Who services cruise-airs? Or, how to replace my own?

[Ryan Wright]

Has anyone had luck getting cruise-airs serviced in the Pacific Northwest?

The compressor on my bedroom A/C appears shot and my center one just
quit working as well. I know "any standard A/C tech" should be able to
service these, but I've talked to a bunch and they want nothing to do
with any of it. I'd really like to find someone who has experience
working on these in Bluebirds. The one Cruise-Air tech I did talk to
in the Seattle area insisted there was no possible way I had
Cruise-Airs on an RV, claiming they are only made for yachts. You'd
think he would know something about the products he services, but
apparently not.

Alternately: Has anyone replaced their own lower units? How difficult
is this to do? Is there a procedure documented somewhere? I don't mind
just ripping these out and putting new ones in as long as it's
reasonably straightforward.

Thanks for any help,

-Ryan
'86 PT-40 8V92

[Terry Neal]

Hi Ryan,



I had my center compressor fail last summer & finally found an A/C
tech through the local RV dealer who wasn't "afraid" to work on it.
It's just a basic home style compressor only it operates on 120 volts
instead of 240. Also, they use capacitators to start & run so you
may have one or 2 that have failed? I don't doubt that most of the
folks who do their own work on their Birds couldn't change one
themselves.



Best to use a forklift or floor jack with a platform to drop the entire
3 units down from the coach floor at the same time. That's the
toughest part of the job. Once replaced, any tech who has a license
for R22 can charge the system for you. If you don't have the manual, I
can copy mine & send it to you. As I recall, someone may have
already done that & uploaded it to the on line database?



I know others on here have been down this road before so am sure they
will offer the benefit of their experience too.



Let me know if you need a copy of the manual.



Terry Neal

Bozeman, MT

82PT40

74FC34

Has anyone had luck getting cruise-airs serviced in the Pacific
Northwest?



The compressor on my bedroom A/C appears shot and my center one just

quit working as well. I know "any standard A/C tech" should be able to

service these, but I've talked to a bunch and they want nothing to do

with any of it. I'd really like to find someone who has experience

working on these in Bluebirds. The one Cruise-Air tech I did talk to

in the Seattle area insisted there was no possible way I had

Cruise-Airs on an RV, claiming they are only made for yachts. You'd

think he would know something about the products he services, but

apparently not.



Alternately: Has anyone replaced their own lower units? How difficult

is this to do? Is there a procedure documented somewhere? I don't mind

just ripping these out and putting new ones in as long as it's

reasonably straightforward.



Thanks for any help,



-Ryan

'86 PT-40 8V92

[Ernie Ekberg]

Terry- it is good to hear from you. How's things been going? Ernie Ekberg 83PT40 Wanderlodge Weatherford, Tx <SKYPE><SKYPE><SKYPE><SKYPE><SKYPE><SKYPE>81...<SKYPE> currently in El Paso, Tx http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/erni...gandrepair --- On Sun, 8/2/09, Terry Neal wrote: From: Terry Neal Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Who services cruise-airs? Or, how to replace my own? To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com Date: Sunday, August 2, 2009, 1:39 PM Hi Ryan, I had my center compressor fail last summer & finally found an A/C tech through the local RV dealer who wasn't "afraid" to work on it. It's just a basic home style compressor only it operates on 120 volts instead of 240. Also, they use capacitators to start & run so you may have one or 2 that have failed? I don't doubt that most of the folks who do their own work on their Birds couldn't change one themselves. Best to use a forklift or floor jack with a platform to drop the entire 3 units down from the coach floor at the same time. That's the toughest part of the job. Once replaced, any tech who has a license for R22 can charge the system for you. If you don't have the manual, I can copy mine & send it to you. As I recall, someone may have already done that & uploaded it to the on line database? I know others on here have been down this road before so am sure they will offer the benefit of their experience too. Let me know if you need a copy of the manual. Terry Neal Bozeman, MT 82PT40 74FC34 Has anyone had luck getting cruise-airs serviced in the Pacific Northwest? The compressor on my bedroom A/C appears shot and my center one just quit working as well. I know "any standard A/C tech" should be able to service these, but I've talked to a bunch and they want nothing to do with any of it. I'd really like to find someone who has experience working on these in Bluebirds. The one Cruise-Air tech I did talk to in the Seattle area insisted there was no possible way I had Cruise-Airs on an RV, claiming they are only made for yachts. You'd think he would know something about the products he services, but apparently not. Alternately: Has anyone replaced their own lower units? How difficult is this to do? Is there a procedure documented somewhere? I don't mind just ripping these out and putting new ones in as long as it's reasonably straightforward. Thanks for any help, -Ryan '86 PT-40 8V92

[Rick A.]

Ryan,
The Cruisairs are simple to work on. Take off your louvered outside cover and
see if you have bubbles showing in the small glass window in the line. If you
have bubbles you need to add some R22 freon. This is very easy to do.
If there are no bubbles and you suspect the compressor is out it can be
replaced with a matching compressor from an a/c supply house. You will of course
have to remove it to do that. It drops straight out the bottom of the Bird. On
one of the forums are part numbers I used, if you can find it doing a search.
While you have it out also replace the fan motor. On my last trip the Cruisair
that I repaired 2 years ago ran continuously for almost 3 weeks.

[Ernie Ekberg]

I had my Cruise Air worked on by a local A/C guy in Livingston, Mt last year. It seems the smaller independents, in my case, were eager to make some bucks, when I showed them what they had to work with. Seems like a light bulb went on in their head~ Ernie Ekberg-- El Paso-- nobody needs to mow here 83PT40 Wanderlodge Weatherford, Tx <SKYPE><SKYPE><SKYPE><SKYPE><SKYPE><SKYPE>81...<SKYPE> http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/erni...gandrepair --- On Sun, 8/2/09, Rick A. wrote: From: Rick A. Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Who services cruise-airs? Or, how to replace my own? To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com Date: Sunday, August 2, 2009, 6:51 PM Ryan, The Cruisairs are simple to work on. Take off your louvered outside cover and see if you have bubbles showing in the small glass window in the line. If you have bubbles you need to add some R22 freon. This is very easy to do. If there are no bubbles and you suspect the compressor is out it can be replaced with a matching compressor from an a/c supply house. You will of course have to remove it to do that. It drops straight out the bottom of the Bird. On one of the forums are part numbers I used, if you can find it doing a search. While you have it out also replace the fan motor. On my last trip the Cruisair that I repaired 2 years ago ran continuously for almost 3 weeks.

[Ryan Wright]

Terry, Rick, Ernie,

Thank you for your assistance. I'll take it all apart and see what I
can see.

-Ryan
'86 PT-40 8V92

On Sun, Aug 2, 2009 at 4:51 PM, Rick A. wrote:
>
> Ryan,
> The Cruisairs are simple to work on. Take off your louvered outside cover
> and see if you have bubbles showing in the small glass window in the line.
> If you have bubbles you need to add some R22 freon. This is very easy to do.
> If there are no bubbles and you suspect the compressor is out it can be
> replaced with a matching compressor from an a/c supply house. You will of
> course have to remove it to do that. It drops straight out the bottom of the
> Bird. On one of the forums are part numbers I used, if you can find it doing
> a search. While you have it out also replace the fan motor. On my last trip
> the Cruisair that I repaired 2 years ago ran continuously for almost 3
> weeks.
>