Penguin Maintenance

[Gary Petersen]

OK, my three new "vented"  ICON Shrouds arrived today, along with my foam gasket material which, I hope to install on my 2002 Sig..

Today was my first opportunity to kinda see down into the exposed units. I don't think any of the original AC units ever had their shrouds off. They look pretty dirty from my ladder perch.

How, and what Maintenance should I perform to Clean, or Lube  the units, before I install the new shrouds?  

Is there anything to be done under the sheetmetal cover.

Thanks,

Gary 

 

[Steven P]

Other than tightening the bolts from the inside, I don't think there is much maintenance on these.  Periodically use an AC coil cleaner and water hose to clean dirt and debris from the fins. Use low pressure to avoid damaging the fins and there may be some water that drips inside so a protective tarp under it would be good. 

[SteveC]

Annually I remove the covers and check the fins for dirt and wasp nests. The air is drawn into the coils so keeping them clean helps efficiency. I agree with Steven P. Be careful not to bend or damage the fins. I typically will use low pressure air and blow the dust out and blow the fins from inside to outside. I also keep an AC fin straightener on hand in case any need adjusting. 

[jacwjames]

15 minutes ago, SteveC said:

Annually I remove the covers and check the fins for dirt and wasp nests. The air is drawn into the coils so keeping them clean helps efficiency. I agree with Steven P. Be careful not to bend or damage the fins. I typically will use low pressure air and blow the dust out and blow the fins from inside to outside. I also keep an AC fin straightener on hand in case any need adjusting. 

This is what I do.

The other thing to periodically check is whether the motor is spinning freely, my front one started to seize up in 2015 and I had to replace it.  When I did that I also found that the rubber support bushings were worn out letting the motor squat.  It squatted enough for the fan blade to hit the metal shroud occasionally.

In 2021 my rear AC started to make a noise, when I checked it I found the rubber bushings were again worn out.  I decided that after ~20 years the AC's were probably on there last leg so I decided to replace both.  At the time a new AC cost ~$1200, they have almost doubled in price since then.

[MyronTruex]

Remove the metal shroud showing and clean the inside condenser. It can be tricky keeping water from getting into the rv but take your time.

[96 EVO]

That's the 'Evaporator' coil under that metal shroud, and if you want to get the best performance out of the unit, it needs to be clean.

Also, if you do a search on this forum, there are some pic's posted of where exactly the foam strips need to go.

[brokenarrow1244]

it is a good opportunity to be sure the condensation drains are clean and open. you have easy access to the collection area while doing the cleaning.

[throgmartin]

The inside evaporator coil is a mus to clean. It gets packed with dust and dirt over the years because of the flimsy filters used for these units.

The best way to clean these coils is to remove the metal shroud, lay a tarp or whatever on the floor inside under the unit, soak the coils down with a coil cleaning solution you can get from Lowe's. Then with someone standing on a step stool, have them hold a large trash bag over the opening while you blow the coils out from the roof. This is how we do it at my service center. You will be surprised at the amount of crud that comes out, especially if you have pets. This process will increase the efficiency of your AC units.

[jacwjames]

57 minutes ago, throgmartin said:

The inside evaporator coil is a mus to clean. It gets packed with dust and dirt over the years because of the flimsy filters used for these units.

The best way to clean these coils is to remove the metal shroud, lay a tarp or whatever on the floor inside under the unit, soak the coils down with a coil cleaning solution you can get from Lowe's. Then with someone standing on a step stool, have them hold a large trash bag over the opening while you blow the coils out from the roof. This is how we do it at my service center. You will be surprised at the amount of crud that comes out, especially if you have pets. This process will increase the efficiency of your AC units.

On my older unit peeling the sheetmetal back was a PITA, which is why the cleaning doesn't happen that often or if at all from the top.  I had some success using a vacuum and long attachment with a brush head going form below but you can only get ~50% of the face.

The newer units have a removable plastic shroud that is easy take off and put back on. 

[MyronTruex]

I use one of those thin plastic cutting boards to re-direct the water spray when cleaning those coils. I have had some success with taping the hole but some sort of plug would sure help.

This group has enough talent to invent something. Maybe a small blow up inner tube or beach ball?

The filter provided for the Wacko silencers is excellent but still must be cleaned often. We full time so that is quite regular. To make that chore a bit quicker I fashioned some thumb screws to replace the phillip head screws. 

[96 EVO]

Myron, I just used a trigger pump spray bottle full of water to rinse the evap cleaner and debris  out of mine. 

I did have a towel over the hole, but practically didn't need one.

[MyronTruex]

We full time and lived at the end of a dirt road. Mine got plenty dirty. We have moved to a bit less dusty enviornment now. 

[Gary Petersen]

My appreciation to all,  for your advice and support regarding my AC issue.

As suggested, I first gently sprayed compress air and then  sprayed the Evaporator and Coil with a spray foam cleaner which did a fine job of sloughing off the dirt and grime before a final cleanup. 

I found your noted photographic description of exactly where the new AC foam tape was to be located on my early AC models, especially helpful.

I am truly impressed with the recommendation of the new ICON brand shrouds from Amazon. After a minor straightening of the AC's  sheet metal, my new Stainless Steel screws aligned perfectly with holes in all three of the AC's and shrouds. These shrouds are awesome.

Now, all I have to do is look for some warmer weather, South of Seattle, to be able to use them.

Thank You's