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W. Mark Hellinger · 07-10-2012, 01:42 AM

My coach (#426) is equipped with a couple of RVAC basement air units. Both seem to function, but they don't really kick-out the jams. Up until "now", for the past year & 1/2 that I've been caretaking #426, I haven't much had the need to bask in air conditioned comfort... but we're having a spell of HOT weather (for us)... 90 - 100F day after day... and I'll admit that having a cool place to retire in the evening has it's attraction. Thus... a few days ago, I flipped the switch to crank up #426's AC units. After burning a few kilowatt hours I came to the conclusion: "This is boarderline lame." So armed with an electric screwdriver I removed the ratfur covered panels around the AC units, and removed enough AC unit tinwork to reveal most of the guts of the AC units. The evaporator coils look good, but the condenser coils are a different story... understandably so, since the condenser coils are basically wide-open exposed to the highway (or whatever road they've previously traveled)... lots of sand, gravel, and basic road grime here, there, and everywhere having to do with the condenser sides of the AC units.

Looks to me like a big ole spring cleaning could improve efficency. It also looks to me like a viable method to produce the intended results would be to hose the condenser sides out with a nozzle equipped garden hose. Except for the wiring... all that condenser side stuff looks pretty well sealed up... as I'd expect it should be beings as it's exposed to whatever the road passing under it can offer.

Any down side to giving the condenser doo-dads a good bath?

07-10-2012, 01:42 AM	#1
W. Mark Hellinger Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: E. WA., N. ID Posts: 25	Hosing out basement AC units My coach (#426) is equipped with a couple of RVAC basement air units. Both seem to function, but they don't really kick-out the jams. Up until "now", for the past year & 1/2 that I've been caretaking #426, I haven't much had the need to bask in air conditioned comfort... but we're having a spell of HOT weather (for us)... 90 - 100F day after day... and I'll admit that having a cool place to retire in the evening has it's attraction. Thus... a few days ago, I flipped the switch to crank up #426's AC units. After burning a few kilowatt hours I came to the conclusion: "This is boarderline lame." So armed with an electric screwdriver I removed the ratfur covered panels around the AC units, and removed enough AC unit tinwork to reveal most of the guts of the AC units. The evaporator coils look good, but the condenser coils are a different story... understandably so, since the condenser coils are basically wide-open exposed to the highway (or whatever road they've previously traveled)... lots of sand, gravel, and basic road grime here, there, and everywhere having to do with the condenser sides of the AC units. Looks to me like a big ole spring cleaning could improve efficency. It also looks to me like a viable method to produce the intended results would be to hose the condenser sides out with a nozzle equipped garden hose. Except for the wiring... all that condenser side stuff looks pretty well sealed up... as I'd expect it should be beings as it's exposed to whatever the road passing under it can offer. Any down side to giving the condenser doo-dads a good bath?