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  1. #1
    Setting Up Camp
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    Minimum Outdoor Temperature For AC Unit To Work

    Hi All:

    I have a 2019 Imagine XLS 21BHE. We have been out 3 times camping in April and May this season (Ontario/NY State) and are giving all the trailer systems a good testing. All seems fine. A minor fix hear and there. However, the air conditioning unit (Dometic Penguin II) does not blow cold air. I did talk to a service tech who mentioned that the newer AC units will not run the compressor if the outdoor temperature is cool and therefore not blow cold air. He could not tell me the minimum temperature that shuts down the compressor. I have tried to test the AC unit when the inside trailer temp was 25C (77F) and the outdoor temp was 20C (68F). Didn't seem to produce cold air. I was told by this same tech that before bringing it in for service that I should run the AC when the outside temps hit 27C (80F) to give it a good test for cooling. We have not had any days, so far, that have hit that temperature while camping. I thought I would field this question to the AC gurus and see if you had any thoughts on this topic?
    "Every Day Is A Good Day"

    Marco
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  2. #2
    Paid my dues 😁 FT4NOW's Avatar
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    Never heard of that. A common problem with the AC is the divider plate that separates the intake and discharge sometimes falls out of place and the cold air ends up going back through the intake. You can find more detailed info on that here by using the search function, its commonly known as a divider plate or baffle. It's an easy fix, all done from inside the RV.

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  3. #3
    Site Team xrated's Avatar
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    Not sure how successful you would be at locating it, but if you could find an electrical schematic for the unit, you could possibly see if there is in fact an "ambient" sensor that would keep the compressor from starting based on the outdoor temperature. I can't confirm or deny that something like that would be in the circuit, but to me, 68 degrees outside should certainly allow for any normal air conditioner to operate.....Me thinks service rep is trying to blow some smoke up your heinie!
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  4. #4
    Commercial Member huntr70's Avatar
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    You can also put a thermometer in a discharge vent to see how cold the air is coming out.
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  5. #5
    Setting Up Camp
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    Ok. These are good starting points. FT4NOW I did give the plenum divider a once over and taped out what needed to be done (did my furnace ducts and seams at the same time). All good there. Xrated - good idea. I would have never thought to do this. I did pull the wiring schematic and there indeed is a "ambient switch". I checked Dometic's website for my model and found the installation manual has the wiring diagram. I'm not an electrical guy so I will assume the ambient switch needs a certain outdoor temperature in order for the AC compressor to run? Do you think this switch could be bypassed (jumpered) or should I just wait a week until the temps get warmer?
    "Every Day Is A Good Day"

    Marco
    Guelph, Ontario, Canada
    2019 Imagine XLS 21 BHE
    2017 Nissan NV3500 Van 5.6L V8 and decked out to tow.

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  6. #6
    Site Team xrated's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by macroman View Post
    Ok. These are good starting points. FT4NOW I did give the plenum divider a once over and taped out what needed to be done (did my furnace ducts and seams at the same time). All good there. Xrated - good idea. I would have never thought to do this. I did pull the wiring schematic and there indeed is a "ambient switch". I checked Dometic's website for my model and found the installation manual has the wiring diagram. I'm not an electrical guy so I will assume the ambient switch needs a certain outdoor temperature in order for the AC compressor to run? Do you think this switch could be bypassed (jumpered) or should I just wait a week until the temps get warmer?
    Most likely it could, but without seeing the electrical schematic and seeing how it operates, I would not say yes to go ahead and do it. In the old days, something like that would just be an inline open/close switch that operated based on ambient temperature. With all the electronic control on stuff nowdays, it might be tied back into an electronics "brain" and something could damaged by jumping it out. And without knowing the situation of how it is in the circuit, and how it works....I'd conservatively say NO to jumping it at this time. Another "test" possibility would be to try and locate it and possibly put a hair dryer blowing on it for a few seconds to maybe a minute.....just being careful to not get the dryer too close and cause any kind of damage. That would certainly emulate hotter temperatures and then you could see if the A/C does work properly. What it doesn't tell you is the setpoint of the said sensor...as you are going from "too cool" outside to operate.........to OMG hot outside, if you know what I mean.
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  7. #7
    Site Team xrated's Avatar
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    Marco....I forgot to ask....it this a heat pump type unit or just a straight A/C unit. Heat pump units do in fact have outdoor sensors on them and are usually combined with a freeze sensor. The freeze sensor by itself will lock out the compressor.
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  8. #8
    Big Traveler
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    What a bunch of bull. Air conditioners run at 68 degrees outside and much lower than that.

    Since the divider is fine, and I assume you know how to put it in cool, high, auto, then go on the roof and check how many amps the compressor is pulling. Probably only an amp or two because it's out of refrigerant. It should be around -3 of RLA at that temp.

    Who ever you're talking to at the dealership is full of crap. Airs will run at 68 degrees outside and your inside temps will still be very cold for testing purposes.

    55 outside, ok you MIGHT have issues with it kicking on. Almost 70? Horse crap.
    Last edited by Aridon; 06-07-2019 at 09:05 AM.

  9. #9
    Setting Up Camp
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    Thanks for all the info. I have an HVAC friend who I will show the wiring diagram and have his input and maybe have him look at the ambient switch on the AC unit to see how it is laid out as you have described. The unit is an "AC only" with thermostat and fan speed controls on the ceiling vent/filter cover - very basic.
    "Every Day Is A Good Day"

    Marco
    Guelph, Ontario, Canada
    2019 Imagine XLS 21 BHE
    2017 Nissan NV3500 Van 5.6L V8 and decked out to tow.

    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  10. #10
    Setting Up Camp
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    Thanks for this info Aridon. I may be a bit off on my temps I listed in my original post so I will have to do a bit of testing first - I like Xrated's hair dryer idea . If I have to take my trailer into my warranty dealer its about 4 hours round trip and the time involved in getting/returning trailer to storage and of course the infamous wait time at the dealership usually ends up running me a full 8 hour day.
    "Every Day Is A Good Day"

    Marco
    Guelph, Ontario, Canada
    2019 Imagine XLS 21 BHE
    2017 Nissan NV3500 Van 5.6L V8 and decked out to tow.

    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

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