|
|
RV Doctor ColumnRV Doctor #325 Dear RV Doctor, being a rookie RVer, I accidentally did not have my motorhome fully leveled while camping and therefore, I now have a leak in my RV refrigerator. I am getting that wonderful ammonia smell when the door is opened. How hard is it to remove the refrigerator? I live in a small town so would a local mechanic be able to help me? I am guessing the refrigerator is ruined. Will the refrigerator need to be removed right away? Naomi Larocque, ( Seattle , WA )
Naome, obviously because of the leaking ammonia, the refrigerator is rendered inoperable. The entire cooling unit will have to be replaced. Not an uncommon occurrence; cooling units can become internally blocked by operating off-level and a rupture or crack in the piping will result in the release of the ammonia. If the crack is situated at or near an exposed section of piping at the rear of the refrigerator, a bright yellow residue is usually visible. If the leak is in a section of pipe hidden by insulation (the more common occurrence), you may not see it. But any indication of an ammonia smell confirms a leak indeed. The first thing to be concerned about is ridding the ammonia smell from the motorhome. Be sure you open all the windows to air the coach out and refrain from using the rig until the odor has been dissipated. Ammonia is quite hazardous. Typically, service centers replace the cooling core with a refurbished unit, sending the damaged unit back to the supplier to be repaired, recharged and placed back into inventory. The entire replacement can take anywhere from two to four hours to complete depending on the model. Cooling units cannot be repaired in the field - they must be replaced. Not an inexpensive venture, oftentimes RV owners must contemplate a complete refrigerator upgrade versus the cooling unit replacement. It depends on the age of the refrigerator and how fond you are of it. On units around eight years or older, seriously consider a complete refrigerator replacement. You will have a new unit warranty and all new parts. With a cooling unit replacement only, the original components are still aged and non-warrantable. It's best to let the service center remove the refrigerator and only allow a competent RV service technician perform the replacement. Oftentimes the refrigerator will not fit though the entry door without removing some components and/or the entry door itself. In some cases, the cooling unit is replaced inside the RV.
Dear RV Doctor, I have a 1977 Winnebago that I took on for a remodeling project. I am finally down to the monitor panel for the tanks. My holding tanks have sensors in the sides of the tanks and so does the fresh water tank. The panel has a switch for Tank 1, Tank 2 and the water tank. If I had a schematic for the printed circuit board I may be able to figure out what's wrong since I am an electrical engineer and also an electronics technician. Since none of the tanks register properly, I'm suspecting the printed circuit board, but after reading comments by you and others there could be a low impedance reading between the sensors resulting in faulty readings on the panel. What would you suggest? Raymond Phillips, ( Pasco , WA )
Raymond, unfortunately back in those days, monitor panel suppliers used an assortment of circuit boards for their panels. Without knowing the manufacturer of the monitor panel itself, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to obtain the correct schematic. In addition, most panels were produced with the logo of the RV manufacturer and not the actual board maker. Compounding this, most board makers from that decade are now out of business. The good news is that newer, more sophisticated, (and more accurate), monitoring systems are now available. All would have to be obtained through a RV service facility or parts store. I would recommend one that does not rely on well nuts (sensors) mounted through the tank walls. I favor those that are affixed to the outsides of each tank, thereby, eliminating the inevitable false readings that will occur with well nuts. Check out the SeeLevel monitoring system produced by Garnet Technologies, www.rvgauge.com. Their tank sensors are incorporated into a single, flexible circuit board, fitted to the exterior of the tanks. One side of the flexible board contains the transmitter and the other side holds the segmented receivers. All this means is that the signal from the sensors is digitized and the readout on the monitor panel shows the percentage of how full each tank truly is - to within an accuracy of 2%. Quite an improvement over systems using levels indicated by each quarter or third segment of the tank.
Dear Gary, I was asked a question the other day from a fellow RVer about a 4,500 watt Onan generator. He wanted to know if I could find out what the point gap of the points on his unit should be. The numbers are gone off the plate on the unit. He has a 1988 motorhome and cannot find the information anywhere. I have looked all over the net for this information however they want the generator numbers to look it up. My generator has electronic ignition so I cannot give him the information from my manual. Thanks. Dave Farrell, ( Enfield , CT )
Dave, I've searched my technical library and I cannot find a 4.5 kW Onan from that time frame, though I could be mistaken. They did produce a 4.0 and a 5.0 at that time; each using a different engine. To the best of my knowledge, the correct gap with the points full open (TDC) should measure .020" for all engines of that era. To be sure, a quick call to any Onan distributor should confirm this. By describing the look of the engine and any other markings still on the unit, the distributor should be able to positively identify which engine is coupled to that generator.
Dear RV Doctor, we live in our 37-foot Safari full-time, just north of Sacramento , but haven't driven it much over this past winter. As you know, we've received much more rain this winter than usual. Because of this rain, the inside of the coach has been "flooded" with condensation. We wipe the windows and everything we can think of. We've even tried drying chemicals, which really bother my eyes - but we still get water on the ceiling, in the cabinets, etc. Plus we're afraid of mold. We have two roof vents and covers for them, but my husband has been too busy on the few dry days we've had to install them. And we have awnings over the windows. What can we do? Kathy Sowell, ( Grass Valley , CA )
Kathy, condensation is one of those RVing facts of life that unfortunately can never be totally eliminated, only minimized. It has to do mainly with the construction and insulation limitations of the RV design, (thin walls and lots of windows). Though some RVs are better insulated than others, some degree of condensation is still inevitable since the air inside the RV is almost always warmer than the air outside, especially during the winter months. There are methods, however, you can employ to keep condensation to a minimum. The first thing to do is get those vent covers installed even if you must take your Safari to an RV service facility. During use, keep the rear-most roof vent opened and the forward-most window cracked open slightly. The process of convection will move a lot of the most air out. This air movement can be aided with the addition of a small electric fan or with the air conditioner fan when connected to shore power. A small, portable dehumidifier or two may help as well, but again they should be used only when 120-volt AC power is available. Finally, on those chilly, rainy nights set the furnace to a lower temperature setting. Combined, these methods will help reduce your moisture problem and further prevent the formation of mold.
Dear RV Doc, I have noticed an absence of information on "tankless" or "on demand" hot water systems. Since these units are small, economical and relatively inexpensive why hasn't the motorhome industry gone to this technology? Marshall Davenport, ( Pensacola , FL )
Marshall , not so much with motorhomes, but LP-fired, tankless water heaters are proving to be a viable alternative on other types of RVs today. Years ago Norcold, (yep, that Norcold), produced an instantaneous water heater call the Vaillant. It was used predominantly in the 1960's and through the early boom years of the 1970's. That model died with the advent of direct spark ignition water heaters still popular today. In today's market, one accepted design of instantaneous tankless heater is produced by Precision Temp. Their RV-500 model fits into the same space as the current 10-gallon units do now. You will find them factory equipped on some fifth-wheel trailers and as an option on many other towables. It's my belief they are not being used so much on motorhomes because of the fact that most coaches have the added benefit of the water heater being plumbed with motor aid; whereby heated water from the engine's cooling system is routed through the heater so the stored water is hot and ready to use when the motorhome stops for the night. Though I have not personally tested the RV-500, I've studied the product and published reports indicate hot water begins to flow within three seconds of turning on the faucet. Users I have spoken with are quite happy with economics of the tankless model. They reportedly provide about 200 more gallons of hot water for every tankful of LP consumed. And with a lower stack temperature. They weigh about one-fourth of what the typical 10-gallon unit weighs when filled with water which is one reason why you'll find them predominantly on towables. For winterizing purposes, they only require about one pint of RV anti-freeze. Will they ever become popular on motorhomes? That remains to be seen, but certainly tankless water heaters have found their place in the RVing realm.
|
|
|
[ Home ] [ Ask the RV Doctor ] [ RV Doctor Column ] [ Memorandums ] [ Interesting Articles ] [ Product Spotlight ] [RV Service Technician Training ] [ Seminars ] [ Links ] [ Gary's Bio ]
Send your questions and comments to:
gbunzer@cox.net |
|