Spring into action -- get your RV air conditioner ready to chill Part 2 of 2

Last time we discussed how to handle the "inside the rig" part of air conditioner maintenance. Now we move to the part of the job will take you up topside. You’ll need a sturdy ladder. As a general rule to protect your roof, don’t walk on it. This particularly applies to older rigs that don’t have a solid plywood deck under the roofing material. Best to put a "kneeler board" across the rafters and knee walk across it to reach the ac unit.

At the unit, check out the condition of the condenser fins. These little guys provide a broad surface for outside air to draw away the heat pumped out from the inside of your rig. If they’re bent, like the two photos show, they’ll need to be straightened out to remove that heat efficiently. A thin knife or screwdriver blade may help. Or you can use an air conditioner fin comb--a specialty tool that can help if the fins are not too badly bent. We once spent countless hours with a knife blade straightening out a whole mess of fins that had been completely bent over. We also tried working with a fin comb, and if the fins are badly bent, it was actually quicker to straighten the devils with a knife and screwdriver.

While on the roof, inspect the a/c unit "shroud," the protective cover. These are prone to taking hits from branches; plastic ones often get damaged by UV rays. Sometimes they can be fixed with fiberglass cloth and resin--check out a boat supply or auto parts house. If you repair cracks on the inside of the shroud, the work will likely be secure, but not obvious to outside observers. A more expensive solution is installing a replacement shroud.

The shroud should be securely mounted, you’ll find screws around the bottom of the shroud that tie it to the ac unit itself. Too much zeal with a screwdriver can easily crack the shroud around the mounting holes, rendering it useless. Take it easy! Firm, but not over-torqued is the rule for installing a shroud.

Take the screws out and carefully remove the shroud. Again, make sure you have the power disconnected--you don’t want the ac unit to start up while you’re poking around "under the hood." You’ll be looking for the evaporator--it looks like a small automotive radiator. Take a brush and gently remove dust from it--if you have an air compressor, gently blast the dust out with pressurized air. Getting the dust out will make your system more efficient.

Now check out the motor. Some ac units will have oil holes, possibly covered with a rubber plug. Other ac motors are permanently sealed and don’t require lubrication. For the former, carefully remove the plug and add 3 or 4 drops of oil--some recommend "three in one" oil for the job. Over-oiling is worse than not oiling! Replace the rubber plug(s).

Put the shroud back on, while keeping the torque down to a dull roar.

Now it’s time to test the system. Be sure you have sufficient power--most a/c units require your RV be hooked up to at least a 30 amp service. If you don’t have the power, wait until you get somewhere where a 30 amp circuit is available. Turn on the unit and let her rip. You should have plenty of cold air delivery. Enjoy a cool summer!

photos: R&T De Maris

Spring into action -- get your RV air conditioner ready to chill Part 1 of 2

El Niño has rattled the populace. Depending on where you are, either you're experiencing the misery of continued cold, snow, and ice, or you're elsewhere, seeking shade and ice tea. Take heart, you folk out in the cold country – summer will come. And for the rest of us – it's high time we got the RV air conditioner ready for use. Actually, it may be past time.

To that end, we herewith provide the first of a two-part series on the hands-on of air conditioner maintenance. We’ll address the most common of RV air conditioning systems--the roof mounted a/c unit. Exposed as it is to the elements and low-hanging branches, the roof-mounted unit is prey to a lot of problems. But let’s start "inside" first.

The easiest part of the assignment is simply cleaning or replacing air filters. Check your owner’s manual to find instructions for getting the filter out of the unit – typically by removing a couple of screws and pulling a grill loose to access the filter. This filter, although cleaned in the last few weeks, is in serious need of cleaning again.

Some a/c unit filters can simply be washed in warm, soapy dishwater, thoroughly dried, and reinstalled. In use, washable filters should be removed and cleaned a couple of times a month if used in dusty areas; once a season should be enough elsewhere.

Some a/c filters are not washable but must be replaced. Here’s a thought: You can replace nearly any a/c filter with an after-market "electrostatic" filter that is said to capture more dust and pollen than typical OEM filters. We’ve never actually tested them out, but if you’ve got twenty bucks to check the theory out, visit a Camping World store for these super filters.

While you’re working with the filter, check out your unit’s ducting. Some rigs have simple metal channels to deliver chilled air; others may use heat distribution hoses. If you can, it’s a good time to vacuum out your ducts while servicing the filter.

So much for filters. If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, check out unit security. We’re not talking about somebody stealing your a/c unit, but rather having the thing get loose and fall off your rig. An a/c unit is bolted onto your rig roof top and, generally speaking, the mounting bolts come down through the roof and snug up inside the rig. Often these can be accessed by removing the inside trim that surrounds the unit. Be sure to disconnect the power before puling this trim – you may expose electrical fittings you don’t want to get your fingers into. Once you spot the mounting hardware, make sure it’s tight. Incidentally, water leaking into your RV through the a/c unit can sometimes be traced to loose mounting bolts.

We'll get onto the outside work in our next installment.