sasmit8 Report post Posted January 7, 2018 We have a Coleman basement air conditioner in our 2002 Winnebago. Over the years we have had a lot of problems with this unit, and have spent over $4000.00 in repairs. The latest problem we have not been able to get fixed. The problem is a LOUD NOISE vibration coming from the squirrel cage blower,if you bang on the bottom of the blower. the noise will stop until the unit stops and recycles. On a trip to ME we had it looked at and they said it was the blower motor. We had the motor replaced at a cost of $750..OO. That fixed the problem for about 5 hours. Then on a trip to GA we had it looked at again. This time we were told it was the blower motor again caused by not replacing the pillow block bearing when they replaced the motor the first time as the bearing was seizing. They then replaced the motor and bearing for $850.00. This lasted for 3 hrs use. We now have the problem back Not sure what to do next. PS Our camping neighbors hope we fix this soon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
michaelhillhouse Report post Posted January 7, 2018 In my humble opinion I would look at the squirrel fan itself. Sounds like the bushing on the cage might be worn knocking the motor bearing out Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lenp Report post Posted January 7, 2018 Contact Airxcel at (316) 832-4357 They have been VERY helpful for me. Lenp Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dickandlois Report post Posted January 7, 2018 15 hours ago, sasmit8 said: We have a Coleman basement air conditioner in our 2002 Winnebago. Over the years we have had a lot of problems with this unit, and have spent over $4000.00 in repairs. The latest problem we have not been able to get fixed. The problem is a LOUD NOISE vibration coming from the squirrel cage blower,if you bang on the bottom of the blower. the noise will stop until the unit stops and recycles. On a trip to ME we had it looked at and they said it was the blower motor. We had the motor replaced at a cost of $750..OO. That fixed the problem for about 5 hours. Then on a trip to GA we had it looked at again. This time we were told it was the blower motor again caused by not replacing the pillow block bearing when they replaced the motor the first time as the bearing was seizing. They then replaced the motor and bearing for $850.00. This lasted for 3 hrs use. We now have the problem back Not sure what to do next. PS Our camping neighbors hope we fix this soon. This information might be of help. At least you can look it over or a member might have some good feedback. Lemp offered a good possibility. I have run into a number of units that squeal. That noise comes from the oil-lite bearings in the blower motor. They can be lubricated using Silicon based oil or grease. No all the tricky, but takes some time to work it into the oil-lite bushings. There are some pictures in the information an if the motor was changed with a new one the noise should have not come back in a short amount of time? Could you post the kind of noise you are hearing, a Squealing sound, rattling sound or more of a buzz ? Rich. Colemen_BasementA-CRemovalProcedure.pdf Reading up on the basement AC units and found out that parts for the older models where discontinued in 2010 - when R-410 replaced R-22. You mentioned that the service center replaced the motor for $750.00 -wounding where they got it from? The blower motors should be the same, but the compressor unit would have been changed to work on the R-410 Freon. Although you did not mention any problems with it cooling. Just the noise. And if it is not a squalling - then it becomes a mounting, balance issue with the blower fan or possible loose motor mount. Loose,missing screw(s) or damaged squirrel cage fan. R-22 is a single-component refrigerant, whereas R-410A is a 50/50 blend consisting of R-32 and R-125. Higher pressure requirements. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rlbarkleyii Report post Posted January 8, 2018 I wouldn't spend too much money trying to build a 02 unit! Colman-Mach now has a new replacement for the OEM unit, ($2655.00 free shipping from Amazon) available elsewhere at varying prices. Colman-Mach part # 46515-811, Winnebago part# 700050-01-000. The new unit has the improved R410 refrigerant and is designed to work on 50/50amp service. Consult Winnebago prior to install as there are some technical changes that may be required for the electrical control monitoring panel. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dickandlois Report post Posted January 8, 2018 1 hour ago, rlbarkleyii said: I wouldn't spend too much money trying to build a 02 unit! Colman-Mach now has a new replacement for the OEM unit, ($2655.00 free shipping from Amazon) available elsewhere at varying prices. Colman-Mach part # 46515-811, Winnibago part# 700050-01-000. The new unit has the improved R410 refrigerant and is designed to work on 50/50amp service. Consult Winnibago prior to install as there are some technical changes that may be required for the electrical control monitoring panel. The Coach is a 2002 Winnebago, but not sure it is wired for 50 amp or 30 amp. shore power. OP did not include the Model. Rich. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rlbarkleyii Report post Posted January 21, 2018 In order to use the basement heat pump you would need 50 amp service. The Journey's all came with that! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lenp Report post Posted January 21, 2018 My coach has the same unit as the OP and it WILL run fine with 30 amp service. There may be some load shed if I exceed 30 amps but it will run fine with only one compressor - it just does not heat (or cool) as well when only one compressor is running. Compressor #2 will shut down if the load shed kicks in but as long as you keep other loads to a minimum it will run both compressors fine on 30 amp service. Lenp Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
obedb Report post Posted January 21, 2018 Basement a/c works well on a Greyhound bus. Not so well on an rv unless it is a really high end unit. Have seen and talked with owners working on theirs.. Not so good Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hermanmullins Report post Posted January 22, 2018 sasmit8, On GMC, Eagle, Prevost and so on have the Basement A/C designed to keep 70 + folks comfortable. Basement A/C units in motor homes were designed to save money . Sorry, Herman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
richard5933 Report post Posted January 22, 2018 Our '74 GMC coach has three separate 'basement' a/c units. One of them is the over-the-road a/c installed by GMC that would have been in the coach if it had been a bus. Its compressor is powered by the bus engine and the condenser unit and HVAC air handler fills an entire bay and is run from the 200+ amp alternator on the bus engine. It can certainly keep the interior frigid while on the road. However, it's useless when camping as we'd have to run the bus engine to use it. Many bus conversions delete the over-the-road a/c unit and have to run the generator to keep cool while on the road. I'm glad we have the over-the-road as well. The other two units are 1974 vintage basement RV units which were installed by Custom Coach. They have their compressors in the basement, each one being about the size of a small window a/c unit. There is a condensing unit & circulating fan mounted in the cabinetry in the bedroom and another in the front parlor. They can both be used when on generator or shore power. Not to confuse things, but our shore power is actually set up to run on a total of 60 amps incoming (probably a topic for another thread at another time). I only bring that up because I don't think we could run both a/c units on only 30 amps. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kaypsmith Report post Posted January 22, 2018 The bus AC on my coach is a 5 ton unit, the compressor works off of the diesel engine, and of course will not cool if the motor is not running. The coach chassis batteries are 24 volts with an alternator built large enough to run the huge fans to push air through rather large ducting with an escape vent for the air to escape in order to cool the entire bus, as a matter of fact, there is a vent that is the entire length of each side window along both sides, there are seven of them 55 inches in length, with a total of 14, 7 each side times two, and the front air works through the same unit across the entire length of the windshield. You would need 75 amps at 240 volts to power such a unit with electricity. That's why the basement units in motorhomes do not work as well. Remember cold air falls, and that is why roof top AC's will always be the best air conditioning for a motor home. Many of the high end coaches are now using what appears to be extremely high sides on their coaches, it is only built that way for the purpose of concealing the view of the roof air units and other piping that would otherwise be seen from the ground level. As Herman points out, 55 humans = a lot of btu's of heat and the bus is designed to keep all passengers comfortable. Also just to mention about bus AC's, while the bus is at the station, and the motor is not running, the depot's have a portable unit that is pushed up against a special vent just behind the driver, this unit pushes air into this vent which feeds the same piping to deliver the bus air, this is how the bus is able to be cooled while being serviced at the terminals. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manholt Report post Posted January 22, 2018 My 2007 Winnebago Tour 40' had a basement AC...the only thing good about it was it used house filter and it was easy to replace in floor of bedroom (1" x 18" x 13")! Unit would have worked better, if the End Cap had not partially pinched of the air flow...tried 2 times at factory to fix it, by taking cap off, installing new duct's! Mine needed to be on 8Kw Generator or 50A shore power to work....tried it on 30A once, nope! Herman, 2019 Prevost is now back to "basement" AC & a Volvo 13 engine, with your choice of the Allison or Volvo tranny! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wayne77590 Report post Posted January 22, 2018 Our 2008 Winni that we had for 9 years had a basement AC with two compressors. It ran off of 50A, 30A, or 120Vac. On 120Vac only one compressor would run and was handled by the EMS (Energy Management System). In the 9 years we owned the MH we never had a problem with the basement AC. Oh, on 120Vac, don't try to run a vacuum cleaner, or basically anything else. The only time we ran off of 120Vac was when we were loading or unloading here in the driveway. I eventually installed 50A service. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BD Report post Posted May 5, 2018 I have an 07 36g Journey with basement ac--any hope of a replacement ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manholt Report post Posted May 5, 2018 Quote Replacement. BD. Welcome to the Forum! You need to call Winnebago Tech department and ask them foe either help on fixing or replacement cost or best option...then call your Insurance Co. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wayne77590 Report post Posted May 5, 2018 3 hours ago, BD said: I have an 07 36g Journey with basement ac--any hope of a replacement ? Yes thee are replacements for the basement air. Don't remember the name or name of company but it was posted on some of he forums. Here is a link to Basement Air that may help. I just googled Wineebago basement Air Replacement. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manholt Report post Posted May 6, 2018 BD. Why do you want a replacement ? If it's not working, it could be a relay or diode problem. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jdkskyking Report post Posted May 28, 2018 Fired up our 2008 Winnebago Journey 39Z basement air conditioning last week so I could install our new MCD window shades (huge improvement). A few minutes later I walked into the bedroom and heard what I thought was a Harley Davidson motorcycle outside. My second thought was I left the motor home running... nope, it was the air conditioner. Didn’t make that noise the last time I ran it. I’ve read through this thread and it sounds like replacing the R22 unit, which I’m assuming was OEM in 2008 with an updated new unit may prove to be a wise investment if I’m going to keep this MH for a while. Has anyone done this? Can we purchase a slightly higher BTU rating to give us a little more cooling power? We’re in NW Arkansas and it hit 90* yesterday. The bedroom was pretty warm, thermostat showed 78* set on 72*.... we bought this coach last fall, this will be our first summer and I’m already concerned the A/C won’t keep up with the heat. We’re not interested in “roughing it”... Any information is greatly appreciated! JK Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildebill308 Report post Posted May 28, 2018 The first thing is to (from your description) is check the blower fans for something like mud dauber nest that would throw it out of balance. Bill Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manholt Report post Posted May 28, 2018 Or anything else that might have made a nest. Since this coach is "New" to you. Have you had it serviced, including AC unit? Since it's 90+ outside and 78 in bedroom, it's working...my thermostats (3 zone, roof) is 6 to 10 degrees off in each zone, you might want to set yours at 64 and see what you get. It's 97+ here, where I'm at in Texas and my coach is at 74 currently, it's set at 67!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rayin Report post Posted June 4, 2018 On 1/6/2018 at 8:26 PM, sasmit8 said: We have a Coleman basement air conditioner in our 2002 Winnebago. Over the years we have had a lot of problems with this unit, and have spent over $4000.00 in repairs. The latest problem we have not been able to get fixed. The problem is a LOUD NOISE vibration coming from the squirrel cage blower,if you bang on the bottom of the blower. the noise will stop until the unit stops and recycles. On a trip to ME we had it looked at and they said it was the blower motor. We had the motor replaced at a cost of $750..OO. That fixed the problem for about 5 hours. Then on a trip to GA we had it looked at again. This time we were told it was the blower motor again caused by not replacing the pillow block bearing when they replaced the motor the first time as the bearing was seizing. They then replaced the motor and bearing for $850.00. This lasted for 3 hrs use. We now have the problem back Not sure what to do next. PS Our camping neighbors hope we fix this soon. Do not have an RV air conditioner repair person work on your basement unit, as it is basically a household air conditioner/heat pump. The only difference is, a Coleman/Mach basement unit has two 12,0000btu compressors instead on one 24,000 btu compressor. The 2nd compressor will not run unless the #1 compressor is running. Here are my bookmarks for the basement unit, hope they are useful: Winnebago basement heat pump Airxcel RV Products Service locations Motorhome RV HVAC Controls - Evans Tempcon Start Device Package for Coleman Air Conditioners 8333A9021: Automotive Coleman Mach 2 Two TON Plus Basement Air Conditioner W/HP 24,000 BTU 46515-811 Basement A/C Removal & Outdoor Blower Replacement Procedure - iRV2 Forums Replacing the Coleman Mach thermostat with an Ecobee Coleman 46515-811 69859 Two Ton Plus Basement Central Air Conditioner 24000 BTU basement air conditioner compressor AC under the coach,removal Motorhome RV HVAC Controls - Evans Tempcon Start Device Package for Coleman Air Conditioners 8333A9021 Automotive Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
