Seeking a drip pan for the side AC - used or new

**wbmiller3** · 07-02-2019, 10:51 AM

Our 2001 2619 has the side AC. I've replaced the unit once, quite a few years ago, and the AC itself is working fine. However, on a campout this weekend, the hall floor was covered with water when we got back to the trailer! Troubleshooting isolated it to a crack in the drip pan. Caulking the pan got us through the weekend - thank goodness, it was 90+ in San Antonio - but I don't think it's a permanent fix. So, I'd like to replace the drip pan.

I don't see the item in the 2013 parts catalog I have - TM switched to top AC long ago - so getting one from the factory is probably a non-starter.

Does anyone who parted out a trailer or removed their AC want to sell me a drip pan?

I don't have much hope on finding one - there is no part number on the thing, I suspect it's TM specific - so Plan B is getting a metal shop to make me one out of galavanized, like the ones under hot water heaters. But maybe there's someone out there!

**commodor47** · 07-02-2019, 06:04 PM

Bill,

I don't have a replacement pan but can offer a suggestion. Is there a vocational high school/academy near you? Their automotive, auto-body, or manufacturing shop may be able to make you replacement using your exiting pan as a template. Just a thought . . .

Dick

**ShrimpBurrito** · 07-03-2019, 03:55 AM

Why not try some JB Weld? It’s good enough to hold engine parts together so as long as the pan is not rusted, I imagine it would hold up.

Is it aluminum or steel? If aluminum, you could also consider some aluminum welding rods, which apparently can be used with a household torch. Something like these:

Bernzomatic AL3 Aluminum Brazing/Welding Rods with 12-Inch Rods of Working Temperature 720-750 Degrees, 2-Piece https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000CBJGI

Dave

**wbmiller3** · 07-03-2019, 07:32 PM

Thanks for the suggestions!

The pan is plastic, and I think has just aged out in the 19 years. Two corners have vertical cracks, one of which runs down to the junction between the wall and floor of the pan. This crack was causing the trouble.

I pretty much coated the inside with silicone caulk and it's working fine now.

Your metal shop suggestion is good. One of my friends has me pretty much talked into trying to do it myself. The only thing I'm dubious about is that it has a center drain. I'm going to have to poke around some good hardware stores and see what I can do about that. I'm thinking some kind of threaded, hollow rod so I can put a big flat washer and a nut on either side, and then caulk the heck out of it.

**wbmiller3** · 04-08-2020, 12:20 PM

Mostly a bump to see if there is anyone out there who can sell me a drip pan.

I've contacted all the TM dealers and the factory, they don't have them.

I made a new drip pan out of sheet metai, but I can't get the AC + drip pan + hose fitting to fit into the very tight cabinet. The factory drip pan had a very short fitting on it, and the "walls" on it were shorter. I also increased the size of the drip pan a smidge to keep the stress off the corners - that is why the old one broke - that didn't help either.

I'm quite frustrated by this, I've been trying one thing and another for the last three days. I guess I'm down to buying a smaller AC unit and mounting it in my homemade drip pan if I can't find an old pan.

No rush, no one is going camping in Texas now, at least to the state parks.

I would have bought five of the darn things back in the day Had I But Known. A crystal ball would be useful for many things!

**Kidkraz** · 04-08-2020, 12:58 PM

Bill, could the pan be remade using a 3d printer? Just tossing an idea out to you.

**Bill** · 04-08-2020, 01:21 PM

Bill -

Not having had the opportunity to play with a cabinet air installation, I'm not sure what I am visualizing. Would you post a photo? Meanwhile, a few questions.
o I am assuming that the drip pan collects condensation from the evap coil, and then dumps the water somewhere. Is this correct? In a kitchen refrig, the drip pan collects dripping water, but has no place to dump it, so it then evaporates it into the air. This is different from dumping. I'm assuming dumping, but help me visualize what is going on here.
o There may be something called a "slinger ring", which throws the collected water onto one of the coils to cool it. According to HarveyRV in this thread
https://www.trailmanorowners.com/for...ad.php?t=10608
the slinger is a nice-to-have, but not a must-have. If you got rid of it, would it help?
o Does the pan sit flat on the floor under the AC?
o Does the evaporator simply drip down into the pan, or is there some other structure that collects the drips and funnels the water into the pan?
o Does the hose fitting simply pass straight down through the floor and drip onto the ground? Or is the hose routed out through the side of the trailer somehow? If so ... why?
o How deep is the pan? Since the AC will be used only when the trailer is parked, sloshing shouldn't be a problem and the pan could be quite shallow. The limit, of course, would be how level the trailer is when set up.
o Who manufactures the airco? Have you dived into their web site for a PARTS link? Have you checked one of the appliance repair web sites, such as AppliancePartsPros.com? (There are others.) They are easy to navigate, and have access to an amazing number of parts, usually with photos.
o Finally, you refer to a "very tight cabinet". Would a minor tweak to the cabinet opening (in other words, saw or chisel some wood out) allow you to fit the unit more easily?

Sorry for my ignorance. You have a truly annoying problem, especially down in coastal Texas.

Bill (the other one)

**wbmiller3** · 04-09-2020, 06:52 AM

Thanks to all for the ideas.

Current status is I've re-caulked the cracks in the old pan, reassembled everything, and stored the trailer back in the garage. I doubt we'll be camping until the fall, so this problem can be deferred.

When I tackle it again, I'll post proper information.

**Larryjb** · 04-09-2020, 08:53 AM

I know what you are talking about as I also have a side-mount AC. I've always wondered what I'd do if it cracked. I have a neighbour who fabricates stainless steel countertops. He has made a stainless steel drip pan for our kitchen drain tray, so I imagine he could make a stainless steel drip pan for the AC one day. The only problem is that everything is SO tight in there, it would have to fit PERFECTLY!

**ShrimpBurrito** · 04-09-2020, 12:41 PM

Bill,

Why not coat the entire thing and encase it in some sort of epoxy? I've seen gas tanks refurbished in a similar way, i.e. coating the inside of it with some sort of resin, and then powder coating the outside. That would preserve the OEM tray exactly, and you'd probably never have to mess with it again.

You'd need something that is viscous enough that it will not just slide right off before it cures.

I don't know if this will stick to plastic, but something pourable like this, which says will leave a coating 1/8" thick (and obviously you wouldn't need 2 gallons):
https://www.amazon.com/Crystal-Clear...dp/B01LYK2NAG/

The "WEST" System of epoxy products is also something I'd look at, as it's marine grade: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=west+epoxy&ref=nb_sb_noss

Dave