ACtion Magazine - July 2013 - (Page 20)

Motorhome air conditioning The real challenge is knowing where to look by Jacques Gordon These labels are above the driver side window. 20 ACTION • July/August 2013 Photo: J. Gordon For help with these and other questions, we spoke with Tony Yerman of TLY Consulting. With over 35 years in the industry, Tony has held a number of positions and is certified as a master technician, service manager and parts specialists by the Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA) and Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA). Tony is an RV Damage Repair Estimator who literally wrote the book: his RV Damage Repair Estimator Manual is used by the RDVA/RVIA as training and reference material, and he has presented training seminars to insurance companies, RV techs, camping clubs and at the most recent MACS Training Event. Tony also writes for RV Technician magazine. Tony told us the first thing to understand about motorhome air conditioning is that a motorhome is built more like a home than a vehicle. “RV manufacturers are home builders; they collect stuff from different suppliers, just like building a house.” The chassis are standard items supplied by Ford, GM, Freightliner and several others. Motorhome builders such as Winnebago, Fleetwood, Coachmen and others buy the chassis and then, like a general contractor, they buy appliances, furniture, plumbing and electric and HVAC systems from a dozen or more different suppliers. “Looking at it that way,” Tony says, “means you have two types of air conditioning, automotive and house. Knowing where they are and who supplied them can be a challenge.” Fortunately, motorhome companies display their VIN in a prominent place, often near the driver’s seat or under the hood. That VIN is indexed to a list of all the equipment they installed in that vehicle, along with the suppliers’ names. Some RV manufacturers create their own equipment catalogs, complete with drawings and model numbers, and print it in the owner’s manual. Others are less informative. When making production line changes, some motorhome manufacturers will substitute parts or components from a different supplier without clear documentation. The owner’s manual has a list of equipment suppliers. Photo: J. Gordon H unting down air conditioning problems on a motorhome presents some unusual challenges, because it can really turn into a hunt. Just imagine some of the questions that must be answered before you even start. How big is the system and how much refrigerant does it hold? How many evaporators does it have and where are they? Is there more than one system? How do the controls work, and if there are multiple control panels, are they integrated or totally separate? Does the system run on more than one power source? Is it just an air conditioner or does it also provide heat?

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ACtion Magazine - July 2013

ACtion Magazine - July 2013
Contents
Outlook
Freeze Frame
Virtual View
Leonard’s Law
Cooling Corner
Member Profile
News & Updates
Motorhome Air Conditioning
How Low Can You Go?
Quick Check
Association News
Classified
New Products & Services
Last Watch

ACtion Magazine - July 2013