How to maintain your caravan air conditioner

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Dometic Harrier Plus Air Conditioner

If you are planning to embark on summer camping trips, then to improve the quality of your holiday when you are on a road caravan, better air conditioning is important. All our valuable investments demand extra care and the caravan air conditioner is no exception. Therefore, to have a superior quality camping lifestyle, keep your caravan air conditioning unit well maintained.

Talking about the right time for caravan AC unit repairs, early spring and the end of the winter season is the time to repair your caravan AC unit. Moreover, timely repair is also important to increase the life span of any appliances you don’t want to sweat out when heading on the adventurous trip on hot days; follow our tips listed below.

Credit:Freepik.com

Regular aircon unit cleaning

With every trip you make, the caravan AC unit gets dust and dirt deposited on it. So, deep cleaning of your caravan air conditioning unit is required. For thorough cleaning, you need to get into the coils of the evaporator and the condenser. It can make a great difference in the performance of the ac unit.

Moreover, cleaning the Ac filters after a few months also keeps them working properly. Even if you check for the cracks and gaps regularly, the AC unit collects dust, so don’t forget to thoroughly clean your precious caravan possessions.

Credit:Unsplash.com

Mandatory safety precautions

While cleaning the caravan aircon unit, following some specific safety measures is better to avoid mishaps. If you ignore the safety precautions, you may injure yourself or damage the caravan AC unit.

  • Turn off the power supply or unplug the system.
  • Cover the vents using a plastic sheet that opens into the caravan’s interior.
  • The rooftop should be strong enough to handle your weight while accessing the coils.

Cleaning the coils

Most caravan aircon units have the same design and functionality, so the steps for coil cleaning are almost the same. Firstly, you must remove the sheet placed on the caravan rooftop to cover the caravan aircon unit. Once the sheet is removed, you can easily see the coils of the evaporator and condenser. Moreover, now you can easily find the dust, debris deposited on them.

Furthermore, various cleaning solutions are available to remove the dust deposited on the coils effectively. So, grab a quality product and spray the solutions on the coils and let it stay on them for almost 20 minutes. In addition, read the instructions given on the bottle before applying the solution.

The one more critical thing to take care of is to cover the electrical components and the wiring with some plastic sheets or bags while hosing the coils to clean the debris. After cleaning, the drying process comes; use a dryer or fan to soak up the moisture. Another good option is to let it dry in the sun. And finish the cleaning process by replacing the protective shroud

Cleaning the fan

After a few months, the fans of the caravan ac unit also need deep inspection and service. Its cleaning procedure is somewhat the same as the coils. While cleaning the fan blades, you again have to remove the protective cover. If you notice a huge deposition of dust and dirt, pick a regular cleaning agent or the same solution. After wiping off the solution, let the blades dry for a few minutes using a blower or dryer.

Another important thing you should not forget is lubricating the fan sleeves and bearings using machine oil. Again, we replace the shroud if needed, and you are all set to enjoy the old breeze of your caravan AC unit. A well-oiled AC fan makes the system last longer.

Servicing the Air Con Filters

The AC filters are accessible and serviceable by the caravan owners as you can see reach them from the rooftop and inside the van. So, if you are removing the filters, it is quite possible without using any specific tool.

Now an important question is should you clean the filters this time or replace them with new ones? So, if it has been a long, you replaced the filters, so consider replacing them now because the filter material starts to disintegrate with time. Otherwise, brushing off the dust is enough when filters are out. Therefore, to ensure the longevity of your caravan AC system, take timely actions to repair or replace the filters.

Repairing the Airbox

Unlike other caravan ac unit components, you may need a professional technician to get it checked. If the technician ensures that the airbox is perfectly operational, airbox cleaning is the other thing that helps the airbox work longer and efficiently. The cleaning process involves removing the dust, inspecting any damage or signs of moisture.

Servicing the compressor

The AC compressor is more open to external factors, so they usually collect debris, dust, leaves, insects, etc. Like the airbox, an experienced professional is required for servicing the compressor. The timely service of the air box keeps on going its operations smoothly. If you lack servicing, the compressor can increase the chances of failure.

How to decide between repairing and replacing?

The regular cleaning and repairing of the caravan AC unit helps to maintain every appliance you have installed in your RV. On the other hand, deciding when you need to repair or replace a particular component also plays a major role in maintaining the overall working of the system. If you notice any warning signs like improper cooling, unusual noises, moisture build-up, then cleaning is not efficient for maintaining the overall working of the Ac unit.

However, it indicates that you need to remove the faulty piece so that it does not cause further damage or impact another component’s working. So, you cannot delay the required repair or replacement if you want to enjoy the fullest of your summer camping!

Summing Up

A well-maintained caravan air conditioner keeps your caravan interior at a pleasant temperature. Moreover, a nicely and timely cleaned Air conditioning unit can serve you longer for the hot days camping trips. So, take some time out for cleaning or repairing your caravan AC unit!

Andy Sullivan

Andy Sullivan

A lover of all things outdoors, Andy is an experience camper having traveled the east cost of Australia multiple times and countless trips throughout New Zealand.

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