RV Issues

Thursday - It sounds like our front A/C didn't like the new year as it no longer works. The compressor tries to start but it just buzzes. This is when it is running as a heat pump. The next time it warms up, I'll try out the air conditioner side. This is the same unit that we had replaced a few years ago but it has been getting a lot of use. In some cases, running almost continuously.

The forecast is for lows around freezing next week so I went ahead and “winterized” our water pedestal. I moved the pressure regulator and filter to inside the wet bay and switched to the heated water hose. The water softener is not inline at the moment. I am thinking of drilling a hole between the wet bay and the storage bay and having the water softener in the storage bay. I think that I can just use a 1½” or 2” abs pipe with glued fittings. And run either hose or Pex between the two bays. I wrapped the pedestal with fiberglass insulation and covered it with a 50gal Rubbermaid trash can.

Saturday - I led an early morning test session. By early, I mean 7:30am. Afterwards, I went up on the roof to look at the front A/C unit. Nothing obvious. The compressor is getting power and tries to start but is unsuccessful. The current draw is sufficient to slow down the blower motor. I think the unit needs to be replaced as the compressor is not replaceable. It is only 2½ years old but has been used a lot. There have been many days when it ran almost 24 hours/day such as when we stayed in Tucson. 

I finished with our water pedestal. I added a 40watt incandescent bulb in a drop light for a heat source and plugged the drop light into a thermostat outlet that turns on at 32°F and turns off at 38°F. The thermostat is inside the insulated area. I put pipe wrap on the line running to the pedestal. I also put another thermostat outlet on the small electric heater inside the wet bay. 

As a further precaution, I filled up the water tank in case there are water outages due to frozen pipes within the park.