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Tip Cleaning your RV Air Conditioner coils

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Neal

Staff member
RVF Administrator
Joined
Jul 27, 2019
Messages
11,480
Location
Midlothian, VA
RV Year
2017
RV Make
Newmar
RV Model
Ventana 4037
RV Length
40' 10"
Chassis
Freightliner XCR
Engine
Cummins 400 HP
TOW/TOAD
2017 Chevy Colorado
Fulltimer
No
As my S&B air conditioners are on their last leg I'm in the process of shopping for replacements. YouTube seems to know what's going on and one video I recently watched was cleaning air conditioner coils. This applies to your RV air conditioners as well, they should be cleaned annually. I've typically done this in the past either pressure washing or having Newmar do this at a service. It's easy, assuming you can get on your roof safely, just removing the top of your AC unit which is typically 4 screws and clean the coils. What I didn't know is what to use for a cleaner and learned this from a YouTube video. Here is what I ordered.

 
I was thinking about cleaning my coils and its relatively easy to get to the evaporator coils, but since you can only get to the evaporator coil from the roof, I'm not sure how to get to the condenser coil. My 2017 Ventana has a nice wood covering over the ac and returns vents with no access to the condenser coil.
Any ideas?
 
I’ve not gotten on the roof to do that but it is a good thing to add to the annual maintenance list. That said, I recall at the house the coils for our AC unit were very soft, think metal. Taking a pressure washer to it would have easily bent the coils so I always just rinsed them out with a garden sprayer set to a higher pressure setting.

I can’t imagine these little domestic units have coils tough enough to withstand a psi pressure washer.

so maybe rinse them but I think using a pressure washer to do that might not be too great an idea.
 
I’ve not gotten on the roof to do that but it is a good thing to add to the annual maintenance list. That said, I recall at the house the coils for our AC unit were very soft, think metal. Taking a pressure washer to it would have easily bent the coils so I always just rinsed them out with a garden sprayer set to a higher pressure setting.

I can’t imagine these little domestic units have coils tough enough to withstand a psi pressure washer.

so maybe rinse them but I think using a pressure washer to do that might not be too great an idea.
You are absolutely right, I'm going to be spraying on this coil cleaner and using a regular garden hose to "rinse" it off.
 
The fins are aluminum so I would never risk using a pressure washer on them.
 
And because the cooling fins are usually aluminum be careful using highly caustic (alkaline) cleaners. A fairly neutral (8-10ph) would be best. I also would not leave the cleaner on the fins having the condensation rinse it off as some of them suggest. There is just not enough water to get a good rinse. As suggested, a good solid water hose spray works best.
 
Another video popped up on my YouTube feed which is timely as it's time to clean my air conditioner coils prior to my trip coming up. The important lesson learned is not just using water, and no need for high pressure water, but a coil cleaner is recommended as this video shows. As I also need to do my S&B air conditioners (2) I ordered some of this from Amazon to give it a try and will use on the RV units as well.

Amazon product ASIN B00DM8KQ3I
 
OK, so just remove the cover, spray the cleaner and rinse off? Anything to be wary of in terms of not destroying my roof ACs? I know they are in need of cleaning.

Also, while I'm up there, should I be checking anything in terms of the seal/fasteners holding them to the room to insure lack of leaking?
 
The most important thing is you're creating a serious hazard with a wet roof. Use extreme caution!

Other than that, spray on, let it do its thing for a few minutes per the directions, spray off and that's it. Make sure no critters, relatives, etc. are in the A/C unit and that's about it!
 
I'm overdue for cleaning the roof too, so I have a double roof hazard I'm going to have to deal with. 5 months out from two level Cervical fusion, so maybe I'll give it another few months.
 

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