Best RV Air Conditioners: 2022 Buyer’s Guide

Most people wouldn’t want to imagine living in an RV without air conditioning. This may not be true if you visit only colder places or mostly travel in the winters, but that’s not all that common. If you use an RV as your only home, second home or vacation indulgence when the temperatures start to warm up, then AC is a must. As a part of your travel adventure, predicting temperature and living through transitioning climates is a given.

In this article, we’re going to share details of how to choose an AC for your RV. We’ll look at some of the challenges to installing the units and tips to maintain it. We’ll review some different options available in the market and some of the best brands that we’ve researched.

What to Look For in Your RV AC Unit

Air conditioners for an RV have similar electrical and physical features to household units. But they also have some different features and a different degree of toughness to meet the needs of your home on wheels.

Let’s look at some of the features you’ll need to be aware of in making your choice.

BTUs

When purchasing the cooling equipment for your little space, BTUs (British Thermal Units)  are perhaps the biggest factor in your decision. BTUs tells you how well an AC can cool your space. Anything beyond 13500 BTUs is what you would be looking at if you frequenting hot destinations.

Reviews of the Best Rooftop RV Air Conditioners

ACs for RV are made very differently than window units. Several brands specialize in manufacturing them. You will see that most of the products reviewed below are of Dometic because they don’t just manufacture air conditioners but focus on building products for mobile living.

Types of RV Air Conditioners

You may want to think about which type of AC you want for your RV. Here are the different types of RV air conditioners to choose from:

• Rooftop AC
• Vent-Free AC
• Portable AC
• Window AC

Below you will find more info about each one.

Rooftop Air Conditioners

They are the preferred option as they save space in the RV and are tucked into the roof. You find them anywhere between 5000 to 15000 BTUs. These could be ducted or non-ducted. With these, 30% of the efficiency is consumed through the vents. The unit is cooled by the air outside, which means it is influenced by the external weather.

Its installation is not easy - these ACs can weigh more than 100 pounds. It also involves connecting wires and vents. With all this, at least two people are required to complete the installation of a rooftop AC.

Vent-Free Portable AC

Vent-free portable units are also referred to as ‘swamp cooler’ because of how they handle moist air ventilation. They are relatively small in size and comes in eye-catching designs. No refrigeration process is used to cool the air. Instead, air passes through the unit and is evaporated. The dry air that’s released cools your space.

While these are energy efficient, they do take away some of your floor space - a precious commodity in an RV. You will also need to add a hose to avoid water leakages of the water drawn out of the air.  The downside of this option is that it can only be used in climates with relative dry heat. They don’t work as well in extremely humid environments.

Portable AC

Portable AC units for RVs are much alike the portable ones you may have in your home. They use one or two hoses to ventilate and come with adjustable frames for the window that help you keep the hoses in position.

Single-hose ACs come with the inconvenience of letting the hot air to seep inside. They are cheapest of the lot, but take up a lot of space. However, they are not very energy efficient and also add the noise of the compressor.

Window AC

Window AC units, like those used in homes, are another option. They offer great cooling capacity. Importantly, they don’t use up your floor space. They come in small sizes, as narrow as 14 inches. They’re not noisy and can be easily installed.

Factors to Consider in a Rooftop AC

We’re going to review rooftop units, so let’s take a look at some of the considerations you need to keep in mind in making your choice.

Ducted vs. Non-ducted

Non-ducted blows directly down from the ceiling unit itself, while ducted has "duct-work" just like a house. RVs with two ducts usually come with separate thermostats for each “zone”.

With ducted units you’ll face the challenge of hot air mixing with the cold air in the “gap” between zones.

Size & Shape

Your best option is going to be a unit that’s more aerodynamic. All else being equal, choose one with a low profile that is contoured well with a shape that can resist wind drag. 

Brand & Replacement Units

You may be tempted to purchase everything from one place. That is, you may want to buy the AC unit from where you bought your RV. We love the “everything in one place” model, right? But be sure that your RV sales lot can provide full service for your AC as well. And it’s always a good idea to shop around as well, to be sure you get a quality project.

Installation and Maintenance

You can choose to have professionals install and maintain your unit, of course. That’s normally the safest route. But if you plan to install the unit yourself, you need to consider the weight of AC, the ease of installation and warranty provided by the manufacturer in case of failure.

You also have to factor the availability of spare parts and their price - it’s always good to think long-term in terms of an investment like this!

Read below for in depth reviews of each of the models above.

What Size AC Unit Do I Need For My RV?

RV air conditioners usually come in BTU powers between 7,000 and 15,000. The standard unit capacity for a camper that comes pre-installed with an AC is 13,500 BTU.

A few factors can help you determine the AC capacity for a given RV. First of all, if the length of the vehicle is up to 32 feet, you need one standard AC.

Second, the color of the trailer has a lot to do with thermal efficiency. Darker colors make the camper hotter under higher ambient temperature conditions.

The third is the trip location. If you're planning a trip to a desert, make sure that you rent a lighter RV and opt for a higher-power AC in it.

Top RV AC Brands

The RV AC market is saturated with many quality brands and companies that specialize in vehicle air conditioning. In this section, we mention a couple of the most prominent names.

Domestic/Atwood

It has been almost a century since this brand was founded. At the beginning of the 1900s, two Swedish engineers built the world's first refrigerator and patented the product.

Decades after, in the 1950s, the large European manufacturing conglomerate Electrolux founded the leisure appliances division and called it Domestic.

Another company, Atwood, started in the dawn of the 20th century as well and entered the RV market. At the time, it was producing vehicle appliances and parts.

Closer to our times, in 2014, Domestic acquired Atwood to establish a better connection and strengthen its vehicle appliances branch. Since 2017, Atwood air conditioners, cooktops, and refrigerators are sold under the Domestic brand.

RecPro

This brand is a reseller and manufacturer of recreational vehicles, camping equipment, and appliances. It offers sleek and powerful air conditioners for trailers and RVs.

Based in Bristol, IN, this company is in the heart of RV manufacturing. One of its strengths is that it's familiar with the needs of its clients. The brand strives to make the impossible possible.

Price Points of RV Air Conditioners

There are a lot of AC choices for RVs and campers on the market. You can pick anything from a portable evaporator to a decent split system with technologically advanced functionality. Let's go through the price points and see what's the appropriate choice for your vehicle.

$150 - $1,000

This price point includes the non-specialized AC solutions, including various portable and window units with different features. The lower-end window models will have rotary controls, two fan speeds, and two cooling modes, while higher-end ones can even have smart assistant connectivity, dehumidification, and heating functionality. 

$700 - $900

The specialized RV ceiling-mounted conditioners come in this price range. They typically have a cooling and dehumidification mode and can be pretty bulky for higher BTUs. 

How Hard is it to Install an AC Unit on an RV?

If you’re a DIYer and want to install your AC unit yourself, you’ll need some hand tools and a thorough step-by-step instruction manual that tells you how to install the AC model you purchased. If the manufacturer does not provide a manual, then find a Youtube video or any other relevant helpful article that helps you with installation.

If you have assistance, it’s definitely a lot easier.

If you’re not experienced with this type of installation or don’t have help, it’s definitely something you want to leave to the pros. Failing to install the unit properly may lead to malfunction.

Now let’s look at some of the challenges you’ll face when installing the AC unit.

Weight of the AC

A rooftop AC weighs a lot. When dealing with these units, you’ll need assistance to fix it properly in place while you fasten it down.

Leakage

Some models provide duct space for ventilation. If this is not installed, you have to deal with poor performance and constant water and air leakages.

Knowing how and where to apply sealant is another important factor to maximum your unit’s effectiveness.

Location

Choosing the right spot to install the right type of AC matters. Rooftop ACs if not positioned properly can slow down the vehicle in windy areas.

With other types of units, location is also a huge factor. For instance, if you are using a window unit choose the window that is used least and at the same time can support an AC sleeve.

Cutting, Fitting & Mounting

This is a challenge when you need to customize your existing RV for an AC that is not supported by the vehicle. Customizing the hole in the ceiling requires utmost care to cut the hole to the right dimensions so that it can be fitted and mounted.

Tips for Maintenance

If you’ve got your A/C, then now it is time to understand the nuances of how to maintain it.

Clean the Filters

This is the most generic factor for good maintenance. Regardless of the brand or model, the filters need to be cleaned and changed from time to time. If they are left unattended, then the airflow will be reduced and the cooling ability of the AC is affected. Uncleaned filters can also increase the load on the compressor, overheating it and causing further trouble.

Clean the Evaporator

The evaporator needs to be cleaned regularly by removing the shroud and disassembling the plenum. A coil cleaner is used for this task. When you do this, you should check the condensation tubes for blockages, too.

Clean Condenser Fins

On rooftop mounts condenser fins are on the rear side of the unit. They allow the hot air to evaporate into the atmosphere. They need to be cleaned and straightened. If required use a fin guard to protect from hail storms.

Clean the Compressor

The compressor should be cleaned, but in most cases you can get by with just once every two years. Use a good spray or foaming cleaner to loosen the debris and then use a wet/dry shop vac to remove the loosened dirt and dust. But it’s a good idea to cover the vent leading down into the interior first - otherwise you could end up with gunk and grime on the floor below.

Extra Attention to Ducted Units

Occasionally remove the inside plenum and do a detailed inspection to avoid problems. Also, be sure to occasionally clean out the air vents - a vacuum hose can help suck out most of the dust and dirt that accumulates there.

Knowing the following will also help you make sure your unit works correctly:

Temperature Difference for Optimal Functioning

The temperature difference between the filter and discharge should be at least 20 degrees. Before checking this, the unit needs to run for 30 minutes. If not, have the unit checked.

Amperage

An amperage check should be done periodically by a professional. If there’s a divergence in amperage, your unit may require extensive maintenance. Otherwise, this electrical problem will continue to deteriorate the parts of the AC unit.

How to Clean an RV Air Conditioner

Having an RV means that you constantly need to care about better hygiene and cleanliness, and one way to do this is to keep all the equipment clean. RV air conditioners tend to make maintenance really easy. This is thanks to their efficient design and better mechanism. Here is all you need to do to clean your RV conditioner easily.

Cleaning the AC filters is the first step; it is the most obvious but also the most important one. Dirty AC filters can reduce the cooling capacity of your air conditioners to a greater degree. They also tend to decrease the efficiency of your conditioners, thus making them ineffective.

1. Locate the air filters from inside your RV under the part where most air distribution takes place on the AC unit. 
   
   
2. These filters are made of a good washable material hence they can be placed under warm water for instant cleaning. 
   
   
3. You need to then place them under air to dry them completely. 
   
   
4. If your filters are torn and not cleaned properly, then you should try replacing them as soon as possible because they will hinder the working of your RV. 
   
   
5. Moreover, once you remove this filter, you will be able to see the evaporator coils. You can use a flashlight to see the inside of the coils. You can then use a vacuum lightly to remove any dirt that exists in those coils.
   
   
6. This next step might be a bit difficult, but if you are comfortable enough to do it, you definitely should because it’s very effective. You simply have to go on top of your roof and clean the outside coils of your air conditioner.
   
   
7. This also requires you to remove the shroud on your air conditioner. This is normally held on the inner part and is firmly attached with screws.
   
   
8. Once you have done all this, you can put the filters back and enjoy cool air like never before.

Reading the steps alone might be difficult. Therefore, here’s a visual representation of the steps that were just described:

Conclusion

Although you can solve the cooling issue of your RV in various ways, buying a decent air conditioning unit is our recommended way. We hope our article has managed to set you on a smoother and cooler path for your travels.