True Air: outside fan problems

Oh-one · 02-17-2007, 02:33 PM

I have a noise coming from the outside fan on the true-air heat pump. It sounds like a bearing in the fan motor for the condenser coil. Is this something that is easily replaced? Where can I find information on how to replace it myself? Thanks

Oh-one · 02-17-2007, 02:33 PM

I have a noise coming from the outside fan on the true-air heat pump. It sounds like a bearing in the fan motor for the condenser coil. Is this something that is easily replaced? Where can I find information on how to replace it myself? Thanks

Pusherman · 02-17-2007, 02:36 PM

On my prior Journey I had a very nasty noise coming from the a/c outside fan. It turned out to be an unbalanced squirrel cage.

Had the dealer exchange it.

Fossilhog · 02-17-2007, 03:18 PM

Here ya go!http://www.rvcomfort.com/rvp/rvp.php

I had many problems with my basement air and one thing I learned was to make sure there's adequate voltage. Twice so far its been in for fried circuit boards and several relays and start capacitors as well as the blower fan you talk about. Good luck with yours.

SteveG · 02-17-2007, 03:25 PM

Is there a way to protect against low voltage? I am thinking the equipment should sense low voltage and drop off before damage is done. Obviously that isn't happening. ANy add on protection available?

AFChap · 02-17-2007, 04:14 PM

SteveG ...the equipment wil NOT sense low voltage and drop off before damage is done. After I had low voltage damage, I added a hardwired SurgeGuard.

Oh-One ...I helped a tech remove my TrueAir unit just last week. He had never taken one out of a Winnebago. On mine, there are about 6 or 8 screws to get the hinged door open. Then about a dozen or more screws to get all the flanges off around the top and bottom. Then four screws to get two braces off on the bottom edge. Then somewhere around 20-25 screws, difficult to get to, to take loose the duct going out the rear to the ceiling ducts. Then disconnect all the wiring. Then it is "fairly easy" to slide out on a cart or forklift. Then you remove another 20 or so screws and get the top off and it is pretty easy to replace the bearing IF that is what is wrong.

If a service dept is dealing with the problem at that point, the tech has to figure out how to rig the wiring so he can connect it to 120v power and bench test it. It could be bearing or motor for either outside or inside fan, or a problem with the fan squirrel cage itself.

I am pretty handy with mechanics. I know I could easily get my unit out if I could come up with a cart the right height to slide it out on ...not sure I want to go there on my own...

NeilV · 02-18-2007, 02:16 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by SteveG:
Is there a way to protect against low voltage? I am thinking the equipment should sense low voltage and drop off before damage is done. Obviously that isn't happening. ANy add on protection available? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I have a SurgeGuard and during the brownouts going up and down the East Coast this past summer the third week of July I did not stop at any campgrounds that had enough voltage to satisfy the SurgeGuard however since it was over 105 degrees and I was traveling with animals I had to bypass the low voltage cutout and run anyway. I lost both the inside and outside blower along with a overload protection device on one of the compressors a few days after I got home.

I now have a Hughs Autoformer which corrects low voltage situations and allows you to safely keep your coach running during brownouts. This combined with a SurgeGuard is the best solution for protecting your coach and still have it useable.

The Autoformer is available at many places such as CampingWorld.

Dgold2 · 02-18-2007, 06:22 AM

Oh-one,

If you end up pulling the unit yourself, Winnebago has included extra wiring for dropping the unit out of it's opening. This way you can leave it wired up, and you will be able to diagnosis the problem once you have the outer sheetmetal off the unit. The reason I know this is that I dropped mine last summer for a compressor replacement and unwired the unit initially, and onece the unit was out, I seen there was sufficent wire, so I re-wired the unit so it could be run when my neighbor did the compressor replacement.

The good new is that it is not that hard to remove, but it is twice as hard to get back up in that opening, as it is a very tight fit.

Good Luck!

Fossilhog · 02-18-2007, 07:57 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by SteveG:
Is there a way to protect against low voltage? I am thinking the equipment should sense low voltage and drop off before damage is done. Obviously that isn't happening. ANy add on protection available? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hughes Auto former.....do a search on this forum and you'll see lots of information about them. I'll never be without one and a voltmeter.There are surge protectors also available, I'm sure you'll get an education here.

AFChap · 02-18-2007, 03:35 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Winnebago has included extra wiring for dropping the unit out of it's opening. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Dgold2

You dont' give us a clue what model or year Winnebago you have? I'm curious, as there definitely is no way to pull the unit on mine without disconnection all wiring.

Oh-one · 02-18-2007, 04:30 PM

AFchap, I see you too have a 2003 model. We have a 03 Horizon and I assume we have the same unit that is your Ultimate. What was the problem with your True Air? I have had my unit plugged in and running for the entire time we have owned it,3 years now,to keep the moisture and mold out. We live in the south and so far the coach still smells and looks new inside. I was wondering if this about the time for the fans and other parts to began to fail. If so what other things should be replaced while I have it the unit out of the MH ?

AFChap · 02-18-2007, 06:04 PM

Oh-one

We've used our unit pretty much continually since we started fulltiming in June 2005, and used it for several days at least monthly prior to that.

Our unit was making a noise in the first stage, like a possible bearing problem. When the second stage kicked in, the noise disappeared. I talked with RVP, and they confirmed it "spins faster" in second stage, so I am guessing that the additional RPM was taking up the slack or whatever I was hearing. I helped the service tech remove the unit, then buttoned up the motorhome and returned to the RV park. They were to bench test it and get back to me ...when I called back several days later the Svc Mgr had been out sick since we pulled the unit, and no one could give me a status. I need to get back at them this week to get a status get it resolved and reinstalled.

Last October, we had a horrendous squalling noise in the unit while we were in MO, and had to have the outside blower motor and carrier bearing replaced. That was after I had the unit checked 9 mo earlier for a slight noise on startup only to have a dealer tech tell me it was "normal startup noise." The slight noise suddenly became a very constant noise in October.

Oh-one · 02-18-2007, 06:40 PM

Your description sounds just like mine and the results will probably be the same. We are scheduled to go to the FMCA rally in Perry GA in March and I will need the repair before then. I think I will not attempt it myself and call Suncoast tomorrow and see if they can work me in. Thanks for your help. Sam