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Air Conditioner Does Not Keep RV Cool

by Lewis
(Austin Texas)

How to Make Your RV’s Air Conditioner Cool Again

How to Make Your RV’s Air Conditioner Cool Again

When it is 102 outside, my temperature inside is 85. Is this normal, and if not, what can I do about it?

ANSWER: Hi Lewis, Unfortunately, RV Air Conditioners are not as efficient as Air Conditioning in most homes. The main reason is that most RVs are not as well insulated as the average home. So in an area with very high temperatures and high humidity, the AC units will have problems keeping up. To top that off, ducted RV Air Conditioners depending on duct design may be less efficient than non-ducted RV Air Conditioners keeping an RV Cool.

The general rule of thumb for RV Air Conditioners is that they will keep the RV 20 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than the outside ambient air temperature. If the RV is in direct sunlight on a hot day, the AC unit will have a tough time keeping up. A shaded RV campsite will help improve the cooling efficiency of the Air Conditioner.

Since you do not tell me how old your RV is, I am going to assume that it is at least 3 or 4 years old, which means that you may be able to improve the cooling efficiency of your RV's Air Conditioner by performing some routine maintenance as outlined below.

LEARN HOW TO RUN 2 RV A/Cs ON A 30 AMP CONNECTION

1. Clean the AC filters. Dirty AC filters can reduce the cooling capacity and efficiency of your Air Conditioner/s. The filters for RV Roof air conditioners are located inside the RV under the air distribution bezel on the AC unit.

AC filters

Most RV Air Conditioner filters (like the one pictured above)
are made of washable materials and should be washed in warm water carefully and thoroughly. Let them air dry before you replace them. If the filter is torn or will not clean up, you should replace the RV Air Conditioner Filter. You should check and clean these filters at least once a month.

2. Once the filter/s is removed on most RV Air Conditioning units, you will be able to see the evaporator coils. Get a flashlight and look at those coils to see if there is any type of accumulation of dirt or debris present, if there is use a very soft bristle vacuum attachment to carefully remove the dust and dirt.

3. If you are comfortable going on your RV's roof, you should also clean the outside condenser coils on your Air Conditioner/s. This will require removing the shroud on the air conditioner, which is normally held on with several screws.

Once the shroud is removed, you can use some compressed air to blow out debris that may have gotten into the Condenser Coils. Remember to blow the air from the inside out (that’s why you have to remove the shroud). This should be done at least once a year.

Below is a video by Professor of RVing Jim Twamley that demonstrates everything that I just outlined above.
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Once you have completed this routine maintenance try running your AC again and see if the cooling has improved. If you are still experiencing cooling problems, you should take your Motorhome in and have a Certified RV Technician, check out the AC system/s on your RV.

I hope this helps.

Comments for Air Conditioner Does Not Keep RV Cool

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starstarstarstarstar 		rv air condotioner cold
by: Gary

Thanks for your information you provided. I have read some information about this problem in here: https://vogeltalksrving.com/how-cold-should-an-rv-air-conditioner-get/#more-1313 and I knew that to maintain a cool temperature inside your RV, you can’t rely on the AC only.Is that right? Some notes like remember to keep a clean filter and evaporator coils to ensure that your AC runs properly for a long time and don’t forget to close the windows and doors, to maintain a proper temperature inside the RV.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Thank you!!
by: Audra

Sooo helpful, best info I’ve found on this topic and the video link was absolutely what I needed to see!! Thank you so much!!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Rv ac going off daily
by: Anonymous

We live in our rv and each day our ac is going off around lunch and will not come back on till late night! We have tried everything what can it be
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Useful
by: Quinn

Your site with all its info is very useful, maybe you can answer this question. The AC works pretty well (the camper is a 2006) normally but if we are on an extended trip and it’s hot then occasionally after being ran several days in a row the ac will just stop working. The fan still spin but no cold air comes out, which of course leaves us using the second unit that’s in the bedroom to try and cool the whole place. We’ve climbed on top, hosed it off, cleaned the filters and as far into it as we could see, and same problem. The last shop we took it too charged us $300 to tell us "It got hot, use it less." But I’m hoping for a bit more help.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		A/C not keeping RV cool article
by: Lisa

Thank you for your article. We have a 2 year old R/V and have an on going problem. When the A/C unit comes on you smell something. Maybe mold or mildew. We have had 2 TV mechanics look at it and husband gets up on the roof to clean and use a hose to clean. Spraying lysol into the A/C unit from inside the camper helps, but just for a day or two.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		60 degree
by: Ken

Will my Dometic roof a/come on with outside temp being 60* ?
It's 2 years old. Worked great. Now I set new t stat to 55* and all I get is a click up in upper unit. Property inside module.
Any ideas. 127kcook@gmail.com
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Ac help
by: Anonymous

Would going from a black o/s roof cover to white civer help the efficiency of the ac ?
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		My two air conditioners
by: Anonymous

Both my air conditions just went out at the same time now is blowing hot air my condenser and motor to the fan is working but not cooling off the RV can some one please help!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Thermostat
by: Anonymous

Adjust the internal thermostat so that the compressor runs longer cycles...it will get much colder inside your unit with this adjustment.

https://youtu.be/jXmOLW0KZ-Y
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		A-frame A/C
by: Anonymous

We have a Forest River a-frame, with a heat pump under the bed. Even with the insulated hard walls, the unit was ridiculously inefficient. After one trip I realized that the intake and outflow were next to each other under the bed, and therefore no cold air ever reached the rest of the trailer. I went to work with 4" flexible duct material, and created outlets in various places away from the intake, and everything changed - now the unit is as icy as we want it, regardless of the heat. We also added a HEPA filter, so that pollen from woodsy campgrounds could be easily removed in a few minutes.
Rating
starstarstarstar 		RV - AC cooling help
by: Steve


Foam Tape


Also check inside at the ceiling filter cover for arch ac unit to make sure the plastic cover is air tite.

A clue to a loose / leaky internal inside the coach ac filter cover is a dirty / dusty line around the outside edge which means the air is recirculating around the cover up on the ceiling thus decreasing the cooling effect.

For a clean cosmetic seal use stick door foam roll tape to re-seal the outer perimeter edge of the cover or in a boondock pinch use Gorrila type duct tape to seal the outside visual edge. I hope this tip was helpful
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Tent the RV
by: Richard

My TT is 19ft when possible we have tarp awning over the entire top. The frame is PCV pipe. You won't believe the difference
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Av Oma
by: AnonymousRobkeeler

absolutely doing the PMs on your air-conditioning units for your RV is the most important thing where we go camping the temperature is always right around about 119° we found by putting a oscillating fan inside the coach to help motivate the air it kept a lot cooler just an idea great job guys
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Cooling Off
by: Anonymous

We thought we'd have to get a second unit, but with electric retiring required it was too cost prohibitive. We bought the quietest portable AC unit we could find. We vent it out under the storage area under the dinette. He made a very professional cover around where it exits and we plug it into the outside extra power plug so it's not too much for the trailer power. This works like a charm. It gets a few degrees warmer during the day, but it's a lot better.

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LEARN HOW TO RUN 2 RV A/Cs ON A 30 AMP CONNECTION