[Flick]

Ok first thread ever as a Newell owner. Ok soon to be as I am picking up an 84 on Friday. The seller called me today and said that two of the three basement units fired up but that one would not and that this had never happened before. The rig has largely been idle with only two trips in four years. He said he occasionally starts it and runs the units and this is the first time this has happened. I know nothing about these as I am brand new to this but the owner does not know a great deal either. Any ideas or best case worst case along with cost potentially from experience. The owner said he wanted to try and make this right by potentially correcting the price. So i Told him I would post here and see if any of the Newell family could make suggestions to possible causes and the potential cost so he and I had someone's experience to guide us. Thanks for your help.

[Fulltiming]

If these are Dometic basement airs, there are several potentials. The wiring could be corroded or burned in two. This would result in a complete failure of the air conditioner to start or if just corroded/loose connections, could cause the air conditioner to run at times and not at other times. If the compressor has given up, it could either never turn on thus no cold air, come on with a LOT of noise typically followed by tripping it a breaker or its internal thermal protection, or could have tripped the circuit breaker trying to draw too many amps. The third item is the condenser fan could be frozen. This could be a big problem because it is no longer available.

The description of 'one would not fire up', doesn't tell me enough to point you in the correct direction. It could be a momentary high draw that caused a weak circuit breaker to trip which would be easy and inexpensive to fix, to the compressor which would be several hundred dollars for the part plus labor to install and the cost of pumping a vacuum and recharging the refrigerant, to the rare fan which could require removal and trying to find someone to rebuild it.

[Flick]

If these are Dometic basement airs, there are several potentials. The wiring could be corroded or burned in two. This would result in a complete failure of the air conditioner to start or if just corroded/loose connections, could cause the air conditioner to run at times and not at other times. If the compressor has given up, it could either never turn on thus no cold air, come on with a LOT of noise typically followed by tripping it a breaker or its internal thermal protection, or could have tripped the circuit breaker trying to draw too many amps. The third item is the condenser fan could be frozen. This could be a big problem because it is no longer available.

The description of 'one would not fire up', doesn't tell me enough to point you in the correct direction. It could be a momentary high draw that caused a weak circuit breaker to trip which would be easy and inexpensive to fix, to the compressor which would be several hundred dollars for the part plus labor to install and the cost of pumping a vacuum and recharging the refrigerant, to the rare fan which could require removal and trying to find someone to rebuild it.

Michael thank you. I will take a look at it tomorrow and may ask you again with more information.

[whatsnewell]

Hey Todd, great to see you posting here! Michael, I spent some time in e-mail exchanges, and phone conversations with Todd about this 1984 Newell, and am excited to hear about his journey home, and how well this coach checks out in person. It looks good in the pictures, and the current owner seems to have taken care of it from a description of what he has done to it, other than driving it enough.

[Richard]

Todd,

Michael was spot on as usual. We can do some additional arm chair dianosis if after you try some things on the unit. I strongly suggest that you invest a a quality voltmeter with a clamp on ammeter. It is an invaluable tool for sorting out issues on the rig.

The issue could be as simple as a loose connection, a bad start capacitor, or as nasty as a siezed compressor. It can all be fixed.

I was able to source the fan motor from Newell last year, I don't know if that supply is now dry. I was under the impression that Newell had batches of them made from time to time.

Also, the Dometic boards have a known weakness with the relay that powers the compressor. We can walk you through the diagnostics when you get the rig.

[Flick]

Well the guys at Sexton here in Lubbock tried everything and have declared the compressor to be shot. So we have no air for the front of the bus which sucks with these temps. Otherwise they have declared the rig to be in their opinion a solid buy.

So would I be better off beginning to convert to roof airs as they become expensive like this to fix? If so what is a good site to look at. If not how do I address the compressor issue?

[folivier]

Smagown has added 3 roof a/c's to his coach. You might PM him and discuss it with him. I saw his coach and he did a nice job. The scary part is cutting a 14" square hole in your roof. Once you get over that then it's just a matter of running the wires, you may be able to use the wires from the basement unit that doesn't work. I think Newell charges $4000 to add a roof unit. Might be able to get the seller to discount the price to cover that. Another temporary option is to buy a portable (roll-around type) a/c and just plug that in with the exhaust running out of the window. Of course that takes up valuable floor space.
Good luck.

[Richard]

It's hard to say what is the best course of action. Compressors can be replaced. It's done all the time, but here is what you may run into. An RV tech won't touch it, because they are trained to replace units. A house guy will shy away from it because on the outside it looks like some kind of RV something. It is truly the very same concept and circuits that a house unit has. If you want to replace the compressor, it is as simple as locating a replacement, cut out the old, sweat in the new, pull a vacuum and refill with gas. You just have to find a tech willing to do it.

On the other hand, the roof units are completely self contained. Once installed, if you ever have problems again, you just put in another.

Before I did anything, I would install or have someone install a "hard start" capacitor on the compressor and see what happens. They cost less than 25 bucks.

[folivier]

What Richard said....
I'd try and get your house a/c guy to look at it. You may have to trick him like I did, had him look at it when he was on a service call at our house and wanted to see our coach. I had good luck with that, especially when he realized that the unit slides out of the compartment. I put a couple sawhorses and slid it out for him to work on. The copper refrigerant lines have enough slack to pull it out.
Like Richard said you may be able to get the basement unit repair/replaced once you get it home. If not the roof a/c's might be the way to go. I imagine all of us with basement airs may have to go to roof a/c's at some point. By the way I really like my basement units and hope they last forever.
Don't get discouraged, we all have had similar problems and they all worked out.

[encantotom]

i just talked to Todd, sounds like he picked up a real beauty.

i suggested he get home, and get some info out to all of us (meaning richard) on what units he has and what was looked at and exactly what is happening and then go from there before he draws any conclusions about compressors or roof airs etc.

he is on his way home to south dakota now in the coach.

he will be a great addition to our crew

tom