Post edited 10:19 am – September 13, 2011 by Steve Pooler

Hi Bob…Thanks for the comment…It is appreciated  

First…Please don't run the system with only one fan operational…You will flood liquid refrigerant back to the compressor and they don't like that at all…

The ESS cooling unit/s are also known as EBS units with a return air box attached (the part that looks like a water ski ramp)

Both models have been discontinued, but the fan motor, or the complete EBS section is still available thru Dometic (and me)

If one motor runs ok, then that tells me the SMX II is sending out power (there are not separate circuits for each motor) so it's very likely you have a bad fan motor in that air handler.

You can replace the whole EBS section, or just the motor….Either way it (the EBS section) will need to come out of the boat…You should see a metal strap that is fastened on each side of the EBS box with one screw & nut…Once the strap is loose you can separate the EBS box from the ski ramp plenum…

Of course the refrigerant will need to be pumped down so you can disconnect that air handlers refrigerant lines, and you will need to disconnect or cut the fan wire…Once loose you can get to the condensate drain on the bottom & remove it's clamp & hose…

Now…To change the fan motor only…The box must be disassembled (top comes off with a bunch of 5/16 headed screws around it's perimeter)

Once that is off you must remove the coil assembly & blower housing together….The coil is fastened with more of the same screws on each side of the return air inlet cutout & there is one 7/16 headed bolt & nut that holds the blower…Then lift the whole thing out of the box…

Now you need to separate the coil from the blower housing (more screws on each side) as the motor is inside the blower housing….The rest should be pretty self explanatory… But if you need guidance with that I''m here… 

Yes it sounds like a big job & I don't want to scare you (because it's not that bad to take apart) and sometimes the hardest part is getting the EBS out of & back into where it lives….

The motor is $240.00…The EBS section complete is $1695.00…So it's up to you…

I don't discount on sales below $500…and Dometic frowns on me quoting discounts on a public forum or website… 

The question once removed, is what kind of condition the coil is in…Are there black spots at every solder joint ?…

If so, that's an indication that electrolysis/galvanic action is attacking those joints, and they are likely to start leaking refrigerant soon…How soon is anybody's guess, but is it worth all that work/labor to have to do it again for a leak ???

One other consideration is how long are they are going to continue to build/offer parts for a discontinued model ?

I know all this is probably not what you wanted to hear…But as always…I try to be straight up… 

Steve~

CaptainYAH said:

Hi Steve,

 

Is there a way to take this apart without pumping down the refrigerant?…Sorry, But No Bob…You have to completely remove that air handler from the boat, to take it apart to get to the motor…I may have to cut an access in the bridge and replace it with an access door one way or the other.

 

Also, is there a way to confirm the fan is definateloy the problem before I try to take this apart?…The only other thing you can check is in the junction box where both fan motor wires connect on the bridge (just follow the wire from one till you find a box) for a bad connection…Like I said in my last post…The fact that one motor runs means there is voltage going up there….We're supposed to get cold weather this weekend on the east coast so I might try it then…Again…Please do not run that system with only one fan motor running…You will take out that new compressor doing so for any length of time…

I'd say there's a 99% chance it's a bad motor…1% chance it's a bad connection, but you have to get into that junction/box to disconnect that motor for removal anyway.

 

Thanks,

 

Bob

 

Steve~

That is Great new Bob !!!…And thanks for the report back    Being in the 1% can be a good thing…

Do you have the tools to re-make that connection ?

If you don't redo it…It will happen again, and if unattended, or you don't notice it (which is not hard to overlook) It will be flooding back liquid to the compressor when it does happen…

Could be part of the reason you lost the first compressor…

Steve~

Sorry Bob….No diagrams exist that I can think of, or can remember seeing myself…

About the best I can do is what I posted in post 2 above as a description of how to do the job…

If something in that post is not clear…Let me know what it is & I'll try to elaborate or define it…

Steve~

There are only two motor possibilities Bob…115 or 230 volt…Otherwise it's the same motor since back in the 60's (or at least early 70's)

They don't offer us the insulation as a part #…I'd have to order it and no telling how long that would take or if I could even get it…They are closing up/sold the old Richmond Va Cruisair plant (Home for over 50 years) this week in favor of the larger plant in Pompano Beach Fl…I don't think anyone that is left up there knows much about where anything is…They just know they have to get it out…That air handler was always built in Richmond so they would have the patterns…

I'm afraid your on your own on the insulation…But you might take a sample to a local Refrigeration A/C supply house, to see if they have something similar…They should at least have what is called Foam insulation tape…Think the rolls come 25' by 2.5 to 3" wide with a paper backing to peel off as you stick it down…

Steve~