Fragile rv A/C’s

[Gramps.busa]

I’ve seen a lot of fairly new rv’s in these forums where the a/c’s die. The a/c‘s in my house & cars last 10+ years. Why does it seem rv a/c’s are so fragile ?

 

[Neal]

I think it's more than just AC's but I was thinking about this yesterday, also in regards to the AC. When I got my motorhome I didn't expect the AC to last beyond 2-3 years, it was in my "mental budget" to expect to replace it at around that time. Going on 4+ years now I am feeling lucky but ready for when the time comes. As to why...I think as with every part in the RV it's multiple reasons:

1. Nothing is demanding higher standards such as quality. It's not an automobile, it's not a house
2. The overall number of units is probably less than other high volume items where warranty could impact a company if quality was not higher
3. Compact size doesn't help longevity
4. Less competition requiring higher standards
5. Less stable and routine use, i.e. we rarely have a consistent temp or usage for months on end
6. More power cycles, just like a light bulb, the off and on is what kills it, not the use itself.
7. A small part is probably more maintenance such as cleaning. Which leads to the next point
8. House air conditioners don't ride around on highways. The wear and tear of travel could be a contributor

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

We are in the process of replacing one of the ACs on our 3-year-old coach and I certainly didn’t expect to have to do it this soon.

I think one of the major factors causing RV ACs to fail in such a short time period is the inconsistent electrical power they are subjected to. Unlike the home AC unit that usually operates in a pretty stable voltage range, RV ACs get hit with fluctuating voltages all the time. One park will have 122 VAC and the next may only have 115 VAC. And, RV park wiring is usually not the best, so when the park is full and everyone is using power, the voltage drops. In many parks, it will even fluctuate significantly depending on the time of day. And, when voltage drops, amperage increases; you just can’t overcome Ohm’s Law.

I believe these inconsistent power cycles are a major factor in the premature failure of RV AC units.

TJ

 

[Neal]

Two things I use which may or may not help the life of my AC's:

1) Hughes Autoformer which is internally mounted next to my shore power reel and is always used. This can help stabilize the power as @TJ&LadyDi mentioned above. Campground power is terrible to say the least. My understanding is low voltage is the most harmful for your A/C.

Amazon.com: Hughes Autoformers RV220-50-SP, Voltage Booster with Surge Protection, 50 Amp: Automotive

Buy Hughes Autoformers RV220-50-SP, Voltage Booster with Surge Protection, 50 Amp: Power Inverters - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

2) I use Microair Easy Starts (soft start) which was put in for solar but some have mentioned there is an observation this is helping prolong the lifetime of RV air conditioners. (by carefuly buying knock-offs, only buy from Microair). Once I saw how great this working on my front A/C which is wired in to be used by solar, I added to my rear AC. Really helps when a 50 amp motorhome is on 30 amp power.

EasyStart Breeze Soft Starter

Choose from 2 different models to best meet your specific needs. EasyStart Breeze - At a Glance Compatible with RV rooftop or basement air conditioners and heat pumps. Significant reduction of up to 75% in starting current. Real-time fault detection technology is available to accurately identify...

www.microair.net

 

[Neemer]

My old KS was sold with one original 16 yr old Penguin ll and one replacement that shouldn’t have been. This dumb owner thought there was a problem with it, and I am too embarrassed to say what really happened there. Nevertheless, those units were strong.

Dometic went through a period a few years ago that their quality suffered A LOT due to offshore, i.e., Chinese manufacturing. I’m led to believe that has been sorted out. Time will tell.

 

[RKins]

My old KS was sold with one original 16 yr old Penguin ll and one replacement that shouldn’t have been. This dumb owner thought there was a problem with it, and I am too embarrassed to say what really happened there. Nevertheless, those units were strong.

Dometic went through a period a few years ago that their quality suffered A LOT due to offshore, i.e., Chinese manufacturing. I’m led to believe that has been sorted out. Time will tell.

I would agree, quality of most products have changed since the 90's when most/every mfr started to move their mfr ops to China. As far as I can tell the two AC units on our coach are original. The secret I think is running them. I have our coach plugged in beside our home and the AC units (at least the front one) are turned on and set to 78. When I run the genny monthly I turn both on, to load the genny for an hour.

 

["EZ"]

Two things I use which may or may not help the life of my AC's:

1) Hughes Autoformer which is internally mounted next to my shore power reel and is always used. This can help stabilize the power as @TJ&LadyDi mentioned above. Campground power is terrible to say the least. My understanding is low voltage is the most harmful for your A/C.

Amazon.com: Hughes Autoformers RV220-50-SP, Voltage Booster with Surge Protection, 50 Amp: Automotive

Buy Hughes Autoformers RV220-50-SP, Voltage Booster with Surge Protection, 50 Amp: Power Inverters - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

2) I use Microair Easy Starts (soft start) which was put in for solar but some have mentioned there is an observation this is helping prolong the lifetime of RV air conditioners. (by carefuly buying knock-offs, only buy from Microair). Once I saw how great this working on my front A/C which is wired in to be used by solar, I added to my rear AC. Really helps when a 50 amp motorhome is on 30 amp power.

EasyStart Breeze Soft Starter

Choose from 2 different models to best meet your specific needs. EasyStart Breeze - At a Glance Compatible with RV rooftop or basement air conditioners and heat pumps. Significant reduction of up to 75% in starting current. Real-time fault detection technology is available to accurately identify...

www.microair.net

I second the Hughes Autoformer. I have the exact same one Neal does. When the voltage is low the Hughes Autoformer will boost the voltage up to 10% to keep it more stable. I have to think this will help my appliances last longer. I also have the plug-in digital voltage meter so I can watch the voltage in real time.

Amazon.com: Hughes Autoformers DVM1221, Digital Volt Meter: Automotive

 

[Gramps.busa]

I’m a newbie, & still just going to local campsites. I have the Bluetooth Hughes Bullydog voltage device. So far all the cg’s I’ve gone to have had a minimum of 122 volts. Once we start traveling more extensively I’ll get the auto former. I suspected that voltage fluctuations would have an effect on the a/c motors. I’m being proactive with my 2014 Tiffin 36LA . Thank you all for your advice.

 

[FL-JOE]

I think the biggest issue with RV a/c units failing is usually lack of maintenance. We are full timers and our a/c units get ran a lot but even seasonal campers have to either do the correct maintenance on their RVs or have it done.

Just this week I removed all three covers on the roof and cleaned the units completely (hose/water). My fins on one was 1/2 covered with built debris and my unit is only a few months old. I then came inside and removed all three screen filters and washed them out. Obviously this is something on my current unit I'll need to do every 3 months.