# Fixed my Pop up campers roof and removed AC



## Mako22 (Mar 17, 2008)

This is an answer to a PM about the repairs I did to a pop up camper I have for sale. I thought it might help some one else.

Just to clarify we are talking about rain water leaking and not AC coolant. 1995 Coleman pop up camper.

Here is what I did, I hope it helps.
On top of your camper the AC unit has a caulk seal all around it. This seal keeps the AC unit up off the roof about 1/4 inch. A plastic gutter (trim piece) drains water from under the AC off the roof. This water gets under the AC and inside the caulk perimeter by coming in thru the openings in the AC cowling, it then goes thru some holes in the AC units bottom pan. There is about 1/4 inch space between the bottom of the unit and the roof, water can collect here but a gutter drains it off. Part of the AC unit sits in a 14 inch square hole in your campers roof, this piece is inside the caulk perimeter mentioned above (you cannot see it from the roof). This piece sits on a gasket right along the edge of the 14" hole. If this gasket is compromised you can have a leak here. On the inside of the camper another piece of the AC is bolted (with 4 bolts) to the roof AC sections part that sits in that 14" hole. This inside piece is your interior control unit (cool control knob, etc). I thought that my unit was leaking around this gasket mentioned above so I removed the interior plastic control unit by removing the screws and popping off the control knobs. Then I removed the nuts from the 4 bolts that holds the exterior AC unit together with the interior piece. Once this was done I just disconnected a wiring harnes plug between the two parts of the unit and dropped the lower AC panel out. At this point do not try to push up (from inside the camper) on the roof AC unit to remove it (you can damage the thin aluminum roof). You must first from the outside remove that caulk from around the roof AC unit. This caulk is very hard and tough, I used a machette with a hammer to cut it out (well it worked). I started at a corner and drove the machette down the caulk line with the hammer until I cut one side of caulk. After I cut all 4 sides of caulk I had my wife push from inside the unit while I lifted on the AC from the roof. You have to put the camper about 1/2 up to do this and use a step ladder. Do not stand or put serious weight on the roof. Once I did this I sprayed the roof with a hose and found that water was still coming in and it was coming in thru a small crack under the foam cieling insulation (mine was cut away by the previous owner so I could see this area inside the camper).  I could never see this hole from the outside as it was inside that caulk perimeter and under the roof AC.  I sealed it with some self leveling RV caulk. So it turned out it was not the gasket around the 14" hole as I thought but I had to remove the unit to find it.

If you have a leak I would remove the AC, then seal the entire roof with something the RV dealer recommends. Then put a new gasket in (14" hole) and reinstall the AC. 

I also found out that cranking up the camper is now  a breeze without that heavy AC unit, I am glad its gone.  
I hope this helps.


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