself will likely cost around $150.00 plus labor of less than an hour. If desired, I can describe what this kit contains and how it works. I advise everybody to install one. Hope to have helped, Orv

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7 minutes ago, Orvil Hazelton said:

     As a retired HVAC tech., I'd advise trying a hard-start kit.  I won't try explaining what this is here but, any competent HVAC technician can easily do this. Camping World  will likely not do this,  but a competent independent technician will gladly help. The hard-start kit itself will likely cost around $150.00 plus labor of less than an hour. If desired, I can describe what this kit contains and how it works. I advise everybody to install one. Hope to have helped, Orv

l am retired as well from ac mechanic but did not purchase the material because I work for a large company. The same people that would condemn  the AC so easily would not be able to diagnose a problem, a bad capacitor, broken wire, loose connection,  etc. I had purchased hard start kit many years ago and they and everything has sky rocketed in-price. any good AC mechanic would be a good source for a real quality diagnosis.

2000 National RV Sea Breeze 5th wheel 30ft.

So.California

1950 F1 street rod

1949 F1 stock V8 flathead

1948 F6 350 chevy/rest stock, no dump bed shortened frame.

1953 chevy 3100 AD for 85 S10 frame

1968 Baha Bug with 2.2 ecotec motor 170 hp, king coil-overs,etc

1970 Baha Bug wihg 2332cc, King coil overs and everything else there is.

1998.5 Dodge 2500 4x4 Cummins, turbo, trans, injectors, lockers, bigger turbo,edge EZ upgrades for towing 35" BFG's, air dog lift pump etc.

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I went thru the same thing last Feb.  No cold air.  An RV tech came out, compressor drawing 29 amps.  Replace unit.  Got another in and he didn't wire it in properly, when it got cooler the heat pump side didn't heat.  He hadn't wired it properly.  That cost another 350$ to get that fixed, now the first guy doesn't answer.

Get someone reliable to check it other than CW.  The work they did for me failed and wouldn't go good for it.

If your AC is a newer one it will be digital, if not and it's analog, you will perhaps need a converter box.  Yours is probably digital.

 

Also make sure they get you a new model, not one that's been extinct for 7 yrs like the one this Florida service tech stuck on my trailer...

 

Everything is working now but it was a real PITA.

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Drop the entire grill down. There are 4 screws on each corner and 1 under the filter. Look at the cover board devider. If it is out of place the air will just recirculate and shut off the compressor making you think the ac isn't cooling. If it is out of place put it back under the metal bracket. I secured mine with foil tape. Just something to check. I wouldn't trust camping world. They would see it and not know it is out of place or intentionally not replace it correctly to sell you a new ac. 

Ron C.

2013 Dynamax Trilogy 3850 D3

2000 Kenworth T2000 Optimus Prime

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So---------What we are hearing, is that:  You don't HAVE to be a RV Tech to work on HVAC equipment, just like you don't HAVE to be a Freightliner Tech to work on a FL motor home etc.

 

I have a really good, reputable mechanic at home that can work on diesels with the best of them.  And charges way less than FL.

Thusly, good AC Techs can work on AC problems as good as or BETTER than RV Techs, who tend to replace them, rather than repair unless they have been schooled on ACs.

 

Traveling America in "God's Grace"

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There is a Dometic hot line so to speak that you can call for technical assistance.  I would trust them a lot more than CW and some RV Techs.  They can walk a tech thru re hooking up the unit whether it is analog or digital or digital back to an old analog system with the converter in between.

If your mechanic is good, then have him do it.  Just be careful getting them on and off the roof, they are heavy and awkward.  Don't fall and become a casualty like some I know.

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We have the Dometic Brisk Air AC units on our coach.  The front one wasn't blowing cold air.  Had a tech check it out and it had a blown start capacitor which he replaced and it cured the problem.

Our back unit wouldn't run at all and he found the control module was shot.  Ours had the 4 buton T-stat and they no longer made control modules for the 4 button T-stat, so had to replace both front and rear control modules and replace the 4button T-stat with a new 10 button.  Both units work great now.

Good luck getting yours fixed and Safe Travels...:)

Jim & Sherry Seward

2000 Residency Mod. 3790

2003 Suzuki XL/7 4WD

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Thanks for the great advice!  I have since learned there is a technical bulletin about a manufacturer defect on the unit I have. So I've contacted Dometic to see about a replacement. I also contacted Keystone about this to see if they can assist. 

Thanks again 

Kristin & John

2022 Winnebago Travato 59K “Ruby”

2021 F350 CC SB 7.3 4:30 “Big Red” (Traded)

2018 Grand Design Reflection 26RL “Tail-wagger”(Traded)

https://rv2travel.blogspot.com/

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Currently PPL in Houston has a 15000 BTU (also heat pump) on their website for $850.08 . Shipping to NC is about $130.00, just in case your really need to replace the entire unit.  Don't ask how I know.

Regards,

Catfish

'08 Chebbie K3500; '07 Teton Sunrise Experience;
Native Texan/Transplanted Tarheel; Retired USMC

​LDO

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On ‎6‎/‎2‎/‎2017 at 8:28 PM, chirakawa said:

Camping World is an okay place to buy kitchen gadgets and lawn chairs.

:D Yup. And that's about all they're good for. Would never, ever take my RV to a Camping World, let alone buy one there.

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On June 2, 2017 at 10:44 PM, Mike and Claudia said:

So---------What we are hearing, is that:  You don't HAVE to be a RV Tech to work on HVAC equipment, just like you don't HAVE to be a Freightliner Tech to work on a FL motor home etc.

 

I have a really good, reputable mechanic at home that can work on diesels with the best of them.  And charges way less than FL.

Thusly, good AC Techs can work on AC problems as good as or BETTER than RV Techs, who tend to replace them, rather than repair unless they have been schooled on ACs.

 

RV techs are not refrigeration mechanics and do not as a rule get into the sealed portion of the AC. They just dont have the training. I am a refrigeration tech with many years of experience in hvac as well as commercial and industrial refrigeration. I owned my own business and during that time was hired quite often by RV shops to work on the rooftop units that their techs were not qualified to work on.

does that answer your question?

<p>....JIM and LINDA......2001 American Eagle 40 '.towing a GMC Sierra 1500 4X4 with RZR in the rear. 1999 JEEP Cherokee that we tow as well.

IT IS A CONTENTED MAN WHO CAN APPRECIATE THE SCENERY ALONG A DETOUR.

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8 hours ago, Jimalberta said:

RV techs are not refrigeration mechanics and do not as a rule get into the sealed portion of the AC. They just dont have the training. I am a refrigeration tech with many years of experience in hvac as well as commercial and industrial refrigeration. I owned my own business and during that time was hired quite often by RV shops to work on the rooftop units that their techs were not qualified to work on.

does that answer your question?

Yes it does.  This is the first issue I have had in three years of ownership and work on my rig myself most of the time(I'm not an AC man).  I called my regular home HVAC man but he said he had no experience with RV units and perferred not to work on it.  There are three Dometic service centers in my area and Camping World was one of them.  

Thank you for your support.

Kristin & John

2022 Winnebago Travato 59K “Ruby”

2021 F350 CC SB 7.3 4:30 “Big Red” (Traded)

2018 Grand Design Reflection 26RL “Tail-wagger”(Traded)

https://rv2travel.blogspot.com/

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3 minutes ago, JohnEM38 said:

There are three Dometic service centers in my area and Camping World was one of them.  

In my experience, very few RV techs have much knowledge of working on either

 

air conditioners or refrigerators and most only know how to swap a few parts and then suggest replacement. Making it worse is the fact that many an RV shop pays their techs a commission on larger parts and appliances sold. To the best of my memory, every RV tech that I have found to be qualified to do repairs on an air conditioner has also been either a mobile tech or one in a shop that is service only and not part of a dealership. 

Just my opinion but, for any RV service work you are better off if you choose a repair facility that only does service work and has no sales department. That is because sales carry nearly all dealerships while service only shops/techs live by the reputation of quality repair work. 

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

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6 minutes ago, Kirk Wood said:

In my experience, very few RV techs have much knowledge of working on either

 

air conditioners or refrigerators and most only know how to swap a few parts and then suggest replacement. Making it worse is the fact that many an RV shop pays their techs a commission on larger parts and appliances sold. To the best of my memory, every RV tech that I have found to be qualified to do repairs on an air conditioner has also been either a mobile tech or one in a shop that is service only and not part of a dealership. 

Just my opinion but, for any RV service work you are better off if you choose a repair facility that only does service work and has no sales department. That is because sales carry nearly all dealerships while service only shops/techs live by the reputation of quality repair work. 

Thanks Kirk, There is a service center like that here,  I'll give them a call.

Kristin & John

2022 Winnebago Travato 59K “Ruby”

2021 F350 CC SB 7.3 4:30 “Big Red” (Traded)

2018 Grand Design Reflection 26RL “Tail-wagger”(Traded)

https://rv2travel.blogspot.com/

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  • 3 weeks later...

After checking with the three Dometic dealers in my area, I pretty much got the same story from them all.  $1200 to install a new unit.

We contacted Dometic and they honored the manufacturer service bulletin and replaced the unit even though it was out of the warranty period.  I had to have one of the Dometic service centers send them the diagnostic information and I had to pay the installation cost.  So I had Camping World of Mid-MO who did the diagnosis send them the information.  Dometic sent them a new unit within a few days and Camping World installed it for $172.  I am very happy with the customer service of both Dometic and Camping World of Mid-MO.  I have always gotten great service on any repair I have had done at Camping World.

Thanks for all the responses.

Kristin & John

2022 Winnebago Travato 59K “Ruby”

2021 F350 CC SB 7.3 4:30 “Big Red” (Traded)

2018 Grand Design Reflection 26RL “Tail-wagger”(Traded)

https://rv2travel.blogspot.com/

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