RV A/C Maintenance for Spring
Performing RV A/C maintenance in the springtime is a smart move for several practical reasons, including swamp, er, well, you know where that’s going. You’re gearing up for warmer weather and the most popular time for RVs to hit the road. After months of storage, your A/C unit probably collected some dust, debris, potential pest intrusions, and more.
Besides, spring temperatures are pretty mild, making it an ideal time to test and troubleshoot your system without the urgency of summer heat bearing down on you. You can take your time checking over filters, coils, and other components while weeding out that weird squeaky noise that was bothering you the year prior.
A/C maintenance is also a money-saver. Addressing small problems now, such as weak seals or low refrigerant, will avoid more expensive repairs in the future or a catastrophic failure while you’re boondocking in Alamogordo, New Mexico, in the middle of July. No thanks!
Understanding RV Air Conditioners
Knowledge is power, as the saying goes, and it’s a good idea to know your RV A/C, whether you’re doing maintenance in the spring or in the middle of summer time. The most common RV rooftop unit is a 13,500-Btu A/C with compactly integrated components. Do yourself a favor and get to know each so you can take that thing apart and reassemble it in your sleep.
- Compressor: The compressor is the beating heart of the system, pressurizing the refrigerant gas in preparation for a cooling cycle.
- Condensor Coil: Refrigerant leaves the compressor, passes into the condenser coil, and releases heat as it converts from gas to liquid.
- Evaporator Coil: Liquid refrigerant passes into the evaporator coil, expands back into a gas, and absorbs heat from the RV’s interior.
- Fans (Blower): Most RV A/C units have two—one to push hot air over the condenser and one to distribute cool air inside.
- Refrigerant: An R-410A or R-134a chemical that cycles through the system, changing states and absorbing heat.
- Air Filters: Removable screens that capture dust, dirt, and debris, filtering it from the system.
- Thermostat: A control unit that’s either built into the system or wall-mounted. It communicates with the system, turning it off or on according to the interior temperature.
- Capacitors and Electrical Components: Start and run capacitors help the compressor and fan motors kick on and operate smoothly.
- Housing and Shroud: The exterior cover that protects components from weather, UV rays, and debris. Interior ducts or vents direct airflow efficiently.
And that about wraps it up—all the typical components in a common RV A/C system. Preventative maintenance in the spring demands a degree of familiarity with these components. In other words, if you don’t know what you’re looking at, you probably shouldn’t take it apart. Just a thought.
Tools and Supplies for RV A/C Maintenance in the Spring
Inevitably, you’re going to come across dust, dirt, and debris, so a good paintbrush and a vacuum cleaner (Shop-Vac is recommended) are necessities. Pack a multimeter for the ride as well. You’ll need it to test your capacitors, wiring, or thermostat for continuity and voltage. You don’t want to do all of that with your fingers.
Make sure you have a quality socket/wrench set and plenty of screwdrivers. Don’t skimp on this one and grab a cheap set from Wally World. Anyone indulging in a craft of any kind is only as good as their tools. A solid socket set will be useful to your great-grandchildren, assuming we all survive the zombie apocalypse.
“Get a kit with real set of 1/4–3/8 sockets and ratchets maybe just the larger 1/2 sockets, like. 5/8, 11/16-ish and up. Some kits are stretched by using adapters but the extra length can be too much. Get a multi screw driver or two. A decent set of butt connectors crimper strippers or kit. Multi meter. Couple crescent wrenches and a 12v test light.”
Gloves, safety glasses, flashlights, and/or headlamps go without saying. You can’t haul an RV around if you’re blind from debris or cleaning spray from cleaning your A/C. Light machine oil is a good lubricant of choice. It works well for oiling the fan motor bearings and other moving parts.
Invest in a fin comb for straightening out those bent condenser or evaporator fins. It’s very convenient. A reusable, washable cleaning rag or cloth is useful for wiping down surfaces and for cleaning up excess lubricant or cleaning solution.
Optional but Helpful
The better prepared you are for RV A/C maintenance come springtime, the smoother this task will go. A commercial solution coil cleaner is a safe bet, as well as a tape measure and leak-detector spray.
The tape measure is good for double-checking your filter sizes before you jump online or head over to the store and purchase the wrong one. Refrigerant leaks are a concern as well, and a leak detector spray will help spot these leaks. However, recharging often requires a professional.
An Amp Clamp is useful for measuring the current draw of the compressor—helpful in diagnosing refrigerant leaks.
Step-by-Step Spring Maintenance Guide
At last, we arrive at the fun part—doing the work. Somebody’s gotta do it, right? Things might get a little complicated, especially if this is your first go-round, but the process itself is fairly straightforward. Before you haul yourself to the top of your RV, make sure you turn off all power to the RV (generators, batteries, shore power, etc).
1. Inspect the Unit
Remove the exterior shroud (usually requires a Phillip’s head screwdriver) and inspect for obvious, visible damage. Also, look for debris, dirt, or pest damage that may affect the A/C unit’s performance. Look for nests and inspect any visible wiring for chew marks or corrosion.
RV maintenance in the spring is the best time for discovering bent fins, dented or cracked housing, and other deformities or damages the air conditioner unit may have endured since the last time you checked.
2. Clean the Filters and Coils
Pull the air filter(s) out (typically located behind the interior vent or grill—check your manual). If it’s still in good shape and reusable, wash it with warm water and mild soap. If it needs replacing, do so. Bust out the Shop-Vac and clean any debris from the evaporator and condensor coils while you’re at it.
“I use a shop vac with the small brush attachment to vacuum out condenser coil, be careful not to bend the fins on the condenser coil, if you do take a razor knife or small flat head screwdriver and straighten them back out, a small toothbrush helps to clean with to.”
Once you’re done vacuuming, spray some foaming coil cleaner on both coils and let it sit there for 5 minutes (10 minutes, max). Rinse with warm water, but be careful to avoid getting water on sensitive components. Check the fins carefully and straighten them with your fin comb if necessary.
3. Test Electrical Components
Before you get started, check the wiring, connectors, and any visible electrical components for fraying, corrosion, or loose connections. Check your manual for exact specs (typically 110-120V AC) and ensure the RV has power so you can accurately test everything.
Before you start on the A/C, set the multimeter to AC and measure the voltage at the campground pedestal just to make sure you are getting the proper power supply.
Check the compressor and the fan capacitors for proper voltage. Test the thermostat by setting it to cool. It’s also a good idea to listen carefully to the compressor and fans as they kick on. You want to make sure that they are indeed kicking on and not making any unfamiliar noises.
Exceptions to the Above
Most rooftop RV A/C units, like Dometic or Coleman models, run on 110-120V AC power from shore, generators, or an inverter converting DC to AC. However, smaller rigs with portable A/C units and other exceptions may use 12V DC thermostats.
Just be sure to set your multimeter accordingly after going over your manual for the A/C unit and thermostat.
4. Check Refrigerant Levels
As a part of your RV A/C maintenance checking refrigerant levels in the spring or any time of the year is a bit of a misnomer. These are sealed systems, unlike a car’s A/C with a sight glass or other indicators. There’s really no “user-friendly” method for checking the level.
What you’re mostly looking for is signs of low refrigerant or signs of leaks. It’s a system of assumption, and we all know what they say about assumptions. However, you have to work with the system you’re given. Professionals typically use a manifold gauge set or a temperature differential check.
As for the rest of us non-pros, look for frost or ice on the evaporator, visible through the interior vent. Oily residue around lines or coils is a sign of a slow leak as well. Last but not least, the test cycle, covered more in-depth below, will speak volumes in this regard.
5. Lubricate Moving Parts
If you don’t already know what to look for, check your manuals to locate the fan motor bearings or other moving parts that require periodic lubrication. Not all RV units require this, so it may be necessary to ask a professional just to be certain one way or the other.
“I’m going to look for the oil tubes but a little 3 in 1 oil on each end of the shaft should help prevent it again. I think I will do the coils when I return.”
A few drops of light machine oil (3-in-1 oil or something similar) on accessible bearings is plenty. Wipe off any excess, and that’s all there is to this one.
6. Run a Test Cycle
Reassemble your unit unless you want to find out what an A/C unit does when partially disassembled and coursing with power. Make sure the shroud is back on and the screws are in place. Set the thermostat to a cool setting, something like 70°F. If it’s cool outside, the interior is usually warmer. If you have to, place it on the lowest cool setting.
Let the A/C run for about 20 minutes. Listen to it, get a feel for it, and check your vents to ensure you’re getting plenty of air and that the air is cool. Listen for unusual noises (grinding, squeaking, rattling, etc). The air from the vents should be 10-20°F cooler than room temperature.
Benefits of Regular Maintenance
First and foremost, the primary benefit is a functioning A/C unit that will keep the interior of the RV cool when you can fry an egg on the sidewalk outside. However, it’s not enough to keep things cool. You want the A/C to provide the maximum benefit with the best efficiency.
Lower energy draw means less drain on your RV’s battery, generator fuel, or shore power. For instance, something as simple as dirty air filters can bump your energy use northward by 10% to 20%. That’s a simple solution and a measurable benefit.
Performing routine RV A/C maintenance every spring will extend the lifespan of the unit by maintaining lubrication for the moving parts, fixing small leaks, and preventing overwork. With routine care and preventative maintenance, the average RV A/C unit should last a decade or more.
Maintenance also means fewer costly repairs in the short and long term. Think about it like this: a $50 service call or maintenance fix versus a $500 compressor swap. Most people will jump on the former and avoid the latter like the plague.
Consistent comfort and healthier air quality are secondary benefits, but no less important to RVers. If you have allergies or suffer from seasonal allergies, it’s more than “secondary.” In short, regular maintenance keeps your A/C efficient, durable, and dependable in exchange for only a few hours of labor a year.
Who can argue with that?
Conclusion
RV maintenance in the spring may not be the most exciting part of your year, but it beats a blowout while draining your black tank. It definitely beats a busted A/C while visiting Key West in August. Believe it or not, there are places on your body that you never thought could sweat until you hit up the Florida Keys with no A/C.
Start early in the springtime, knock it out, and get it done with. After that, it’s a matter of an occasional inspection and keeping your filters clean and replaced as needed. RVers should think of preventative maintenance as a law. It’s easy to get aggravated by the effort sometimes, sure.
However, think about all of the problems you never know about and will never experience because of what you’re doing right now. Take care of your RV, and it will take care of you. Be sure to add any hints, tips, or advice from your own experiences as an RVer in the comments below. Stay safe!
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