How to Clean your Caravan Air Conditioner and save on electricity costs

How to clean your Caravan split system air conditioner and how it will knock $$$millions off electricity bills nationally so listen carefully and share with your friends.

Cleaning your caravan air conditioner will reduce power supply from your batteries and increase the efficiency of your solar array.

This simple cleaning procedure will return the cooling capacity to normal. Blockages in the airflow in the condenser cause air conditioners to malfunction.

The air condenser is located outside, not inside the head on a split system. The air filter is located inside the room head and of course these filters require cleaning also.

The following types of air conditioners can be rejuvenated

• Portable air conditioner
• Motor home rooftop air conditioner
• Caravan or RV rooftop air conditioners
• Portable air conditioner
• Home split system
• Reverse cycle air conditioner
• Roof-mounted air conditioner
• Home box in the wall

Air Conditioners encounter harsh conditions and seldom get the attention they need; as a result, the electric power usage and subsequent electricity bill is just outrageous…

“You have cleaned the air filter in the head on the inside of your caravan?” Yes, it was already pretty clean.

Then the air conditioner condenser coil on the roof is the culprit. It collects dirt from highway dust, seeds, locusts, bugs, leaf, grass, lint, dog hair, etc.

Dirty air conditioner condenser requires cleaning after every caravan trip.

“So I stick the gurney in here and wash out the aircon unit” No, no, no…. this procedure will damage the fragile aluminium fins with high water pressure.

See the image on top? Follow this sequence:

• Turn it off.
• Undo the screws or otherwise, remove the grill.
• Use an ordinary garden hose on say half pressure or enough pressure to wash out the dirt and grim the same way it entered the condenser.
• The condenser fins are incredibly fragile, do not touch them or they will bend. They cannot be returned to the original position. I have already made this mistake.
• Clean is difficult because you will have to rotate the fan to do it properly.
• When you think you are finished, inspect and replace the grill.

So what you have done is increase cooling efficiency. Your room will get colder more quickly, and your air conditioner will start cycling off when the room gets to temperature.

Now you will find 24 degrees is quite cool, not like before.

Caravan Servicing

If you are uneasy about climbing all over your caravan roof, ask your caravan service technician to give the air conditioning system condenser a thorough clean on your next service.

For those technically minded, air conditioners cool via a differential. Selecting 18 degrees does not mean the air coming out is 18 degrees. This setting is useless to use, do not do it unless you are an Eskimo.

Example, the ambient room temperature is 30 degrees. Air from the conditioner will only be 26 degrees at best, air expelled outside will be 34 degrees.

Understanding Air Conditioner Unit Differentials

The air conditioning unit differential is approximately 4 degrees.

When the inside ambient temperature is down to 29, then the head air temperature is 25, and the expelled air is 33 degrees. Your ratios are 29:25:33

If your setting is 24 degrees and output is 24, and the expelled air is 24 then the air conditioner goes into cycling mode using very little power. The ratio is 24:24:24

24 Degrees is quite refreshing and will take some time to achieve because your whole house is 24 degrees on the inside.

My son believes air from outside is cooled and brought inside; the hot air is expelled outside. Explaining the gaseous heat transfer process was met with that yeah, right look.

Here is a good Choice magazine article on how to clean your air conditioner

So take my advice with a few simple steps to lower your electricity bills today.

Finally, if you found this article helpful and solved a problem, please leave a comment below.

This article may be copied and otherwise reproduced provide a link is inserted back to this original article.