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04-04-2011, 08:36 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Black Hills, SD
Posts: 90
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Air Conditioner shell cover repair
The plastic/fiberglass(?) cover on my rooftop air conditioner has a few cracks on one side (inherited from previous owner, see photo). I'm sure this'll get worse without repair and I've seen a few of these covers laying broken alongside the road in my travels...must be a common problem for them to eventually come off of RVs. Any suggestions on how to repair the vent area (those slats are cracked through) and also stop that crack at left before I lose part of mine, or should I replace that whole top part of the shell? If replace, do I contact the factory or is this a generic type of cover?
Have not climbed up there to take a really good look at potential disassembly. Newbie question: is it OK to walk on the roof of a closed TM? I would assume so but any precautions?
There appears to also be a small amount of damage to the AC's metal fins inside the cover, but I'm hoping that's not an issue. Since I bought this unit in early winter I have not been able to fully test the AC yet.
Many thanks,
__________________
Pauloh
TM: 2004 3124KB
Maxxis ST225/75R-15D1 tires
TV: 2007 Toyota 4Runner, V8, 4x4
Tekonsha P3 Brake Controller
Reese 49586-020 Trunnion WDH
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04-04-2011, 10:28 AM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: The mountains of Scottsdale, AZ, and the beaches of Maine
Posts: 10,200
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There is a trick for preventing a crack in plastic from propagating, and it may help here. Right at the pointy end of the crack, drill a hole, so that the crack enters one side of the hole, but doesn't exit the other side of the hole. This spreads the stresses that will otherwise cause the crack to continue to propagate. Obviously, this would apply to the crack at the left side of your picture, since the others don't have ends.
This trick works best in rigid plastic, like polystyrene, but may help here. It may not be a permanent solution, so I would think about screwing a metal strap across the crack. In your case, I would strap twice, once across the crack at the left, and again across the right end of the set of cracks.
Bill
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04-04-2011, 02:17 PM
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#3
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TrailManor Master
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Big Bend area, Florida
Posts: 2,120
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Bill's idea is a good one, I would add thin aluminum strips over the others and pop rivet them in place.
As for walking on the roof most members use plywood to spread out the weight. If your roof is like ours its Styrofoam about 1 inch thick with aluminum on either side.
__________________
Axis 24.1 E 450 chassis, 6 spd tranny. GVWR 14500# GVCWR 22000 # GW(scales) 12400 #
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mods: 2- 100 watt solar panels, on roof, 300 watts portable
“They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.” Benjamin Franklin
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04-04-2011, 05:50 PM
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#4
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Site Sponsor
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Southeast of Houston, Texas
Posts: 1,090
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On our Coleman popup the cover started cracking around the bolt holes. I cut a rectangular piece of Lexan big enough to overlap the holes a couple of inches, removed the bolts, and drilled holes in the Lexan for the bolts. I might have had to get longer bolts, don't remember, but this held the cover on for the life of the trailer.
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04-04-2011, 08:47 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Black Hills, SD
Posts: 90
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Thanks all, great ideas, I have some riveting ability and think I could do that. Plywood sounds like good idea for walking around on the TM roof...should check on some caulk while I'm at it. Appreciate the help.
__________________
Pauloh
TM: 2004 3124KB
Maxxis ST225/75R-15D1 tires
TV: 2007 Toyota 4Runner, V8, 4x4
Tekonsha P3 Brake Controller
Reese 49586-020 Trunnion WDH
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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