Life Expectancy: How Long Does an RV Air Conditioner Last?
You can travel without living leaving the benefits of home behind. Plus, you can save money on eating, sleeping as well as you do not have to share the facilities with strangers. RVs are a good way to travel
How Long Does an RV Air Conditioner Last? The life expectancy of your RV air conditioner will depend on the model, the construction materials and its use. Different models last longer than others. But in general it is safe to say that you can expect an RV air conditioner to last you between 3 to 5 years. Give or take a year or two.
RV air conditioners come in handy when you are traveling through those hot states. To find out more about how long they will last and how to extend their lives just keep reading. Our article is designed to fill you in on all the details
How Long do RV Air Conditioners Last
As you have read, RV air conditioners are not designed to last you a lifetime. Their life expectancy does depend on how often you use it. If you travel a lot, then you may not get 5 years out of it before you need to replace it
Also, its age will determine how well it will work if it will work at all. A used RV air conditioner is not better than a new one. Its life expectancy may only last until the day after you purchase it. There are no guarantees that a used RV air conditioner will last a long time.
Of course, it may just be a thermostat or other small part that gets broken and you can easily replace those small parts. Those minor inconveniences do not affect your RV’s air conditioner life expectancy. Those just may have been faulty parts.
How to Extend the RV Air Conditioner life expectancy
It is possible to extend the life expectancy of your RV air conditioner. All it will take is a little regular maintenance, cleaning and practical use. It is possible that your new air conditioner received a faulty part and that is all you have to replace over the years you own your RV.
But there are some maintenance tips you should follow just to make sure you extend the life of your RV air conditioner:
Check the plastic housing- these plastic covers can get chipped, cracked or broken. When they do, your RV air conditioner will not work as well. Make sure to regularly check these covers to keep your air con in good working order.
Do some weather protection- rain, wind, dirt, and even the sun’s UV rays can cause damage to the plastic housing protecting your air conditioner. Try to protect the housing with some weather protection material so it stays in top shape and not damaged by the elements.
Check for leaks- rubber seals and gaskets can get worn out, crack or break. When this happens water gets inside and starts to work on ruining your air conditioner. Regular checks of your seals and gaskets to make sure they are in top shape is required maintenance. If not you will need to replace them.
Cooling fins can bend- the condition of your cooling fins can shorten the life of your RV air conditioner. If they are bent then the air flow to the machine will be reduced. When that happens, your air conditioner won't be able to do its job. Carefully straighten the fins out without damaging the condenser tubes.
Recharging is not an option- you may be able to replace the capacitor but if your air conditioner is not cooling you cannot recharge it. If the capacitor fails it may mean that you used a lower amp fuse than the 30 needed to make it run right.
Keep the filters clean- dirty filters make air conditioners work hard. They also shorten the life expectancy of the unit. You may want to vacuum inside the AC while you have the plastic cover off.
Adding a Second Air Conditioner to Your RV
You may run into some very hot weather when you travel in your RV. When this happens one air con unit may not be enough to handle the cooling duties. One solution to keep you cool as you travel, is to add a second air conditioning unit.
This is not that difficult to do and here are some tips to guide you as you think about doing this:
- The budget- a second unit should cost you between $450 to 600 on average and depending on the model and brand.
- You will use more power- this may eat into your travel budget as you may use more gas to power the extra unit. You would need a 50 amp fuse and if both are on at the same time, nothing else in the RV will work
- You will need to make a choice- there are two kinds of RV air conditioners. One uses blowers and the other uses air ducts. You may or may not have a choice in which one you use. It will depend on your RV’s design
- Location is an issue- you may have trouble finding a spot to put the second air conditioner. Once you do find a spot don’t take the air vents from the kitchen or bathroom
- Watch the RV battery- a second RV AC is going to drain the power from your battery a lot faster than normal. You need to make sure the battery does not run out of power
Some Final Comments
RC air conditioners are very helpful when the vacation weather turns abnormally hot. Just do not have any unrealistic expectations about them. These units are made to cool the interior of your RV but their durability may not be as long as you would like.
You can count on at least 3 to 5 years of use before you need to replace a unit. But with regular maintenance, you may be able to extend that life span a lot longer. Of course, the longevity of the AC will depend on how much you use it, the conditions you use it in and more.
Take care of your things and they should take care of you. This includes RV air conditioners.
