2003 Roadtrek 200 Pop Replacing Air Conditioner

[PJW73NH]

Originally Posted by girardb

Almost looks factory..

It looks GREAT.

Brian, What model RT is yours ? Can you please measure the height and width of your Frigidaire AC for me? See attached pic. It looks WAY too tall for my 2003 200P. I don't have any door(s) in the back. Just a BIG window.

The spec for my OEM Fedders says 12.5. I don't have mine out yet, but it looks (from an estimating point of view) like I may be able to go a little higher. Mine's up to the padded roof and compressing the padding at the top, but there appears to be SOME room underneath. It's very hard to tell. Also, do you know the exact model number AC you have?

What holds the unit up ? Where are, what are the supporting structural pieces?

Thanks.

Paul.../NH

[PJW73NH]

OTR, I just got my old AC out. Hopefully installing the new one today or tomorrow.

<<The outside rear roof louvers were not replaced as the rubber gaskets were hardened, so I purchased marine supply cubby doors, two fit across with a piece of pvc between.>>

I searched for this and came up with several choices. Any chance you could post a picture or two of your installation and maybe a direct link to the product?

Thanks.

[PJW73NH]

Average, What year and model do you have? I just got my old AC out. Hopefully installing the new one today or tomorrow. Any chance you can post a pic or two of your "flanges"... I was thinking the same thing. I bought the LG LW8017 as it was the only one I could find that would fit height-wise in my 03 200 Pop . Was this flange on the inside (against the woodwork) or outside against the fiberglass ? Where did you use "L" brackets? Where did you re-route your AC cord. Mine is sealed with rubber sealant into an outlet on the condensation tray. I had to cut the old one out. Thanks.

[Average_alice]

Hi. I’m planning to post a detailed video maybe soon. But the flanges were aluminum bar cut to size and attached to the AC box itself on right and left sides with L brackets screwed to the bars and VHB tape attaching the LBrackets to the AC box. I was worried about drilling into the AC and puncturing a Freon line. Also the silco 4500 black RTV caulk is truly amazing if you let it cure 24 hrs and prep with alcohol So that caulk is keeping ours stable too. Just did a long trip over washboard and it hasn’t moved. Used VHB 4950. Ours is 200 versatile Chevy year 2000

[Average_alice]

Oh- flanges were on the fiberglass side after they were attached to the AC unit, caulked all around. I abandoned the original electric cable -just cut it off then drilled new holes for the new cable to enter the wood cabinet and to get it into the roof cavity area. Cut off the GFCI plug to do this. Added new plug.

[PJW73NH]

Thanks for the replies, did you drill through the fiberglass , then into the interior wood?
Where did you get the Silco 4500?
Thanks.

PS. I am currently working on a better post with more details.

[PJW73NH]

2003 200 Popular AC replacement. OK. So here's where I am. I got the old Fedders out. Not too bad of a job. I had to cut the power cord at the AC unit because it was/is sealed into an opening on the drivers side of the condensation tray. See pics.

Hopefully going to put the new on in today. LG LW8017er. Seems to fit pretty well, with small gaps on 3 sides.

I have a few questions/stumbling blocks.

1. What is the best sealant/adhesive to hold this in ? The old one had NO mechanical fasteners. Just the industrial grade rubber sealant (and lots of it).

2. If the case of the AC unit permits, should I make a flange out of angle aluminum on the 3 sides and tray and screw it in to the fiberglass cavity (opening) Of course sealing it appropriately ?

3. What, if any gasketing material should I use and where ?

4. As mentioned above, the power cord of the old unit is sealed into an opening in the condensations tray. The tray is sealed/glued to the front bottom of the AC cavity. it is NOT removable. I haven't put the new AC up in the cavity yet, so I don't know where the power cord will physically fall. I think it is more toward the front of the unit then the old one.I may have to just cut a groove in the cubby door and run it around the front.

5. Unlike some of the pics I have seen of others, My "cubbies" are not only angled, but the angled wall appears to be a double wall. The fiberglass cavity wall on the outside, and the interior wooden wall on the inside with fiberglass insulation between them. I can't get a good picture of the double wall to show you. This makes running the cord next to impossible. No access and the cord runs UP about 7" then through the second, interior wall.

6. The old unit had two vertical braces attached to the rear of it to provide reinforcement for the louvered vent panel in the back. The new unit is too short, and even if I COULD attach the braces to the AC unit (which I can't because the condenser is right up against the side wall of the AC unit) they won't reach the louvered panel to support it. Though I am sure I can figure SOMETHING out for this.

7. How (what) is the best way to seal the bottom of the AC unit where it rests on the slightly upturned lip of the fiberglass. Once the unit is in place there is no access to that under area. Especially in my case because the front edge of the condensation tray is higher than the rest of the cavity floor.

Hopefully the pics help. It's a very difficult situation to describe

Thanks..

[Average_alice]

Silco 4500 was on Amazon. I bought the big cartridges but little tubes come in handy too. Yes I drilled through the fiberglass and the wood cabinet using a metal bit. I was careful not to drill near the floor - placed my hole up higher - because of the leaking issue with water accumulating in that floor area from rain and AC condensation.

[Average_alice]

Gosh I wish I had finished my video! Your interior looks extremely similar to mine. I also had a double wall. Maybe we could talk on private messaging if you want. On those black fins my research indicated that they are not so much for support as for air flow to keep the hot air separated from the cool air being drawn in at the sides. I re-attached them with VHB tape - again because I was worried about drilling into some freon lines. I also added extensions made from ABS plastic sheet (on Amazon). So like you I was worried about the unit sliding around so I also added 4 more wide, metal L brackets, vhb to the fiberglass floor all around the rear of the unit that are tight up against the unit. If I need to remove the AC later I'm planning to cut the VHB tape if necessary and remove these brackets. I also put some Trimlock epdm weatherstrip under the A/C to prevent sliding. Some people don't worry about drilling into fiberglass but from what I read the opinions are mixed as to whether it might crack.

[PJW73NH]

Thanks. Great info. I sent PM. How did you seal/water/leakproof the bottom "seam" under the AC unit where it comes into the cabin. There is a raised lip there. But I can't see a way of getting to it once the AC is in place. The front lip of the tray is higher then the bottom of the AC.

Maybe a rubber gasket or foam rubber of some sort ?

Thanks.

[SteveJ]

Originally Posted by PJW73NH

Thanks. Great info. I sent PM. How did you seal/water/leakproof the bottom "seam" under the AC unit where it comes into the cabin. There is a raised lip there. But I can't see a way of getting to it once the AC is in place. The front lip of the tray is higher then the bottom of the AC.

Maybe a rubber gasket or foam rubber of some sort ?

Thanks.

Average Alice covered it but it is worth the emphasis. Those "support" vanes are critical for the life and efficiency of the new unit. Make sure you do a mod to have them extend all of the way to the grill.

[PJW73NH]

Thanks Steve, working on the idea now while waiting for my sealant.

[otr]

Here are a couple of photos of how I managed the to replace original outside rear louver which was bent and the gasket was hardened....
I bought two marine access hatches like these from Great Lakes Skipper, measured the opening and found two which had flanges which fit into it, used some PVC trim from Lowes to make a piece to span the gap between the two.

Cut a small piece of wood to hold them open while the AC is on, should be great!

[PJW73NH]

OTR, Thanks so much for the pictures. That helps me visualize a lot. If I go this route, I'm going to have to make a pretty large modification. My grill is all one large piece.

Thanks again.

[otr]

different year and config. If you look at the link for the hatches there are many larger ones. At the end of the day the louver is not ideal unless you have the ac on while driving. Good Luck!

[PJW73NH]

Thank you otr, that's quite helpful. I'll look and see if I can fashion a solution with hatch or two. Yours looks great. What was RT thinking to put an angled vent under a curved draining roof? I guess it doesn't rain where they were made...

[Figeldorf]

Hi Brian. Do you know the model of the Frigidaire a/c unit you put in your Roadtrek? Thanks Mike (Cambridge)

[TX-Trek]

May be some tidbits of info here...
https://www.classbforum.com/forums/f...out-11478.html

I also included what I did for furnace thermostat.

It's all worked great - one other benefit of replacing with a window unit is that a later replacement , if needed, would be pretty straightforward.

[girardb]

Originally Posted by Figeldorf

Hi Brian. Do you know the model of the Frigidaire a/c unit you put in your Roadtrek? Thanks Mike (Cambridge)

It was model FFRE12W3Q13, bought it a Lowes in Brampton, ON