dougrainer
Carrolton, Texas
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Joined: 06/11/2007
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R-22 was used until the late 2007/09 model years. ALL others older will be R-22. They WILL state on the AC unit what refrigerant is used.
They are sealed systems and do NOT be thinking that you have done Automobile systems and they are the same. TOTALLY different system and repair procedures. IF they need Freon, then there is a LEAK in the system and since there are NO charge ports, that means the leak is in a copper/Aluminum tubing somewhere. You have to FIND and seal that leak or replace the component (Evap or Condensor) before you recharge. You also have to solder in a LOW and HIGH schrader valve to evacuate and charge. Use a "Line Tap" and it will leak within the first year. Doug
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okhmbldr
oklahoma city
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Joined: 01/09/2010
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This is a line tap for adding freon to any sealed system. I've used them in the past with great success.
http://compare.ebay.com/like/280805565651?var=lv<yp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar
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11B
Salt Lake
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Joined: 07/11/2007
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If you need R-12 refrigerant you might as well replace the unit as you need a license (and I don't mean drivers)just to buy it.
Good Luck
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BobR
Aurora, Illinois
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Joined: 12/07/2001
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A few people have posted they added a line tap and charged the system with success. If you do that, I would suggest you also add a can of stop leak to try to minimize or eliminate the leak. Your unit being older, it could well be a minuscule leak that can be repaired with stop leak. Worst scenario is you spend less than one hundred dollars trying to salvage an AC unit that is expensive to replace. If it needs re-charging every year at least the R22 equivalent (available on Ebay) is environmentally friendly.
Please let us know what you do and your results.
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shooted
Vancouver
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Joined: 06/17/2011
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Any repairs and/or installation of access valves in A/C or refrigeration applications should be brazed, not soldered.
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dougrainer
Carrolton, Texas
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shooted wrote:Any repairs and/or installation of access valves in A/C or refrigeration applications should be brazed, not soldered.
POTATO---POTAHTO
Brazing - The American Welding Society (AWS ), defines brazing as a group of joining processes that produce coalescence of materials by heating them to the brazing temperature and by using a filler metal (solder) having a liquidus above 840°F (450°C), and below the solidus of the base metals.
Soldering - Soldering has the same definition as brazing except for the fact that the filler metal used has a liquidus below 840°F (450°C) and below the solidus of the base metals. Doug
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rockhillmanor
On the Road
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Joined: 12/06/2003
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decan9 wrote:I have searched and can not find any reference to recharging the roof air. 1997 Winne F-53 with two A/C's. does it use R-20, R134, R-12??anyone?
Here is what you need to be aware of, and I wish someone would have told me.
It IS a sealed unit. I needed a service call on my A/C to clean the coils. The service repair guy cleaned the coils and proudly tole me he added freon. All I knew is that the A/C once again was working up to par.
What I did NOT know is that he should not have done that. All the freon laws have so changed dramatically over the years and they have the repair guys jumping thru hoops and really limiting what they can and can not do.
Fast forward to a last week, I called to have the coils cleaned againand to tighten down the unit because it got knocked by a tree limb. The guy went up on the roof opened the cover.....closed the cover and came down and said he was NOT allowed to work on my A/C because it had been altered. By law he was not allowed to even touch my A/C or he could lose his license. It is a sealed unit and to add freon the previous guy cut into the line add a coupling to add freon. Which now can not be worked on by conscientious repair companies.
There are guys out there in the RV repair field that will work on them but they are far and few between and usually will only work on them if they know you personally. Kinda hard for that while on the road.  Just saying what I learned.
Moral of the story I am unable to ever have service on it when on the road by any reputable licensed big repair company, unless I can find a referral from a CG host who knows a guy who knows a guy that WILL work on it.
"We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned,
so as to have the life that is waiting for us".
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Diplomat Don
Moorpark, Ca
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Joined: 04/09/2005
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I live in California with the worse laws in the country. I find some of this information to be a little wild and unbelieveable. Personally, when a roof A/C unit has freon issues, I would just replace it because my units are almost 8 years old. With that being said, there are four people on my street that have RV's. One is an A/C repairman. Two of the other neighbors, both with newer units, had freon leaks. He was able to find the leaks in both, repair and recharge the units.
So there can be an occasion when a repair can be done, but those are probably few and far between. I think most repairs consist of electrical components, such as start capacitors or in my case a reversing valve solenoid.
Don & Mary 
2005 Monaco Diplomat 36SKT
400 Cummins 
2012 Chevrolet Silverado LTZ CrewCab 4WD
2013 Polaris RZR 800 LE
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shooted
Vancouver
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Joined: 06/17/2011
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Hi rockhillmanor,
I am EPA 609, Universal 608, and brazing certified. I am unaware of any laws that would have prevented your "altered" unit from being serviced.
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Toolslinger
Portland, Oregon
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Joined: 02/24/2005
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Anyone that calls the stuff in a refrigeration/AC system "freon" is a shade tree mechanic. Freon is a brand name. Adding "freon" is like adding Shell to the gas tank. It is actually difficult to find the Freon brand because there are so many other affordable refrigerants available.
Anyone observed venting refrigerant could get a $10,000 fine. There is a substantial bounty for whoever turns them in. Typical piercing line taps leak, especially if you aren't experienced at installing them. The refrigerant manufacturers love them because they know they will be selling more refrigerant. Leaks come in different sizes. Some will go empty within 24 hours and others could last almost a year.
If you are adding refrigerant, how much do you add? How do you measure a vapor? How do you even know that it's low on refrigerant? Quite a few things contribute to lack of cooling.
Trained professionals make mistakes. What makes you think you can do better, ego?
Make sure you have unrestricted air flow over both the evaporator coil and condenser coil. If they are clean, call a professional.
38' 2 slides w/"voice" activated awning & 2 flat screen HD TV's, Kenwood DNX5120 sound w/GPS, cell booster, Airtabs, Banks & other upgrades
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