Cruise-Air parts

[gcyeaw]

have three Curise-airs in my '83 FC. Two work but the center one has a bad compressor. I've been through the capacitors, etc. so I am pretty sure.
I got a price today of $620 from AAP for the compressor, drier and adapters for the new drier. That is without shipping or the cost of having someone replace the parts and recharge the system. I can get a good rate on the labor, but still it will be $800+ in the end.

Has anyone found better prices on parts?

The rear unit evaproator is about two feet from the center one. I am thinking about adding a duct with a two way deflector from the rear unit to the center unit vent and switching between the bedroom or kitchen area as needed. Perhaps if we decide to head for the ultra hot climates after retirement I will spend the money, but for now this seems like a good compromise. Has anyone done this?

I am not interested in roof units.

[Randy Dupree]

i got my last compressor from a local suppplier,Baker Bros.
Johnstone will also have them. just make sure you get a 120volt compressor.(don't ask!)

[gcyeaw]

Randy,
120 volt it is.

If you think that was a pain you should have been there when I inadvertently ordered a 50 cycle power supply for a big printer back when I worked for IBM. The timing was off and it would **** out every minute or so. It took me several hours to discover my error. (with the customer circling around with a very nasty atitude.)

Then there was the time I single handedly took Sony's mainframe down, but that is another story.

Gardner

[Randy Dupree]

when i installed a 230 volt compressor it was in my coach.
a friend did the soldering and charging,he was the expert.
it never cooled and it did blow the breaker everytime we turned it on.
he basicly gave it and me up and never came around again.
another friend found the problem,and fixed it.

[gcyeaw]

Randy,
That is s tough thing to troubleshoot. Once again, when I worked for IBM, I went on a service call to fix a device that was failing. When I got there I looked up the diagnostic code and it pointed to the floppy disk reader as the problem. I looked at the service logs and saw that the reader had been replaced 4 or 5 times in the past. After checking the voltages they were all marginal. In the end it turned out that the device was a 220 volt unit, but the customer had miswired the supply line and it was running on 115. Whenever the utility voltage droped a little (within tolerance) the device would fail. By the time the service tech arrived it was good again, so replacing the part seemed to fix it.

I have lots of these stores, but one at a time.

[gcyeaw]

I have received much help from forum members and I now have a good compressor part number. It is a Tecumseh AKA5512EXA 1 hp 115 volt 12000 BTUh. I found it at www.BuildingHVAC.com in Chicago for $275.

Once it arrives I will document the repair with photo's and technical details.

[Randy Dupree]

great,you will be chilling out in no time!

[gcyeaw]

Update,
On the other forum there was an update indicating that the replacement Tecumsea (12,xxx BTU) would not hold up. The only way to get the original (14000 btu) is through AAP or another Cruisair dealer, big bucks.
Apparently they are special units not generally available.

Since my replacement is on the way, I think I am committed.

[Bill Pape]

Gardner,

Call the MFG. 2000 BTU less , should not make it less dependable,
nor cause it to wear out sooner,

[gcyeaw]

Bill,
I tend to agree. There may be other circumstances that caused the failures. One thing I suggested was being sure the start and run capacitors were matched to the new compressor. Another consideration is a new drier and brazing rather than soldering the connections. I have read where the flux often used with solder will shorten compressor life as well as corrode the condenser tube walls. I believe a high silver content solder without flux can be used, if you really clean it up right. Also ensure the compressor comes with oil or if you need to add it.

Gardner