How Do You Service A Camper Ac Unit

RV AC maintenance - air conditioner on RV roof

How RV A/C Maintenance Makes Camping Better

Taking intendance of your RV is of import for ensuring it lasts for years and years of camping fun. Obviously, this means cleaning and resealing the body of your RV, but information technology too means maintaining the appliances within your RV.

Ane of the most important appliances to proceed in good shape is your air conditioning unit, meaning RV AC maintenance should definitely make its way onto your to-do list every 6 months or so.

Wondering what you need to know virtually RV AC maintenance? You lot've come to the right place! In this commodity, we will encompass the top five things y'all should know about maintaining the air conditioner on your trailer or motorhome so y'all can ensure you stay nice and cool on all of your camping adventures.

i. Inspect the RV A/C Cover

The starting time thing you'll discover when looking at your air conditioner from the outside is the plastic shroud or cover that goes over the unit of measurement. This comprehend is more of import than you might imagine.

It isn't just for covering upwardly the unit of measurement and making your RV more than aesthetically pleasing. Nope, this comprehend too protects your RV AC unit from clay, debris, and other foreign objects that might want to make their manner within. Additionally, it helps prevent low-hanging limbs from dissentious the unit of measurement should you drive under them.

Unfortunately, these shrouds tend to become damaged over fourth dimension. Bright sunlight can cause the plastic Air conditioning covers to go brittle, making it like shooting fish in a barrel for them to crack and break. Of course, driving under low-hanging branches and other objects that may scrape can also cause damage, equally tin can hail.

Because it's so mutual for Ac shrouds to become damaged, information technology's important that you peek at yours a couple times a year to ensure it's still in skilful shape and able to practise its job.

two. Check for A/C leaks

When y'all own an RV, water is your worst enemy. Fifty-fifty the smallest leak can cause damage over time, pregnant it's imperative to take intendance of areas where h2o can enter your rig as rapidly as possible.

I place where many people don't know to watch for leaks is around the AC unit. RV air conditioners are gear up into a large hole in the roof, and rather than beingness sealed with the usual caulk-type sealant, they are designed to proceed water out with a rubber ring. This ring must be properly placed, tightened downwardly, and free of damage to office properly, meaning it isn't unheard of for it to allow h2o in. To make matters worse, RV air conditioners produce a lot of water themselves. This means information technology isn't simply rainwater that can sneak in under that seal.

In lodge to ensure you aren't a victim of water leaks around the Air-conditioning, check the rubber ring for damage or wear every half dozen months or and then. While you're at it, tighten the screws that hold your air conditioner in identify.

iii. Straight fins are primal

If you remove the shroud from your AC, you will notice a set of metal fins on the unit. These fins are very delicate and tin can get bent out of shape over time.

Considering the AC unit works all-time when the fins are directly and free of debris, information technology'southward a good thought to utilise a comb to very carefully straighten any bent fins, and a vacuum to get rid of dirt. You lot tin can too spray the fins with a spray bottle of h2o and balmy soap. Like the other RV Air-conditioning maintenance tasks on this listing, this should be done every 6 months or so.

iv. Recharging isn't possible

When a typical house air conditioner stops working properly, it could be that the unit needs to be recharged. However, this isn't the instance with RV air conditioners. These units cannot be recharged, so if you're having bug with one, you will need to look elsewhere for a solution.

5. Filters can (and should) be washed

One very basic thing you tin do if y'all're having air conditioner trouble in your trailer or motorhome is to check out the Ac filter. These filters are fabricated to be washed in warm soapy water and should be set in the sunday to dry out. This should happen at least every six months, only if you're using the air conditioner on a regular basis, y'all might discover yourself cleaning the filter every month or so.

Eventually, your air conditioner filter volition become also worn to wash and reuse. In this case, you lot will need to purchase a new filter. If you tin't find a filter to perfectly fit your unit of measurement, ownership a larger one and cutting it downward to fit is perfectly acceptable.

Other RV air conditioner tips

The things mentioned above are the almost important RV AC maintenance tips. That said, in that location are a few other things nosotros retrieve you lot should know most your Ac unit.

Ensure you have enough power

RV air conditioners require a lot of power to run. The bulk of this power is used on startup to go the compressor up and running. Starting an air conditioner with too lilliputian power tin can pb to damage over fourth dimension.

For this reason, nosotros discourage people from running their AC when plugged into a 15- or twenty-amp outlet.

Use a soft starter

If you find yourself needing to run your AC when plugged into a 20-amp outlet, or you want to be able to run the air conditioner while using a smaller generator, you might find information technology useful to install an air conditioner soft starter. This cuts back on the amount of ability needed to commencement the AC, meaning you won't damage the unit past using it whenever less power is available. With the SoftStartRV, you tin fifty-fifty run 2 A/C units on just 30 amps of power.

Rail your maintenance

Because in that location are several things to continue track of in terms of AC maintenance, and because your RV as whole comes with an enormous list of maintenance tasks, we highly recommend finding a way to track your maintenance. Some people use a paper calendar or planner, but we prefer using Maintain My RV for this purpose.

For more RV Ac maintenance tips, check out this video from Love Your RV:

Chelsea is a full-time RVer who teaches in campgrounds and online as she travels. She shares roadschooling tips and more on her blog, Wonder Wherever Nosotros Wander.