Re: [VAL] installing rooftop air-conditioner for first time

[Charlie/Betty Burke <cbburke@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Tom,

Unfortunately yours is yet another example of trying to deal with 
Camping World. More than a few SOB owners have the same kinds of 
problems. Corporate CW prints up the catalogs and flyers and then leave 
the individual stores to live up to them.
Any CW store that needs to order the adapter pan must order it through 
an Airstream dealer, same as you would. So they add a markup to cover 
their labor and freight costs and you get $100. Every repair shop or 
parts store has overhead and labor costs to cover.
By the by have you tried to rake the fins out on the current AC? A four 
head tool sold to every AC and most RV shops is designed to open up the 
fins by raking them. A real bad case can take a little time but it can 
be done. And if as you suspect the "hot smell" is caused by lack of air 
circulation, and you are likely right, then an hour or so spent raking 
out the current AC unit coils might save you a bunch of money and any 
more aggravation with CW.
In our area most if not all household AC repair shops will work on RV 
AC's. Guts wise they are identical. You would just have to be careful 
how they get up on the roof. Show them don't expect them to know how as 
an Airstream dealer would. They could rake the coils and give you an 
assessment of the condition of  the unit for a relatively small fee. 
Something to consider.

Charlie