Big country AC repair

We have purchased a 2011 26SRL. The person we purchased from said the AC was working and really blows cold but recently just blows cool. Are trailer AC's worked on(troubleshoot) br a home AC service company or does it require taking to an RV place. We're 30 miles from a RV place. Thanks for any feedback. We don't have the trailer yet (he's going to deliver it) so I haven't tried to troubleshoot myself. Thanks

Many areas have what are referred to as Mobile Servicers that for a mobilization / service call fee, will come out to your RV, wherever it is within their service area. Many of these servicers are authorized by many of the component suppliers and in some cases, even RV manufacturers. They will usually work with the component supplier on a fix, order the parts and return to install them.

Consider also, calling Dometic and they can tell you the nearest authorized services to your location. And I just found this handy dealer / servicer locator on their website: https://www.dometic.com/en-us/us/find-a-dealer

Check a few of them out at http://rvservicereviews.com/

The AC units on these rigs are really throw aways. There really isnt any way to re-charge the refrigerant in them, as they are a sealed units. The specs I have seen state the units are only set to cool down the inside temp by roughly 20 degrees, over the outside ambient. So short of the unit having some obstructions, or bblockages in the fins..it might be defective.

Be aware with any RV, if you are trying to gauge the effectiveness of the AC when the temp outside is over 100, you may not be able to cool the unit effectively without other measures.


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Check the temperature difference from the intake side verses the discharge side, if you have a 20* or more drop in temperature it is working. Also, make sure the filter is clean, and the evaporatore coils are clean as well. Remove the cover and inspect the condensor, outside coil, and make sure it isn't blocked or the fins folded over from hail damage.

TexasAggie66 said:

We have purchased a 2011 26SRL. The person we purchased from said the AC was working and really blows cold but recently just blows cool. Are trailer AC's worked on(troubleshoot) br a home AC service company or does it require taking to an RV place. We're 30 miles from a RV place. Thanks for any feedback. We don't have the trailer yet (he's going to deliver it) so I haven't tried to troubleshoot myself. Thanks

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thanks to everyone for the feedback. I'll have a service tech come and will probably replace it. Thanks again

As a retired service tech I can say that roof ac"s are repairable just as much as a window ac is. Only difference between the two is the cabinet it's in. But to find an HVAC service company or and appliance repair company that will work on them is another challenge. A service valve can be brazed on or a saddle valve (not recommended) can be used to check the refrigerant charge of the unit. If it the poor cooling is from lost refrigerant then there is a leak to find and repair. If the poor cooling is because of a defective compressor then it isn't worth fixing. Either case you'll be looking at several hundred dollars to repair a leak and service or another several hundred to replace a compressor in a unit you can purchase for the same amount.

That is why they are considered throwaways. So as one advised, pull the roof cover, check for dirty evap or condenser coil and if you don't get that 20 deg temp drop across the evap coil start looking for a new ac. They are not difficult to change out. Only tough part is getting it to the roof. If you decide to change it out be sure to replace the ac roof seal. Also if it is a 13,500 btu a good time to upgrade to a 15,000 btu.

Thanks for the feedback jerryjay11. Question is there any issue with wiring amperage if I upgrade to 15000. I'm not sure yet (trailer being delivered Wednesday) what the factory wiring is 12 or 14 awg

As in many home window AC these RV AC's run on 120 volts and about the same in amperage of each other within 2 amps. You can check those specs when looking for a replacement. Both the 13,500 and 15,000 are rated under 15 amps and they will run lower amperage. 14 AWG wire is rated for 15 amps. 12 AWG is good for 20 amps. I am sure I'd be correct to say your present AC has a 15 amp circuit breaker so not a problem.

I would look at the existing circuit breaker for the A/C unit being replaced. If it's 20 amps, the wiring probably matches and you should be ok with a 15,000 BTU A/C unit. If it's 15 amps, I would suggest you read the specifications on the A/C unit very closely before purchasing. If it requires a 20 amp circuit, you're probably not ok.