Many times we forget basic maintenance until we are sitting in the hot camper wondering why our AC unit isn’t keeping us cool. Most RV air conditioning units are designed to cool the entire unit even on the hottest days. As time goes by lint and dust build up in the filter as well as the condensing unit inside the Air conditioner. These particles hinder the transfer of heat and cool from the cabin air to the cooler condenser which makes the unit work much less efficiently.
The easiest way to maintain our AC unit in our RV is to clean the filter at least once a month and clean the condenser every spring. Cleaning the filter is self explanatory but cleaning the condenser is a little more difficult.
The first order of business is to make sure that all the power is disconnected at the fuse box and the camper power plug. Make sure that the Generator is disabled as well as any other power sources that may be present in your RV or Camper. Begin by removing the filter element and the cover that holds it in and setting them aside. A vacuum cleaner with a long hose is needed to sufficiently vacuum out the condenser fins and remove the harmful dirt and lint. Always remember to use a soft brush on the end of the vacuum so that you do not harm the fins on the Air Conditioning unit. The fins are made of soft material and they bend easily so care must be taken to keep them from being damaged during cleaning. If any of the fins are bent for whatever reason please see your local RV Dealer or Air conditioning Dealer for the correct tools used in straightening out the fins.
Here is to happy cool camping during these long hot days.