Dometic Air Conditioner Issue

Battlebeetle: first off welcome to the forum. I hope you can get your issue resolved, but if you do change A/C units to a different brand you will have to change the thermostat too.
 
Just ... I took it to the dealership 8/2016 and they drilled the extra drain holes in the pan but it still leaks every time it rains and the AC is running and it's past the 1 year warranty now...
Clay

Your trailer has a one year warranty, the air conditioner has a 2 year Dometic warranty. If the problem is the installation, that ends with the trailer's 1 year. If the problem is a defect with the A/C, it will be covered for another year. However I'd suspect that Dometic wouldn't consider water damage to be their responsibility. Either way, it's best to have your dealership fix it or replace it.
 
Just finding this thread, although I am having the exact same problem with water leaking through the intake vents in my 2016 Montana. I took it to the dealership 8/2016 and they drilled the extra drain holes in the pan but it still leaks every time it rains and the AC is running and it's past the 1 year warranty now. Worried about long term water damage. Any updates on how well the posted fix in this thread has worked? Or any other fixes that worked? At this point I'm considering just ponying up for a new AC of a different brand.

Clay


I've now lost track of how many of these I've done. If you follow my instructions EXACTLY, there is no more water intrusion. This is even before adding tape to block rain water entrance. The tape was added as an extra precaution. The only area I have seen wet is the interior of the duct and the duct has always been sealed good enough to contain the water. Have seen no wet ceilings or insulation.

Drilling any extra drain holes is unecessary and Heartland has had some dealers go back and reseal the drilled drain holes. The 2 big issues is the scoop effect the 2 A/C halves have to channel the water in and then the extra mounting rivnut leaking into the coach interior.

Any tech that reads this thread and then cannot properly fix the problem is incompetent. Total time to complete if willing to remove the A/C styrofoam evaporator cover is 1 hour to repair, 2 hour cure, 30 minute leak check.

Dometic has sent me a new top cover and it fits no better than the originals.

If anyone has any improvements to this method, please advise.


John - 3820FK
 
I've now lost track of how many of these I've done. If you follow my instructions EXACTLY, there is no more water intrusion. This is even before adding tape to block rain water entrance. The tape was added as an extra precaution. The only area I have seen wet is the interior of the duct and the duct has always been sealed good enough to contain the water. Have seen no wet ceilings or insulation.

Drilling any extra drain holes is unecessary and Heartland has had some dealers go back and reseal the drilled drain holes. The 2 big issues is the scoop effect the 2 A/C halves have to channel the water in and then the extra mounting rivnut leaking into the coach interior.

Any tech that reads this thread and then cannot properly fix the problem is incompetent. Total time to complete if willing to remove the A/C styrofoam evaporator cover is 1 hour to repair, 2 hour cure, 30 minute leak check.

Dometic has sent me a new top cover and it fits no better than the originals.

If anyone has any improvements to this method, please advise.


John - 3820FK
Just following up on this thread and my experience.

After having the dealership complete the "fix" of drilling extra drain holes and plugging the holes where water leaks through the into the interior, the leaking through the intake vents (only when AC running while raining, no leaking while raining with AC off) was improved but still significant. After applying tape around the connection to the pan and lid, like in the pictures, the problem has gone away and I have had not more leakage through many storms over the past months with the AC running.

So, my logic leaves me to believe that there are 2 problems present: First, the bolt holes let water that has entered the pan front compartment run into the intake vents and enter the interior of the camper. Second, the suction created by the AC pulls standing water in the compartment up into the intake vents which then enters the camper. Plugging the holes takes are of problem one but not problem 2. Taping the lid/pan area takes care of problem 2. Both seems necessary for a complete fix. Just plugging the bolt holes did not solve the problem for me. Maybe it would solve the problem for new campers with lids that fit well, but once they get a little older and the lids become ill-fitting they may develop leaking problems again without the taping solution.

Thanks BowlesJ!
 
Just following up on this thread and my experience.

After having the dealership complete the "fix" of drilling extra drain holes and plugging the holes where water leaks through the into the interior, the leaking through the intake vents (only when AC running while raining, no leaking while raining with AC off) was improved but still significant. After applying tape around the connection to the pan and lid, like in the pictures, the problem has gone away and I have had not more leakage through many storms over the past months with the AC running.

So, my logic leaves me to believe that there are 2 problems present: First, the bolt holes let water that has entered the pan front compartment run into the intake vents and enter the interior of the camper. Second, the suction created by the AC pulls standing water in the compartment up into the intake vents which then enters the camper. Plugging the holes takes are of problem one but not problem 2. Taping the lid/pan area takes care of problem 2. Both seems necessary for a complete fix. Just plugging the bolt holes did not solve the problem for me. Maybe it would solve the problem for new campers with lids that fit well, but once they get a little older and the lids become ill-fitting they may develop leaking problems again without the taping solution.

Thanks BowlesJ!


Since it sounds like a dealer, not yourself, did the repair, I'd have to see pics to believe they correctly sealed the exit of the rivnut in the upper fwd corner of the return duct. Unless you confirm you saw the final repair for yourself.

Regardless, I'm very pleased that you have things resolved to your "dry" satisfaction.

Happy camping.

John - 3820FK
 
Since it sounds like a dealer, not yourself, did the repair, I'd have to see pics to believe they correctly sealed the exit of the rivnut in the upper fwd corner of the return duct. Unless you confirm you saw the final repair for yourself.

Regardless, I'm very pleased that you have things resolved to your "dry" satisfaction.

Happy camping.

John - 3820FK
The dealer did the repair, but I personally took off the styrofoam cover and inspected the rivnut exit you a referring to with a hand mirror and it was properly sealed. I even added some extra silicone sealant to all of the target holes for good measure. Your fix posting was spot-on.
 
Thankyou Bowlesj for the information. This was exactly what mine was doing and after taking it to the dealer and showing them the pics the leak was fixed. i had the research that I found through you or this probaly would not be fixed. thanks again.
 
Just finding this thread, although I am having the exact same problem with water leaking through the intake vents in my 2016 Montana. I took it to the dealership 8/2016 and they drilled the extra drain holes in the pan but it still leaks every time it rains and the AC is running and it's past the 1 year warranty now. Worried about long term water damage. Any updates on how well the posted fix in this thread has worked? Or any other fixes that worked? At this point I'm considering just ponying up for a new AC of a different brand.

Clay

Click on the name of the poster and then the "profile" and you will note the folks who had this discussion have not been back on this board for at least a couple years. I would head over to the Heartland forum that one of the posters mentioned and see if there is followup there on this issue. Sounds like some duct tape over the front seam and some silicon inside where it was indicated would be a fix.
 
I've now lost track of how many of these I've done. If you follow my instructions EXACTLY, there is no more water intrusion. This is even before adding tape to block rain water entrance. The tape was added as an extra precaution. The only area I have seen wet is the interior of the duct and the duct has always been sealed good enough to contain the water. Have seen no wet ceilings or insulation.

Drilling any extra drain holes is unecessary and Heartland has had some dealers go back and reseal the drilled drain holes. The 2 big issues is the scoop effect the 2 A/C halves have to channel the water in and then the extra mounting rivnut leaking into the coach interior.

Any tech that reads this thread and then cannot properly fix the problem is incompetent. Total time to complete if willing to remove the A/C styrofoam evaporator cover is 1 hour to repair, 2 hour cure, 30 minute leak check.

Dometic has sent me a new top cover and it fits no better than the originals.

If anyone has any improvements to this method, please advise.


John - 3820FK
Just to clarify, do I need to pull A/C to complete this repair? I believe I have this issue with my A/C and its driving me insane. Thanks in advance for your time and attention in helping with this matter
 
No. The AC unit remains in place on the roof. Only the main cover and top halv of the evaporator Styrofoam needs to be removed.

John Bowles - now an Airstreamer
 

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