5 Most Common RV Air Conditioner Problems and How to Fix Them

Is your RV air conditioner having problems? Is it not turning on or turning off abruptly? Is it leaking or making noises? There might be several causes for these problems, and knowing where to look and what to do may come in handy.

After all, when you are on the road, you may have no option but to fix the problem yourself.

Here we have a list of the 5 most common problems with RV air conditioners and some dometic RV air conditioner troubleshooting tips which you can use to repair them.

Most Common Problems with RV Air Conditioners

Problems with your dometic RV air conditioner can easily disrupt your RV lifestyle, especially if you are on the move during the summer. “What to do if your RV air conditioner doesn’t turn on?” Or “What to do if your RV air conditioner starts leaking?” These are only some of the questions you should know the answer to. This guide helps with just that.

RV Air Conditioner Will Not Turn On 

Power problems are surprisingly common in dometic RV air conditioners. You may find that your RV air conditioner won’t turn on. This can happen for several reasons. Your RV may not have enough power to run the AC. If that is not the case, then there could be an issue with the circuit board- the breakers could have tripped, or the fuse could have blown. It could also be that your RV air conditioner does not turn on because of a busted thermostat.

Although RV air conditioner power problems are better handled by a professional, here are a few troubleshooting tips that you could try:

1. Check your power source and make sure you have enough power to run the RV AC.
2. Make sure the fuses are working fine.
3. Make sure no breakers have tripped.
4. Check the circuit board and thermostat for issues. 

If all these check out, the problem may be a bit more complicated, in which case you could try resetting your air conditioning unit with the help of a professional.

RV Air Conditioner Blowing Out Hot Air

Usually, when the RV air conditioner starts blowing out hot air, it just means that it needs some care. A decrease in the cooling capacity of an RV AC may mean that dirt and debris have accumulated within the nooks and corners of the AC unit, and it just needs a good cleaning. 

Here are some dometic RV air conditioner troubleshooting tips for when your RV air conditioner blows out hot air:

1. Clean out the fins of the AC using a brush or comb.
2. Check and clean the filters in your RV AC unit.
3. Check the condition of the condenser and evaporator coils of your air conditioner and clean them.

Although these are usually the reasons why an RV air conditioner won’t blow out cold air, it might also be that the product has simply lost its cooling capacity with age.

RV Air Conditioner Leaking

Leaks in an air-conditioned RV can occur because of several reasons. The first thing you should do when your dometic RV air conditioner starts leaking is to find out if the RV air conditioner leaks when it rains or when it is dry out.

If the RV air conditioner leaks during rain, the problem is most probably structural. The RV air conditioning unit may have become loose; the rubber gasket that attached the AC unit to the roof may be damaged, or there may be a crack in the roof of your RV itself. Such problems are quickly detected and can be easily repaired.

If the RV AC leaks even when it is not raining, the problem may be within the air conditioner itself. Caulk or silicone debris may have clogged the drainage hole within the drain pan of your AC unit. In such a case, a thorough cleaning should be enough to fix the problem.

Here are some dometic RV air conditioner troubleshooting tips in case your RV air conditioner starts leaking:

1. Check and tighten the bolts on the air conditioning unit regularly.
2. Check if the rubber gasket holding the AC unit is in good condition. If there is a problem with it, it is better to remove it and reset it. You may need professional assistance for this.
3. Check the roof of your RV for dents and cracks and get them fixed at a shop.
4. Check the drain pan for silicone debris and clean it.

RV Air Conditioner Making Noise

There could be several reasons why a dometic RV air conditioner may start making noises. The mounting bolts that hold the RV AC unit together might be loose, causing the air conditioner to vibrate more when turned on, thus making noise. A stray screw, nut, or bolt within the air conditioning unit may also be the cause. The anti-vibration pads or the rubber shock absorbers which prevent the AC from making too much noise may be faulty. Alternatively, it could also be that the fan motor within the RV AC is making noise. A thorough inspection can help you detect most of these problems.

Here are some troubleshooting tips for when your RV air conditioner starts making noise for these reasons:

1. Check and tighten the mounting bolts.
2. Check if the fan motor is causing problems.
3. Check if the anti-vibration pads within the unit are installed properly.
4. Check if the rubber shock absorbers are in working condition.

RV Air Conditioner Shutting Down Suddenly

The RV air conditioner shutting down suddenly after being turned on is another common problem. There are a few reasons why this could be happening. The coils in the RV air conditioner may have frozen over. There may be a problem with the capacitor because of which the fan in your AC won’t work. The high-pressure switch safety circuit tripping may also lead to your AC suddenly shutting down.

In these cases, you can try the following things:

1. Shut off the AC unit, let the coils thaw and clean them afterward to make sure they are in working order.
2. Check the capacitor in your RV AC unit, and if there is a problem, change it.
3. Reset your switch circuit after making sure your thermostat is not overheated.

Dometic RV Air Conditioner Troubleshooting Tips

It is true that proper maintenance, cleaning, regular inspection, and protection from the elements should prevent most problems with your RV air conditioner. However, here are some dometic RV air conditioner troubleshooting tips that you can use, just in case:

1. Test your power source.
2. Clean every component of your RV after certain intervals of time.
3. Check the refrigerant levels in the compressor of your AC.
4. Check the condition of the filters in your AC and clean them.
5. Clean the fins and coils in your AC regularly.
6. Check the roof of your RV as well as the cover of the AC unit for cracks.

Although it may seem that you can detect most of the problems in your dometic RV air conditioner by yourself and fix them by troubleshooting, it is better to take your RV into a shop and get the problems checked and fixed by a professional. In the more serious cases, you should always check your warranty before deciding on the best way to fix the problems in your RV AC unit.