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In need of crusair repair in San Antonio
Would anyone know who would be a good person to call for crusair repair in the San Antonio area?
2 of our 3 crusairs aren’t working properly.
Thanks in advance
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29 Replies
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These guys r&r’ed my aqua hot a few years back and they had a couple of buses in at the time for other work. They did me okay. At the time they said they worked on cruiseairs also. Don’t know might call. I started to check my freon levels myself as I have a couple that leak down after awhile.
Iron Horse Rv
6414 Randolph Rd.
210-657-1996
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Don
If you use Ironhorse RV and they do a good job let me know and I will put them on the map.
Fred
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Fred, it’s been a few years but had a brace on my coach break when some dumb azz didn’t lock it down and running 70 outside houston Zip dee awning decided to try and open. Iron Horse ordered part and went to pick it up in coach going though San Antone and they installed it in about 5 minutes outside no charge but parts. Owner seemed to be a pretty good guy. They also had a guy that only worked on Aqua Hots. Keep us posted Don.
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I went by Iron Horse. They do not work on Crusairs. They referred me to Krause Bus Service http://www.krausebus.com .I called them. Their bread and butter is entertainer coaches and they are currently very busy. They asked if I was in a hurry, which I’m not, asked me to call back in a week or so to see if they can work me in.
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Don, are they coming on and just not blowing cold? Where are yours located?
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I learned HVAC people have an aversion to an AC unit mounted in an RV. I have also learned if you do a little investigation and work prior to talking to them you can ease their fears and minimize the work they need to do.
I make sure they first understand it is a commercial quality AC system with a remote evaporator. I explain it is an R22 system and that I will provide access to the unit for them. No matter where the cruise air is mounted I make sure I pull into their parking lot and I remove panels or drop the bumper or do whatever is required so all they have to do is access the fittings.
If I suspect the unit needs a compressor or condensing fan or start or run capacitors I try to help with either the removal of the unit or at least provide them with as much access for removal as possible. If the problem is just low refrigerant it is likely at the valve, is seen as an oily spot and they will see that, tighten the packing gland and recharge.
They are not difficult to repair and they are very much like the refrigeration units the typical HVAC guy will work on in a supermarket or home AC compared to a roof air.
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Have you contacted Dave Miller at Texas Custom Coach in Pipe Creek, Tx? You might give them a call.
Reese
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I’m a DIYer whenever possible. I have the equipment and experience to work on automotive ac systems, even my Libertys OTR system, but not home type units like these Crusairs. I may know a home ac technician that has the equipment to service them.
The best temperature differential I’ve ever seen from my 3 units is 16 degrees. This isn’t adequate in TX. I could get 25 degrees from the roof air units on all my previous plastic MHs.
All 3 of my Crusairs are model ACH14B. The control for each is SMX II. They work good.
The aft condensing unit, is located centrally in the second pass side bay, between the house batteries and the fresh water tank. Access to the unit is by partially removing the aft wall of the 1st bay wall. Nobodies arm is skinny enough to fit between the water tank wall and the condensing unit so as to get to the service ports. I can barely see the service ports thru the gap. I suppose? there is a way from beneath the coach to unbolt the board that the unit sits on so as to move the unit enough so the service ports can be reached? The units starts normally, but blows only ambient air. I use to get about a 16 degree differential. I suppose it has a slow leak?
The forward unit tries to start but the amp meter shows it spiking to about 60 amps when the compressor tries to start. It will do this repeatedly if allowed. Maybe the compressor start capacitor is bad? The fan blows fine. This condesing unit is in the fwd compartment behind the frt bumper. Its very difficult to get to its service ports too.
Anybody have part#s, company names and ph#s where I can order parts. AAP comes to mind?
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The wind noise the Crusair evaparator fans make is too loud. How can I quiet them down?
Has anybody ever plumbed the Crusair evaparator exhaust air into the Liberty OTR air duct work? That’s my dream.
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SMX controls are highly programmable and you can set them so the speed of the fan is much quieter. If you don’t have the manual you can find it on line.
As to differential, Jack Finch has found by adjusting the R22 charge while shooting the temps of the suction line at the condenser he can get the maximum differential. I hope he will jump in and verify his resulting differential.
Dpending on how your coach is set up if you cannot get at the fittings you might seeif the back of the 2nd bay has a removeable panel to access them or if you can remove the screws from the base of the condenser and push it a little sideways to give more room. One common issue is people rarely clean the condenser coils and just cleaning them increases the efficiency. I believe Jack also went with a greater volume condensing fan to kick up his performance.
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I would love to hear any special refrigerant pressure formula to increase the temp drop from Cruisairs. I would also like any possible information about condensor fans with higher volume than the Cruisairs came with. Like Don’s, mine give me only about a 15 degree drop, which is not enough. I am right now contemplating adding one or two roof airs to supplement the mid bus Cruisairs on really hot days. Has anyone done anything like that?
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It was three years ago when I shot my differential temps and all fell between 15 and 21 degrees. Ihave made no effort to change or improve my differentials.
I have 4 cruise airs and know for sure that by running the fore and aft, or the two center, I can keep the coach as comfortable as I need. I am known to like it cold so I think my temps would satisfy anyone. But……..you cannot let the temps get out of hand before asking the Cruiseairs to do their job. A coach with non-thermal pane glass such as the XL are going to challenge any AC units.
There is no precise definition of the correct charge. The reason is the length of tubing between the evaporator and the condenser has to be factored in. You know you are in the correct range when the bubble in the sight glass are somewhat foamy instead of a clear liquid or larger bubbles. Then as Jack has done shoot the suction line temps and when it is at the max you have the correct charge.
I know he also changed condensing unit blowers to deliver more air across the condenser coils. That allows the unit to operate as efficiently as possible which of course improves the differential. The cruiseairs are very sensitive to the correct charge as well as keeping the condenser coils clean and the air moving. Check the baffles below the coach to make sure the hot exhaust air over the condenser is not being drawn back into the intake side of the condenser.
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Also interested in shooting temp at lines (suction and pressure) for correct freon level. Wonder what temp should be? All my ac’s are behind bumper and found king vavles leaking and tightened packings and slowed down if not stopped leaking. None have sight glasses to check for bubbles. Just use temp and pressure gauge off cruise air web sight for freon. The ac’s also have about a 15 degree difference drop. 100 + degree days and not under shade makes for a hot coach.
Was also told, as mine has the 3 knob controls, to leave fan control on high as you can turn it down and reduce noise but low blowing air pressure across evaporator might cause freeze up. Don’t know if that was true.
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Glens,Cruise Airs were origionally designed for yachts and they were water cooled,they were later adapted to air cooled condensing units for motor coaches.I have found that freon leaks are generally the glands on the valves and the hot gas by pass valve on newer units(they are plastic).Freon charge is very sensitive and I have been told by Johnny at AAP to get the suction line as cold as possible and that will be the correct charge.The Cruise Air manual has charts for high and low pressure settings and IMHO it is useless and incorrect for maximum performance.When I charge a cruise air by getting the suction as cold as possible it generally has 17+ degrees of differential and will run a steady stream of water under the bus on a humid day.It usually takes me 30 minutes to tweak the freon charge for maximum suction temperature and I do it with an IR temperature gun wedged in pointed at the suction line with the trigger locked with a ty strap.There are other methods that others use to charge Cruise Airs but this method seems to be the easiest and has proven to me that Johnny at AAP is correct.I have also found that with just a small deviation from the lowest temperature on the suction side it will not remove the humidity from the coach and I never feel cool even when it is 70 degrees inside,so what I am trying to say is when the cruise air is properly charged it will remove the humidity and have at least 17 degrees of differential which I have found works even in 104 degrees in a field on a July day without any shade.
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Pay attention to what Jack just said. To avoid a contest between roof air owners and Cruiseair owners about differential as in my differential is bigger than yours, keep in mind that both are flowing different volumes of air so what my be a 25 degree differential on one unit as a result of lower volume of air flow, may not be as effective at cooling the coach as a greater volume of air at 17 degrees differential. Or it may be more effective. The differential is just a reference based on a particular, its air flow and how long that air flow is exposed to the evaporator coil.
The key as Jack says is if you are tweaking the charge the target is the coldest suction line possible.
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