Plumbing and Appliance
RV Air Conditioning Repair and Service Serving Long Beach
About 10 min left
OCRV Center repairs and replaces RV rooftop air conditioners including Coleman, Dometic and Furrion units, and installs soft start devices that allow operation on smaller generators and inverters. Air conditioning work runs $750 for a service or capacitor repair to $4,500 for a full unit replacement with ducting repair.
In Long Beach, RV air conditioning stops being a comfort item and becomes the reason the coach is usable at all from roughly June through October. A unit that cannot keep up is not a minor annoyance in that window.
Fortunately most air conditioning failures are inexpensive, and the most common one of all, a failed start capacitor, is a part that costs very little and takes under an hour.
Capacitors and Starting Faults
A rooftop unit that hums and does not start, or that trips a breaker on startup, is reporting a failed start capacitor in the large majority of cases. The compressor is trying to start without the phase shift the capacitor provides, drawing locked rotor current and going nowhere.
This is worth knowing because compressor replacement is a several thousand dollar proposition and capacitor replacement is not, and the symptoms are identical to an owner listening from inside.
Soft Start Devices
A soft start reduces the inrush current at compressor startup dramatically, which is what allows a rooftop air conditioner to run on a smaller generator or from an inverter.
On coaches with two air conditioners and a generator that struggles to start both, soft starts are frequently a better investment than a larger generator.
Cooling Performance and Airflow
A unit that runs continuously without cooling adequately is usually an airflow problem rather than a refrigerant problem. RV rooftop units are sealed systems and rarely lose charge, so the refrigerant is generally not the issue.
Blocked evaporator coils, a dirty filter, crushed or disconnected ducting and a failed blower motor all produce the same symptom. We check airflow before anything else, because it is the cause the overwhelming majority of the time.
Ducted Versus Non Ducted Systems
Non ducted units blow directly into the living space from the ceiling assembly. They are simple and they cool the area right below them well.
Ducted systems distribute through the roof cavity to multiple registers, and their failure mode is duct related: crushed ducting, disconnected runs and unsealed joints leaking conditioned air into the roof cavity. That last one is common and invisible, and it can cost a third of the unit output.
Replacement and Roof Considerations
Rooftop units are heavy and the opening they sit in is a hole in your roof. Replacement means addressing the gasket, which is what seals that opening, and inspecting the roof structure around it.
On coaches where a unit has been leaking, the substrate around the opening is frequently soft. We check it during replacement, since a new unit bolted down over rotted substrate will neither seal nor hold.
What Is Included
- Start and run capacitor tested before any compressor diagnosis
- Airflow path checked including filter, coils, ducting and blower
- Duct joints inspected for leakage into the roof cavity on ducted systems
- Roof gasket replaced on any unit removed and reinstalled
- Substrate around the roof opening checked for softness and rot
- Soft start options explained where generator or inverter capacity is a constraint
- Temperature split measured at the register to verify actual performance
Our Process
- 1
Performance Test
Unit run with supply and return temperatures measured to establish actual cooling performance.
- 2
Electrical Test
Capacitors, voltage at the unit and current draw measured before any component is condemned.
- 3
Airflow Inspection
Filter, evaporator coil, blower and ducting checked, since airflow is the usual cause of poor cooling.
- 4
Duct Survey
On ducted systems, joints and runs inspected for leakage into the roof cavity.
- 5
Repair
Capacitors, motors, control boards or ducting repaired or replaced as the diagnosis directs.
- 6
Roof Service
On any removal, the gasket is replaced and the substrate around the opening checked for rot.
- 7
Verification
Temperature split measured at the register and startup behavior confirmed on generator power.
Frequently Asked Questions
My RV air conditioner hums but will not start. What is wrong?
A failed start capacitor, in the large majority of cases. The compressor is trying to start without the phase shift the capacitor provides, so it draws locked rotor current and goes nowhere. This matters a great deal because the symptom is identical to a seized compressor from inside the coach, and a capacitor costs very little while a compressor is a several thousand dollar proposition. We test the capacitors first, every time.
My air conditioner runs constantly but the RV never gets cool. Why?
Almost always an airflow problem rather than a refrigerant problem. RV rooftop units are sealed systems that rarely lose charge. Blocked evaporator coils, a dirty filter, crushed or disconnected ducting and a tired blower motor all produce this exact symptom. On ducted systems, unsealed duct joints leaking conditioned air into the roof cavity are common, invisible from inside, and can cost you a third of the unit output.
Do you repair air conditioners on Class A motorhomes?
Yes, including coaches with two or three rooftop units and ducted distribution. On multi unit coaches a frequent complaint is that the generator will not start both units, and the answer there is usually soft start devices rather than a larger generator. Soft starts cut inrush current at compressor startup dramatically and are considerably less expensive than a generator upgrade.
How much does RV air conditioner replacement cost?
A capacitor or component repair runs $750 to $1,400. A blower motor or control board replacement runs $900 to $1,800. A full rooftop unit replacement runs $2,200 to $3,500 installed. If the substrate around the roof opening has rotted from a leaking unit, add repair for that, because a new unit bolted over soft substrate will neither seal nor hold. We check that condition during any removal.
Air Conditioning Repair is performed in shop at OCRV Center, 23281 La Palma Ave, Yorba Linda, CA 92887, serving Long Beach, California and the surrounding region. Call (949) 799-3387 to discuss your vehicle.
Get Your Vehicle Looked At Properly
Call the shop, describe what happened, and we will tell you what the realistic scope and timeline look like. All work is performed in shop at our 35,000 square foot facility.