The plastic shroud on the Coleman air conditioner has two problems:

1. It is too weak. They often break from wind-induced vibration or gusts. UV degradation of the plastic hastens this weakening.

2. It is too strong. Mine pulled up one of the forward mounting studs. The sheet metal of the housing around the bolt came up with it. I suspect vibration was the culprit.

Suggested plans of action:

1. Reinforce the top by attaching an aluminum bar on each side from the front bolt to the back. The bar should be bonded to the plastic to both strengthen and change the resonant frequency. The bars should be treated or painted for corrosion. The factory realized that the front mounts were failure-prone and bonded a strip of ABS to the underside between the two front holes. If yours doesn't have it, put one in.

2. Paint the whole thing to prevent any more UV degradation. Krylon Fusion almond is a perfect match, and sticks to plastic very well. Gloss stays cleaner, but satin hides any repairs or welding a little better. I cut mine apart and welded it back together to make it narrower, and the weld beads are much less obvious with satin than they were with gloss. Roof paint works, too, if you confine it to just the top, where it can't be seen.

3. If your forward studs are still attached, cut a thin 3” diameter disc of steel and drill a ¼” hole in the middle. Glue it over the stud with JB Weld, Marine Tex or a 3M structural adhesive. If a stud has come off, use a disk to epoxy a toilet bolt in position. A toilet bolt is longer and has a nice flat heat which attaches well. Cut it to length, allowing for the thickness of the disc and the waviness of the bent sheet metal.

4. While it is off, lay in some cloth and epoxy resin inside the corners of the rear opening. This is where they like to crack.

5. Do not lean on it to steady yourself when on the roof. No one likes to hear (and feel) the cracking of sun-weakened plastic.

While you have the shroud off, squirt some PB Blaster on the motor shaft where the fan mounts. And write down the numbers on the fan motor. Both will save you time when it fails.

If you do all of these things, yours might not be one of those I see on the shoulder now and then.

Hey Bill--all those things are great ideas! I have made a copy of that for the next visit to the roof!

I have used Krylon Fusion on a lot of things other then plastic and I like its adherence better then most rattle can paints.

I generally clean the A/C every spring prior to the first trip out and have found a lot of things you mention, had a major leak as a result of some of the things you mention

Thanks

quote:

Originally posted by MWrench:
Hey Bill--all those things are great ideas! I have made a copy of that for the next visit to the roof!

Note added content. Maybe useful, maybe not......

quote:

had a major leak as a result of some of the things you mention

Huh? You mean someone else has had a disaster that I haven't? I thought I was the main failure-magnet here. ............What was the leak, and what was the fix?