Saturday, October 24, 2009

A/C Charge

Our rooftop RV air conditioner takes a long time to blow cool air. The air is not cold, only cool. Can RV air conditioning units be recharged like on a car, or do they have to be replaced?
Edgar, (Marathon, FL)


Edgar, all RV air conditioning systems can indeed be recharged, but usually as a last resort. And not all RV service centers perform this service, so you may have to call around first. Refrigerants must be contained and recycled. Federal and state guidelines are in place for the proper collecting, storage and resolution of the recovered refrigerants, so check in your area to be sure your service shop can indeed perform an evacuation, dehydration and re-charging of your unit. But first, be sure all else is in working condition. The fact that your unit blows some cool air may indicate a dirty filter or soiled and blocked fins on the condenser or evaporator. Have the unit correctly diagnosed prior to having it evacuated and recharged. A simple measurement of the amperage draw on the compression and a temperature differential measurement of the air going into and out of the evaporator will quickly determine if the sealed system needs recharging.