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How Do I Put Freon In The Air Conditioner On My Travel Trailer?

by Viiola Rodriguez
(rio grande city texas)

How do I put Freon on a Travel Trailer?

ANSWER: Greetings Viola thanks for submitting your question on our Ask An RV Question Page.

I assume that you are talking about charging your Travel Trailer's Air Conditioners with Freon. Since you do not tell me the year of your Travel Trailer I cannot tell you what type of Freon your A/C takes.

If your Travel Trailer is older it was probably designed to take R22 Freon, if it is newer it may take one of the newer types of Freon.

I do not know the exact amount of Refrigerant your travel trailer takes. But I am going to take this opportunity to emphasize my feelings on whether a do-it-yourselfer should recharge their own RV air conditioners. I do not believe it is advisable for you to recharge your own air conditioner for the reasons I have listed below.

1. The old type R22 refrigerant is not as readily available as it used to be due to US Environmental Regulations. The cost of R22 Refrigerant has gone up dramatically.

2. There is a reason that your air conditioner is no longer blowing cold air. Unless you have the proper equipment to diagnose the reason, you may be wasting Freon especially if there is leak that has not been repaired. If the problems with the air conditioner are not repaired you are going to be spending a lot of money on Freon that may just leak out into the atmosphere. The money you waste could have been spent to hire a professional to do the job right the first time.

3. When it comes to using the old R-22 Freon, whether you believe in global warming or not there is solid scientific evidence that when the chemicals used in the old Freon are released into the atmosphere they are a contributing factor in the

deterioration of the earth's ozone layer.

4. As RVers we have an opportunity to experience all of the natural wonders of the world. As RVers we are also charged with the responsibility of not ruining the environment we visit. We pick up our trash, we dump our holding tanks in the designated areas and when we leave; our camping area should look as if we were not even there. We do this so that future RVers will be able to experience nature at its best.

When we start dumping hazardous chemicals into the atmosphere, because we are trying to do something we are not trained to do safely then we are not acting like responsible RVers.

Don't get me wrong as I am a firm believer in do-it-yourself RV repairs; in fact I still have an air conditioner recharge kit that I bought about 30 years ago and up until about four years ago I was still recharging my RV's and car's A/C systems. I also had a couple of times that I was responsible for releasing some old Freon into the atmosphere. Once I found out how my actions were affecting the environment I stopped doing it.

I know that this was not the answer you were looking for, but it is the answer I am giving.

Bottom Line In all likelihood if you have a trained technician diagnose and fix the problem with your air conditioner you will actually end up saving money in the long run because the proper repairs will be done right the first time and more importantly, you will not affect the environment that we all RV in negatively.

Do you have any suggestions or comments on this topic? You can add them to this page by clicking on the "Click Here To Post Comments" link located near the bottom of this page.

Happy RVing

RVing Al

Comments for How Do I Put Freon In The Air Conditioner On My Travel Trailer?

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Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		What kind of coolant does my ac take
by: Anonymous

A friend of ours recently gave us a 1986 Resort by Fleetwood camper. We are renovating it now. My question is this, We know it has Coleman AC unit. It blows cool but not cold. What type of coolant does it have? We cannot find anything on it that will tell us. Thanks for your help
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Ac
by: Anonymous

Have a 1984 motor home Ac gets cool but not cold
What kind of Freon do I us or to check it out
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		A/C
by: Gary

Hi I have a 2003 Salem trailer and I would like to no what kind of Freon do I use and how do I charge the A/C please help me thanks
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Recharge air
by: Ray white

My rv is a resort 87 rv 24ft we bought to fixx up a couple of problems one is ac the ither electric plug need help with
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Help
by: Teresa

I have a 2000 sportsman travel trailer need to know location to put freon for my airconditor and refrigerator
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Air conditioner
by: Anonymous

I have a 2005 jayco j flight what kind of Freon does it take
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		worked great for me!
by: Anonymous

Thanks to all for you honesty and info. I'm a DIY guy and decided to perform some due diligence on my trailer's AC before I spend $1,000 replacing it. The AC is only 13 months old (one month out on the warrenty) so if I found something simple to fix, the unit is still in pretty good shape.

Supco piercing valve (BPV31)

Checked the capacitors first, all good (although I new they were fine as the fan and compressor were turning on with no issue). Purchased a Supco piercing valve (BPV31) to check the 410a pressure - ambient pressure. filled with N2 to pressurize and found the leak. Brazed it (been awhile so had to google that to get up to speed again).

Mariel USA R410A refrigerant refill kit

Leak check was good. evacuated it and refilled. So far it works great. I got lucky. Oh, I purchased the Freon from Amazon, Mariel USA R410A refrigerant refill kit. Comes with a hose and gauge...worked great. Only needed about half the can, I'll save rest for next time. I didn't want to overfill so keep it right below the "normal" pressure. Blowing 44F @ 77F ambient. Not bad at all!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Freon for your air conditioner
by: Anonymous

If you are looking for Freon for your air conditioner, then you shouldn't be messing with it. Freon is Dupont's version of R-12, which has been outlawed in the USA since the early 1990's. Therefore most units use R-22 (not Freon). In the year 2020, refrigerant-22 will be banned in the USA. Newer units are hitting the market using R-410A. The type of refrigerant will be on the unit's information sticker mounted somewhere on the unit. If your A/C is not cooling, check the compressor's capacitor first. Charging a rooftop unit can be tricky, even for an experienced technician. They are very easy to overcharge. Mine came from the factory overcharged. When you start tripping breakers, you will learn what I mean!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Charging RV AC.
by: Rupertmax

To charge your rv ac unit you must first forget what you heard from all the bleading hearts regarding ozone and all the other mother earth BS. Attach a port to the low side as per the youtube video. Buy some ProSeal 2012 and later ac units and just about 1 oz. Through port while ac running. Then push some R410a Refrigerant in. Maybe about 3oz. And let ac run for 20 min. If ac cools well your done if not carefully introduce a little more r510a. A coleman mach 15 has a max of 17 oz. So repeat till cool
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		If You are a DIY Person
by: Anonymous

If you are not quite familiar with a/c systems and have never worked on one, here is your chance. This assumes that you are confident that the motors run etc and that the refrigerant is low or gone.

If you are interested in a small investment to learn how to fix your auto a/c or any other a/c except a full house a/c (they are more complex)and have one of these available, why not?

The toughest part is cleaning it up. Look for places where the tubing is damaged or corroded. If it is too bad, find another unit to work on.

If there are no access valves, the punch kind work just fine. Clean and attach the valve per instructions then try to evacuate the system using a vacuum pump or a venturi type will work well also. It should pump down to -29. If it doesn't there is a problem and it is probably not worth going further - it might take several hours to get that low.

If you are convinced that the vacuum is good, let it sit for awhile not pumping. The vacuum should hold.

The chances are that there is some type of oil already in the system. If you know what kind is in there, add a little more or add it with the refrigerant. If you are not sure, use mineral oil - it works with most refrigerants, but if you're not sure what refrigerant was in it, consider using R152a for your experiment. It is available as DustOff - difluoroethane. They are considering it to replace 134a. It is better and only slightly combustible (good luck trying to get it to burn). Besides, we are experimenting.

Anyway, suck in a little mineral oil and then about a can and a half of DustOff just like you would a can of 134a except you need a side fill adapter. The pressure should be about 30 psi. Start the compressor - if it doesn't go add some more refrigerant - don't go over 40 psi. If it still doesn't work, there might be something wrong with the compressor. But it should take off and run.

Adjust the DustOff for the minimum output air temperature which might be as low as 34a F. Get an a/c book and play around with the amounts etc to get a feel for how it works.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Why they push new units
by: Anonymous

Let's say your unit takes 2 pounds. And a minimum 3 hour labor. Your already at 300 bucks. Not including parts and what not to repair the leak. Economically that's why at that point techs will say best to replace.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Rooftop ac charging
by: Rv falls church

I guess its safe to say that all these comments are book smart individuals and prolly never actually charged a ac unit
But have done much reading so NOBODY knows what the average amount of refridgerant it takes to re charge a roof top ac
REALLY come on guys
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		3rd unit down
by: Anonymous

Now my 3rd unit died. This one I bought Sept 2015, so lasted me only a short 2015 season, and 2016 and now 1 month into 2017 is dead already. This time no freon leak, but the compressor is dead, probably shorted due to my constant voltage spikes I have from my crap Generac QP7500 LP modle that is in the shop now and the mechanics can't find anything wrong, because for him it works fine with no voltage spikes that cause my units to blow cold - spike- blow warm - spike cold again and so on. Changed the brush, VR and rectifier out, and no help. So now I have 2 old AC units with leak in the garage and another one probably with a shorted compressor. Another $700 for yet another unit, I feel duped. Can I really not fix the old units, problem is, where was the leak in the first place and do these valves work. A compressor can not be replaced or maybe the electric parts of it? What are my options besides a new unit again and fixing the Gen spikes for sure. Was more like undervoltage when the AC blew warm at 11V only. Any idea what causes that in a gen?
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		How many pounds and onced of refrigerant
by: Rv falls church

I have already installed a service port it uses 410 refrigerant all i wanna know is how much refrigerant to put in it
Does any body know that answer?
I dont need the technical lecture i only need to know the capacity of the average rooftop ac
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Average refrigerant
by: Rv falls church

How many pounds and ounces does the average roof a/c take to charge from a full vacuum?
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		"EPA" certified
by: Mike Goodman

Words from a trained HVAC/R tech.

Anyone who can cough up 100 bucks and pass a basic 100 question multiple choice test can become "EPA" certified. All the cert means is that you are certified by the EPA to purchase refrigerant.

Furthermore, the 100 questions is in 4 25 question segments. pass any 1 or 2 segments and you can buy half of the refrigerants on the market.

Go through 5 years of union apprenticeship as well as 7200 documented hours of on the job training and you are certified in the view of the industry as a master tech.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Words from a licensed commercial HVAC/R tech
by: Mike Goodman

As a licensed journeyman HVAC/R tech (5 years of school through a UA organized union school) I can say the only way to properly recharge an RV system is to have the proper tools and parts. The quality tools and equipment to perform this procedure to industry standards cost over $5000.00 to purchase. Saddle valves are hack and will leak. Brazing schrader valve ports at the proper locations is the only industry accepted standard way of doing this. from there, a properly trained tech can pressurize a system with nitrogen and trace gas to find any leaks, make repairs, vacuum system to 400 microns, charge system to proper level by weight with proper refrigerant,(most likely R22 or R410A if a newer unit) If you put R134A or any other incorrect refrigerant into a system you will quickly damage and or destroy the unit all together. From there a properly trained tech will also test sub-cooling, super-heat, supply and return delta, and compare amp line draw to specs on the machine. Anyone who does not know what the 5 things are that I mentioned in the previous sentence to check are not properly trained refrigeration techs.

A/C repair is so expensive because as Journeyman techs we have to invest in thousands of dollars in tools, 5 years of school 2 nights a week on top of 7200 hours of documented on the job training to become certified in our trade.

The high cost of quality A/C repair done correctly usually results in purchasing a new replacement unit as the cheapest solution to a failed RV unit from a loss of refrigerant or failed compressor.

If one chooses to go a cheap less than standard route of repair, you will ultimately be throwing your money away.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Deceit
by: Anonymous

I believe units are sealed to take advantage of unknowing customers, thinking they have replace the entire unit, plus the unscrupulous RV "techs" that advise they have no options but to replace!
Rating
starstarstarstar 		Can my Coleman ac unit be recharged with freon?
by: Anonymous

I've had two rV repair people here that have told me I CANNOT charge my Coleman ac unit. That they have to be replaced. Is this true?
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Find me an rv ac tech
by: Anonymous

How do i find a lic tec to come to my rv
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Ac freon
by: Anonymous

What type of freon can I put in my rv unit.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		OZONE
by: Pat

We came here to get advice about RV AC...
Al are you for real? I haven't heard anything about the hole in the Ozone layer since I was a kid in high school 30 years ago until I read this post. The amount of freon that could be released is infinitesimal compared to the pollution China pukes out daily. I guess as long as your doing your part it excuses the ignorance that you spew about the boogie men named "Global Warming" and "Hole in the Ozone."
You're better than this Al. At least I hoped you were.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Coleman Mach 3 15k Btu Freon leak
by: LVTbus

Hello,
Have 2 coleman mach 3 15k btu Ac units on my bus. One lasted about 900 hours and leaked the freon last year (stopped blowing cold, sticky puddle on Ac and running out on side of roof makes me assume its leaked freon), second gave out last week at 1150 hours on counter, same symptoms. Had the first one replaced last year, easy self replacement and kept old unit in garage. Willing to buy a new unit again, wonder though if I can DIY refill or get it done and use the old one or maybe install it as a 3rd unit. Is it worth it to refill, or will it leak again? Where would the leak most commonly be, how to fix it and how to refill and where get the parts? Is a 1000 hour average life span good for these $750 units and why did both break the same way?
Thank, any input appreciated. LVTbus
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Valve install
by: Buckeye4x4

This valve can be purchased through Granger for about $4.00. Refrigerant can be bought at Auto Zone for about $45.00. The DYI is a piece of cake and beats the heck out of spending $800 to 1400 for a new install or $300 to $400 for a repair if you can even find someone to do the repair. If the A/C unit is producing cool air then there is probably no need to evacuate to recharge the coolant.

I am perfectly willing to recharge every year as long as the A/C stays cool during the summer season. You can successfully use modern coolant in with the older type and do it successfully, I do it all the time and it works. This A/C business has a built in customer abuse system and I for one am tired of having it stuck to me.
Rating
starstarstarstar 		Leave it to a pro.
by: Donald carsonAnonymous

As a licensed HVACR Tech I agree with RVingAl post above. Give a Hoot Don't pollute . I do not agree with adding a saddle valve service port as shown in Video. My experience as service tech for 38 yrs. is that saddle valves leak. Brazed in schader valves are the best. New liquid line dryer installed. Unit should be pressurized with nitrogen and leaks repaired. Unit should be evacuated with with a refrigeration vacuum pump to remove all moisture and atmosphere. Lastly unit should be recharged with proper REFRIGERANT not freon. freon is the name of DuPont old R12. Its like calling all soap including bath soap ,laundry detergent and baby shampoo by the name Palmolive. Anything less than I have written is a irresponsible repair to your fellow inhabitants of this planet. Don Carson
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Saddle valve
by: Anonymous

A saddle valve can be added to your system and when installed will not release anything from your system. Gauges can then be used to determine pressure and your system can be serviced. This was done to mine over 7 years ago and have no problems with it or any additional needs in over 7 years.

Go to this link and watch the video on how it is done. A good friend of mine who owns his own HVAC business did mine for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzowQ9Lgbhg

This is not complicated.

Notes From RVing Al: The video referred to in this comment is located below.

Let The Good Sam Extended Service Plan Pay Your RV Repair Bills


IMPORTANT!!!: You need to install the valve on the low side Suction of the Air Conditioner Unit (if you have no idea what I am talking about, then you need to get someone who is familiar with air conditioners to install the valve for you). This installation was done on an AC unit that uses R-22 Refrigerant.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		RV AC's have NO ports to attach gauges
by: Anonymous

RV air conditioners are not like automotive ones, they are like window units. There is no place to put a gauge to measure pressure and no place to connect a hose to add coolant.

If someone has an RV they are selling and they say, "it does not cool and needs coolant" that means you need a new air conditioner or that one repaired professionally.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		can be fixed, no one will bother
by: Alan.

I had a fairly new roof top AC quit putting out cool air. Took it to a reputable shop and was told the valves in the compressor failed. I didn't agree with them, but bought a new AC and took the old one home. Decided to drill a very small hole in the freon line (so I could cap it, the also do not come with pressure ports)and found no freon gas in the system. Took it back to the shop and they told me that since they couldn't find a leak it couldn't be repaired. I have the gauges for 134 auto freon so brazed on a fitting and put in 12 ounces of freon. That was 5 years ago and the unit still has pressure and cools fine. My motor home has 2 units and this one almost never got used, also the ducting is common so can't say if it ever worked. With the EPA laws the common person gets the shaft as we are at the mercy of the repair folks who rather sell you a new one as to fix an older one. Another solution is if one is south take to a repair shop in Mexico. They will fix it
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		not serviceable
by: Anonymous

Almost all rootop AC units are sealed units meaning they cannot be serviced or re-charged.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Charging
by: Anonymous

Rv rooftop ac units do not have service ports to recharge them. It is not as easy as most people think. The ports have to be welded in.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Recharging your a/c
by: Anonymous

As to recharging your a/c, it is not hard or do you need to be professional. You just need a set of gauges know what type of refrigerant you system uses and the correct pressures. Just look up the specs on your a/c and it should have all the info. As far as if there is more wrong with it such as leaks don't worry. More than likely it will be a small leak and well with in the aloud amount of the e.p.a. and isn't going to causes the polar ice caps to melt. I've worked on a/c and these systems for years and I'm E.P.A certified so if you have any ?'s let me know.

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