As we approach the dog days of summer, we find ourselves “recreating” in some extreme temperatures and high humidity conditions. In our homes we can maintain a comfortable temperature just by setting the thermostat and not worry about it. Every time we walk into the house the temperature is the same. Too many new RV owners expect the same performance from their RV roof air conditioner and become frustrated when they step into an uncomfortable rig!
To optimize the performance of your roof air conditioner and help it run more efficiently, you need to understand how the system works, what limitations it has, and how surrounding factors can affect your overall comfort.
How the System Works
The compressor “compresses” the refrigerant into a vapor and then the condenser removes the heat and condenses it to a liquid. As it passes over the evaporator coils, heat is drawn from the return air to make it expand vaporize. The removal of heat from the air provides the cold air to the RV. The system is completely closed so there is no “recharging” refrigerant like you would do for an automotive system.
The biggest culprit in low cooling in an absorption system is a dirty return air filter or even dust and contaminants in the cold air return. You should clean your cold air filter every two months and check the return air for signs of dog hair or even dust.
If you have a ducted roof air conditioning system, the cold air return is usually behind a vented grate in the ceiling and the ductwork is embedded into the ceiling.
To make your roof air conditioner operate at maximum cooling capacity, here are some tips:
1. Make sure your filters are clean and unobstructed. Clean them in lukewarm water with a mild detergent and rinse thoroughly, and then let dry overnight. You can also use an air compressor to blow them out as well.
2. Verify the air return to the A/C unit is not clogged with dirt or other contaminants.
3. Check the condenser coil up on the A/C unit to verify the coils are not obstructed or pinched and will let the fan blow out hot air to the outside.
4. Make sure you have at least 115 volts of A/C going to the unit. Low voltage at the campground source will still allow the unit to operate, but not at maximum capacity.
5. Park in the shade. Getting out of the sun can mean a temperature change of over 20 degrees during hot weather. The roof air conditioner can only cool the ambient inside temperature about 20 degrees, so if it’s 100 degrees inside the rig, you will only be able to cool it down to 80 degrees if everything is working perfect!
6. Keep the window blinds down and windows shut (again, getting the inside to cool down by insulating the windows and not allowing the cool air inside the rig to escape).
7. Limit the use of heat generating appliances such as the stove top, toaster, oven, and even the microwave which will exhaust hot air into the coach.
8. Add fans inside the rig to circulate air help get rid of “pockets” that air sits and gets warm.
9. Develop “zones” that need to be cooled and those that don’t. You may not be able to cool a 40’ rig when the temperature is 110 degrees outside, so close off the bedroom and bathroom and close the ductwork if available and have both air conditioners cooling the living room and kitchen. Then cool the bedroom at night when the temps go down and zone off the living room.
10. Install LED lights as they not only draw about 10 times less power, they run about 10 times cooler.
11. Use the patio awning and window awning to help provide shade and a cooler interior.
12. Install a MaxxAir roof vent cover and bring in cooler air when temperatures are good, and exhaust hot air out during the heat of the day.
Now that you have a better understanding of your rig’s cooling system, hopefully you can use some of these tips to make yourself comfortable. Stay cool!
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I have purchased a Dometic AC from Amazon, it works very well. it has a myriad of features that I love about it. For instance, I love that I have a choice about whether I want the standard amount of BTU of 13,500 or a little bit more power with the 15,000 option.
I’m glad you talked about AC maintenance. I have used this Dometic AC to replace my old AC, hope it works well.
I am not sure of the brand or model # came with RV
You can also cut out the plastic slats that cover the coil on the roof. Put screen covering where the slats were. This allows more air in.
It just stopped cooling. Its a gas and electric refrigerator.
I like the info on a/c units very informative
I installed the RV Air System in my air conditioner, and it made all the difference in the world. I get a greater air flow and cold air in places I didn’t get it before. Highly recommend the system.
Hello!
Members of http://www.rvrepairclub.com can send questions in to receive emails regarding questions from our RV experts. For information on that, please reach out here: http://www.rvrepairclub.com/contact
Sincerely,
Sarah
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Are there any companies making heat pumps for RVs? They are much more efficient for cooling and heating.
Hello!
Members of http://www.rvrepairclub.com can send questions in to receive emails regarding questions from our RV experts. For information on that, please reach out here: http://www.rvrepairclub.com/contact
Sincerely,
Sarah
RV Repair Club Video Membership
I would like to know how to tell if you have a 1din,1.5 din, or 2.0 din radio opening.
Thank you, Les
Hello Lester. Great question! The ‘Ask an Expert’ section is currently for members of our online community. By becoming a member, you will have access to our expert’s knowledge. With your membership you will also receive discounts on products and hundreds of hours of Premium content.
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Thanks!
What if there is no way to refill freon? Can intake valve be installed?
Hello James,
Great question! The ‘Ask an Expert’ section is currently for members of our online community. By becoming a member, you will have access to our expert’s knowledge. With your membership you will also receive discounts on products and hours of Premium video content.
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Thanks!
looking for information on removing the cabover window. There appears to be a trim molding inside to remove to reach the screws but I would like to verify this before ripping and tearing things that don’t need to be ripped and torn
Hi Charles,
I will need to get the make, model, and year of your RV to submit your question?
Thank you!
dash air
Ac fan runs but when put on cool it won’t run , how do I troubleshoot the wall mounted thermostat
Hello Ralph,
Thank you for contacting us.
On most thermostats you can test the output wires to the AC on the back. You would have to look up the thermostat to see what the color coding is for the fan selection and the compressor wires. There will be a ground there for the negative and then test the positive output. You can also test this at the AC control board as well. If the voltage is being sent out and the AC isn’t trying to kick on, the control board has failed or there is an issue with the capacitors. If the fan runs fine but doesn’t do anything when selecting the AC it is possible the control board doesn’t activate both but the thermostat could definitely be the issues as well. If you can’t find the model of the thermostat I would check the AC control board as there is usually a wiring diagram attached directly to the box itself.
If you have any other concerns, please contact us at 1-855-706-3536, or chat with us on our site.
We greatly appreciate your business!
Sincerely,
Sarah
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Question: What is a Maxxair cool roof vent
Thanks
Hello Dennis,
Thank you for contacting us.
What is the year, make, and model your RV please?
Sincerely,
Sarah
RV Repair Club Video Membership
TY for the pointers
good tip
I was not getting air on one side of all the vents in the camper as you instructed I took off all the ceiling covers of the AC unit to see the ducks and I had insulation that dislodged blocking the main vent on the side not working.I cleared the vent and used silver vent tape to cover up any gaps that were visible That fixed everything and nice and cold now threw all vents. Thanks for the tip and I hope this helps others with vent issues and
You gave great information on the roof top AC’s but a lot of us have basement AC’s. What can you tell us about making them more efficient?
Hello Gary,
Here’s what the experts had to say about your question:
Really they are no different other than the placement and position of the components. They still have all of the same components as a rooftop unit like the evaporator and condenser fins. The best thing to keep them running is to keep them clean. Make sure to keep the return filter clean and don’t allow dirt and debris to collect on the fins. Always make sure you are connected to a good AC power source with little voltage drop and periodically check all connections to make sure they are tight. These are the best things to check to make sure the AC is running the best it can.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
Thank you so much! I appreciate your info.
We use a dehumidifier in the summer months
How to level an uneven Day-Night blind.
Those have a string that go across the lower track and it should shift side to side to make it level. If the string gets bound up or tangled it will prevent it from moving and leveling the blinds. While bracing the high corner pull the other corner down. If it does not move and even out then you will want to remove the lower screws holding the strings in. You can then slide the lower track off to either side to gain access to the string and spring in the track. If it is damaged or can’t be fixed you might have to restring the blinds. Here is some more information on this.
https://unitedshade.com/product/first-aid-kits/#installation
http://www.unitedshade.com/images/shared/uploads/files/Shade%20Re-Stringing%20Instructions.pdf
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
It smells like ammonia really bad..
Is it work fixing and if not is there a cheap replacement
Hello Jon!
That’s a great question!
The ‘Ask an Expert’ section is currently for members to our online community. We do have a promotional offer if you are interested. This would include access to expert advice (like this), plus discounts, hours of Premium videos, etc. Please feel free to take a look. You can message us right back with your question if you decide to become a member and you will have a response within 1-2 business days from our experts!
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Sincerely,
Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Question on the ac return vents. When should they be opened or closed? We seem to get cooler air flow when closed. Any danger to leaving them closed? Thanks
Hello Patty!
That’s a great question!
The ‘Ask an Expert’ section is currently for members to our online community. We do have a promotional offer if you are interested. This would include access to expert advice (like this), plus discounts, hours of Premium videos, etc. Please feel free to take a look. You can message us right back with your question if you decide to become a member and you will have a response within 1-2 business days from our experts!
Please follow the steps below to receive the annual membership at the introductory rate:
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6. Finish by clicking Complete Order.
If you have any further questions, please contact Customer Service at 1-855-706-3536 at your earliest convenience, or chat with us on our site.
We greatly appreciate your business!
Sincerely,
Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Maybe the reason my air conditioner stopped blowing cold air is because the air filter is too dirty. Is that right? So what should I do to my air conditioner cleaner?
Hello Natalie!
The ‘Ask an Expert’ section is currently for members to our online community. We do have a promotional offer if you are interested. This would include access to expert advice (like this), plus discounts, hours of Premium videos, etc. Please feel free to take a look. You can message us right back with your question if you decide to become a member and you will have a response within 1-2 business days from our experts!
Please follow the steps below to receive the annual membership at the introductory rate:
1. Click on the email link: https://go.rvrepairclub.com/C22462
2. Click on the Premium Membership offer.
3. The Checkout page will display your Premium Membership purchase.
4. Fill in your Billing Details and create an account password.
5. Fill in your debit/credit card information.
6. Finish by clicking Complete Order.
If you have any further questions, please contact Customer Service at 1-855-706-3536 at your earliest convenience, or chat with us on our site.
We greatly appreciate your business!
Sincerely,
Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Air conditioner compressor kicking on causes a reset of electrical breaker
Hello JW!
We’d love to help!
What is the year, make, and model of your RV?
Thank you!
Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Thanks for great information in your article. I will follow this tips to have comfortable sleep with my rv air conditioner.
We have issues with our air conditioner freezing up even when its night …we have had it serviced and was told nothing is wrong with it…what could possibly be the issue ?
Hey Crystal!
Could we have the year, make, and model of your RV?
Thank you!
Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership
These are the most important ways to get your RV AC unit to work the best. #1 Make sure ALL the fins on both the condenser and heat exchanger are PERFECTLY STRAIGHT! #2 Make sure the fins are COMPLETELY CLEAN! Clean any air filters in the system. Seal up any gaps where air can leak into or out of the system. System must be leak free and sealed. Enlarge the INTAKE AIR and EXHAUST AIR VENTS by removing any plastic that restricts air flow in and out of the AC plastic cover. Use 1/4 inch thin wire mesh to cover the entire enlarged openings. That will increase air flow DRAMATICALLY! Use aluminum foil tape to seal any other gaps air can escape or bypass through. Check ceiling vents inside coach for air leaking between ceiling and insulation. All this will increase air flow, increase heat exchange and increase cooling.
roof vent covers
I don’t have enough solar power or battery efficiency to run a 350,000 BTU unit which is the smallest size for a van. I have 300 watts of solar, the batteries which there are 2 combined in parallel is 280 amp hours. TO run my A/C/ system efficiently I need 266 but that would depreciate the battery and overload the system. What will I have to do with my system to bring it up to a desired amount of Solar, batteries and the size of the controller. I have is 40 MPPT. Is there something out there that is smaller and won’t effect or jeopardies my electrical system. I will be interested in any idea.
Edward,
Running an A/C off of batteries is really hard to do but can technically be done. You would need a massive battery bank and probably at least triple the solar panels that you currently have to run the unit for even 5 hours a day. I don’t think a van could even carry that amount of solar panels and batteries but if you are set up permanently you could build something around the unit. I do know a good resource on understanding solar systems and break downs of what are needed to operate certain things. I will share the link below.
https://www.fateunbound.com/rv-upgrade-videos/
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
We have a leak when flushing. Clean water appears at the base of the toilet. I replaced the vacuum breaker but still have the leak. Any recommendations will be greatly appreciated.
Claude,
There aren’t many things that could cause a leak around the toilet. It is either the water line connection, vacuum breaker, hose from breaker to toilet bowl or the wax ring at the base of the toilet causing it. It can also be the seal around the flange valve causing water to leak on the inside of the bowl and then onto the floor. The only way to really know is to trace where the water is coming from. If from the back of the toilet, check the connections from the water line to the bowl. If around the base you will want to remove the toilet and check to see if the water is from inside the toilet or leaking out around the ring at the bottom.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
Anyone had problems with finish on cupboards
Can you recharge the rooftop A/C units.
Charles,
Technically you can but you would have to find and fix the leak before re filling. They don’t sell any replacement parts unless you can find old units that are the same. Also manufactures won’t usually tell you what refrigerant was used in it, they stopped using R-22 years ago so with different ones out there you would have to make sure you use the correct one. It is best to replace the whole unit unless you know what you are doing with re charging AC systems.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
What is your experience with “soft starts” to reduce amp requirements for AC?
Israel,
Some people like to have them but they are only really helpful in a few instances. If you have two AC’s and want to run them on a 30 amp service like a generator, then it could help run them but you still wouldn’t be able to run anything else. Depending on the AC the starting amperage does get to around 14-16 amps but running amperage isn’t much lower, closer to 10-12 amps. It really isn’t that big of a difference but if you are experiencing the main breaker tripping a lot when running the AC because you are running a lot of other things it could be useful to have. These are costly too so it depends on how much worth you believe you would get out of it. I honestly think they are more useful for residential than RV’s since they are more powerful and louder. Again, they are nice to have but you would have to weigh the pros and cons for yourself and see if it is worth the money and install for what you have.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
Reading this post on getting most out of your RV AC..It said to mount a maxair vent..I have a crank open vent in roof but no fan in it..Sorry if sound stupid but this RVing is all new to me..should I replace my no fan vent with a famed vent and do I open vent and turn fan on in it when AC is on?Or can I just keep my no fan vent and just open it when AC is on?
Don,
We’d love to help!
The ‘Ask an Expert’ section is currently for members to our online community. We do have a promotional offer if you are interested. This would include access to expert advice (like this), plus discounts, hours of Premium videos, etc. Please feel free to take a look. You can message us right back with your question if you decide to become a member and you will have a response within 1-2 business days from our experts!
Please follow the steps below to receive the annual membership at the introductory rate:
1. Click on the email link: https://go.rvrepairclub.com/c18282
2. Click on the Premium Membership offer.
3. The Checkout page will display your Premium Membership purchase.
4. Fill in your Billing Details and create an account password.
5. Fill in your debit/credit card information.
6. Finish by clicking Complete Order.
If you have any further questions, please contact Customer Service at 1-855-706-3536 at your earliest convenience, or chat with us on our site.
We greatly appreciate your business!
Sincerely,
Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Can the coils on my camper air conditioner be sprayed w/ the same cleaner I use for my home?
Hey Jeffrey!
Interesting question!
The ‘Ask an Expert’ section is currently for members to our online community. We do have a promotional offer if you are interested. This would include access to expert advice (like this), plus discounts, hours of Premium videos, etc. Please feel free to take a look. You can message us right back with your question if you decide to become a member and you will have a response within 1-2 business days from our experts!
Please follow the steps below to receive the annual membership at the introductory rate:
1. Click on the email link: https://go.rvrepairclub.com/c18282
2. Click on the Premium Membership offer.
3. The Checkout page will display your Premium Membership purchase.
4. Fill in your Billing Details and create an account password.
5. Fill in your debit/credit card information.
6. Finish by clicking Complete Order.
If you have any further questions, please contact Customer Service at 1-855-706-3536 at your earliest convenience, or chat with us on our site.
We greatly appreciate your business!
Sincerely,
Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Is there an update or a new antenna I can install in my unit I get a few tv or radio stations?
Hey Barry!
That’s a great question.
Would you be able to provide your year, make, and model of your RV? I will then forward your information to our expert!
Sincerely,
Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Any help at all with this model
Hello Bob!
We’d love to help!
Would you be able to describe your issue in a little more detail and include your year, make, and model of your RV? Then I will forward your information on to our expert!
Sincerely,
Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership
I installed a port in the system and was able to recharge again. No more purchasing a new AC unit if you loose the Freon.
The housing on my unit is black. Would I get increased efficiency by repainting it white? It would seem to make sense but want to be a bit more sure before I go to the cost and effort. Thanks.
Martin,
It depends on how well insulated your RV is. If the walls and insulation are very thin and light, it could make a difference. But if you have thick interior wall and they are vacuum insulated, it really might not make that big of a difference. It also depends on your climate. If you are always in a location where it is very hot and you get direct sunlight on the RV most of the day then painting it could be beneficial. I have heard from other owners that they can notice a difference when it is painted black but it is also hard to compare because the other RV’s might have had better insulation. I have hear people say they can feel the walls inside get warm from the sun, if this is the case the insulation is not the best and painting would help.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
My roof is not leaking, however it has deteriorated down to black layer. What should I use to resurface and seal my roof?
Robin,
That would be an EPDM roof and I would recommend the Dicor rubber roof coating system. It is made for this very reason and this type of material. I will post a link to their website with some more information on it.
https://dicorproducts.com/product/epdm-roof-acrylic-coating-part-2-of-epdm-roof-coating-system/
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
Our A/C in the cab (driver and passenger) area isn’t consistently working. Sometimes we get cool air and other times not. We can’t find anything on your site that addresses this problem. Can you give us pointers? (First time RV owner.)
Dear Russell,
Thank you for your patience. In response to your question-
Sorry but unfortunately we don’t have any videos showing auto repairs. The cab accessories are part of the chassis which is a separate from the living area components and that is what we mostly cover. There are many things that could cause the AC to sometimes work or not work at all. A lot of times it is something electronic like a sensor. If there is a leak in the system this could happen as well. These problems can be tough to track down being intermittent. Usually something like this is best to take to a shop that has pressure measuring equipment and monitors to check the system as it is running when the problem does arise. Without this equipment really the only thing you can do is try recharging the system to see if this helps.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
It was not working when i bought the rv
Awning won’t go in.
How to close off ac vents?
Dear Scott,
Thank you for your patience. In response to your question-
Well for the awning I would need some more information. If you have an electric awning, it could be a loose wire, bad switch, bad motor or low voltage not allowing it to go in. The best thing to do first is check the fuses and make sure nothing is blown. You then want to inspect all of the wiring and check for loose connections at the fuse panel, switch, the wires coming out of the wall to the awning arm and then the wires on the awning motor. A lot of times the exterior connections can go bad so I would check those closely. If everything looks good, you would then have to check the voltage going to the motor when the switch is pressed. If there is voltage there but it doesn’t run, the motor is bad. If there is no voltage there you would have to trace back and find what would be causing the voltage loss. If you have a manual awning and it won’t click over to the retract position, there is something either wrong with the lever or inside of the spring assembly. You would have to take apart the assembly from the tube and see if there is something bound up or of the lever is broken. As for the AC vents, there are many different styles and some have the option to close them off by closing the flaps on the vent while there are some that don’t have this option. Usually if they can close, there will be an arrow on them telling you which direction to push to close them. If they don’t close, you would have to remove the vent and block it with something or put some tape over it. Every manufacture uses something different and many don’t like to use vents that close since it will restrict air flow and could cause the AC to not work as well. They work much better when all vents are open. Some can be turned or installed differently to get a different direction if that would help.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
Water dripping in cab floor on passenger floor and cab ac not getting cold
Hi. My unit stopped blowing cool air today and started dripping water on the inside through the air intake screen. Advice please?
[…] Most RV air conditioners are units on the roof of your RV that are built to withstand vibration and the elements. They work with similar technology as the refrigerator in your home, by using a compressor. Instead of pumping cold air into your RV, the unit actually removes warm air from your rig. If you love learning about the tech behind an RV AC unit, read this article on how RV air conditioners work. […]
My wifes older (2000) Eurovan Weekender needs new A/C . I want to use a roof top a/c in place of the standard system. Would these cool adequately inside this smaller space than a standard RV? If so what would you choose given out hot/very humid south Alabama summers.. Thanks for any help you may have…
Dear Kenny,
Thank you for your patience. In response to your question-
I believe it would work quite well for the smaller area. Usually the smaller AC roof mounted systems are around 13,000 BTU and I would assume that is better that what the standard system was in the Eurovan. I think those were closer to around 9,000 BTU. I do like the Dometic Brisk II AC’s, they are a little louder than other systems but the fan runs faster and gets out the humidity much better which will help cool faster as well. For harsher climates the Dometic Air Command is the best model, it is a lot quieter too just a little bulkier. If you want something smaller and more sleek, I recommend the Penguin model. Anyway you go, I’m sure these models would cool better than what you had before. I hope this helps!Here is some more information on their models:https://www.dometic.com/en-us/us/products/climate/air-conditioners/rv-air-conditioners
We’d love to have you be a part of our community. We are convinced you will enjoy the benefits of becoming a member and having access to the best instructional how to videos and professional tips. We would like to offer you a special promotion for your first-year membership.
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Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club
Rear cameras are great. They also help watch the traffic behind you if you can’t see them.
How hot should the electric motor that pulls air though the condenser get
Dear David,
Thank you for your patience. In response to your question-
It may get warm but usually it doesn’t get hot to the touch. There is heat coming out of the condenser and the compartment does get warm so the motor will get a little warm but it shouldn’t be getting real hot. If it does, there could be something binding it up or the motor is failing. There is usually a plastic casing and if there is any warping to it, it has gotten too hot. Again, there will be heat back there and it is pushing it away so it will get hot but it shouldn’t be too hot to touch.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
the kitchen shown in the picture is gorgeous. what motorhome is this in.
I just bought this Motorhome last month. Now wondering what the “return air filters” look like. Since it’s a fully ducted system with ceiling shapes (mirrors, lights, and wood), where in the world would I be able to find the filters? Thank you for any help you can provide.
Hello Matt,
It depends on what style air conditioner you have. The standard ones will have a large square plenum just below the air conditioner. It can have two side vents that can be removed to gain access to the filters, one large vent and screws have to be removed to bring it down, one in the front that can be removed or other variations of this. There is also what they call “low profile” AC’s that don’t have a vent directly below the AC, but off to the sides. There will be two in this case. They look like normal vents but the can easily be removed and they will have filters located in them. With any AC, the return filters will be directly below the AC unit. They can off to the side but will be very close to the AC. Search the area directly below and you will find them. I have included a few different styles that are very common in RV’s.
This is the low profile, there are two and they are on the sides closer to the walls.
I hope this helps!
Dan
RV Repair Club Video Membership
A/C does work.
How to make the a/c run quietly,black tank
NB Ticket#17684 can i cover floor vents when ac is cooling.
Dear Theresa,
Thank you for your patience. In regards to your question-
To provide more specific information on the floor vents we need the make, model, and year of your RV. Most RVs have a separate roof AC and furnace system so they do not share a common return air. If that is the case in your RV, you can cover the floor vents and not have an issue with restricted return air flow.
You can reply with your make,model and year of your RV at rvrepairclub@program-director.net.
Sincerely,
Dave
RV Repair Club Video Membership
We’d love to have you be a part of our community. We are convinced you will enjoy the benefits of becoming a member and having access to the best instructional how to videos and professional tips. We would like to offer you a special promotion for your first-year membership.
https://go.rvrepairclub.com/C12983
Knocked mirror off in accident, replaced with the same from Fleetwood, when replacing the mirror found I didn’t have any wiring from motor home.
Hello Leroy,
Could you please provide us with some more information? Are you saying that the wires that go from the motor home to the mirror are missing? What is the year, made, and model of your motor home?
Thanks,
Becky
RV Repair Club Video Membership
I’m buying a portable satellite called tailgater. I do not see a satellite connection outside…but there is a cable connection on drivers side… inside RV is a place where a satellite receiver can be installed…there is a connection there but not sure if its pre-wired …
Hi there James!
That’s a great question!
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I’m camping in Georgia. Outside temp about 80 degrees. Temp inside my camper 88 degrees. I have good shore power, good battery voltage, clean filters inside, clean fins on roof unit, thermostat seems to be working fine. AC unit is working but blowing air at 87 degrees. Any help would be greatly appreaciated as I’m away from home working out of my trailer.
Thank you,
Allen Kingsley
Hello Allen,
It would appear your compressor is not coming on or not running very long? If the outside temperature is 80 degrees, the inside temperature will be higher and the blower is pulling inside air through the return air and just recycling it so it will get hotter. First, make sure your thermostat is set to cool and low fan. Some have a fan only setting that will not start the roof air, just run the fan to recycle air. Then turn off the thermostat, set it to 70 degrees, turn it to cool and low fan, and the fan should kick on and then you should hear the compressor come on with a vibration and lights dim slightly. If it does not come on, you should test the thermostat by pulling the cover off and jumping the two power wires. Since you did not provide the make, model and year of the rig or the type of thermostat, I can not tell which wires to jump. If the compressor comes on for a short period of time and shuts off, it could be the compressor coils are dirty and not getting air flow. This can only be identified by taking off the roof air cover and cleaning the coils inside.
Thanks,
David
RV Repair Club Video Membership
What are the weight Specs. Or limits. And Island position on slide + other weight issues.
In 2019 we had an issue with the kitchen slide not coming in. A mobile RV repairman came to our campsite. The outside bottom of the slide is totally enclosed so none of the operating parts are accessible. While I tapped the IN button the repairmanpried up on the metal strip that was suppose to ride up on top of the trailer floor. The slide finally came in. We took it to the dealer. After taking all of the appliances out of the slide the service department found that there were only 2 rollers under that big heavy slide and the metal strip had broken in several places. The floor in the kitchen slide was damaged also. A factory built floor was ordered and installed. An additional roller was installed under the slide as well for a total of 3.
In regards to where the island goes during travel, it is located between the dining table and the end of the double recliner and is strapped in to keep it from moving. To keep the island from banging against the table in transit I cut a pool noodle to length and slit it down one side and installed it on the edge of the table.
do wireless cams work or other suggestions
Hello Ronald,
Wireless backup cameras are a great asset not only for backing up, but for
seeing what or who is behind you when traveling! I’ve tried a number
of “cheap” cameras and have not been impressed. They have limited
field of vision and several only have a distance of about 25 feet for the
signal. There are some good products on the market such as Furrion,
Tadibrothers, and Rear View Safety. They have a great camera that is
weatherproof, long signal distance, and quality monitor which also has
good night vision. Plus they are easy to install and have limited
interference from local WiFi and other signals.
Thanks,
David RVRC Video Membership
Wireless rear cameras are great for backing into a barn or a parking space. They are also good for monitoring traffic behind you while traveling.
Are the Dometic ACs having problems we have tried all your tips and our new rig has had issues keeping the inside cool, we clean the filters and close off vents but still not able to cool to our expectations, thoughts??
Check your fan speed. Max cooling needs the Hi speed setting. Auto setting is not as efficient as continus.
Who else has this year/model?
Look for winterizing information
After coach is leveled water started leaking into coach and was not raining outside. I re-leveled the coach and water started running off of roof. It’s never done that before do you think that the a/c unit needs tightening or foam gasket needs replacing?
Before we jump to the sky is falling and there may be a roof leak, let check to see if the condensate pan is dirty. There is a drip pan under the AC, if the drain gets plugged up with dirt and debris the condensate may overflow the curbing and into the rig. When you “Re-leveled” the rig, you may have unlogged the dirt enough to drain the pan. Try cleaning the drip pan to see if the issue goes away.