Why Is My RV AC Dripping Water Inside?

Heating and cooling programs are one of many important causes campers improve to RVing from tent tenting. They’re great once they work, however what occurs if you happen to return after an outing and discover your RV AC dripping water inside?

A towel to soak up the water or a bucket beneath the drip are momentary options. However you’ll must troubleshoot this widespread RV subject to stop it from persevering with. This tutorial investigates why an RV AC drips water and helps you stop it from taking place.

Why Does My RV AC Drip Water Inside?

 Ignoring a dripping RV AC poses a substantial threat {of electrical} harm or water harm to ceilings, flooring, furnishings, and private property. Electrical and water-related points will be harmful and costly to restore. So, deal with RV AC leaks as quickly as doable. 

Nonetheless, dripping water from an AC is usually a symptom of a bigger subject. Let’s establish some widespread explanation why an RV AC is leaking water inside: 

Clogged or Soiled AC Filter

Common inspection and cleansing of your air conditioner’s filter is arguably an important DIY upkeep activity you possibly can full to your RV’s cooling system. Most RVers examine and clear their AC air filter(s) each 3-4 months. To keep away from dropping monitor, you may also make it a part of your post-trip RV cleansing routine. 

When an air conditioner filter is just too soiled, airflow shall be restricted. That lack of airflow, usually mixed with dust buildup, reduces warmth switch from the air into the coils. This causes them to get too chilly, and any humidity within the air condenses and freezes on the coils. That is very true when the AC has been working for a protracted interval. Nonetheless, when the AC unit cycles otherwise you flip it off, the coils will start to thaw, and the moisture frozen on them will drip inside your RV. 

To keep away from this subject, examine and clear your air conditioner’s filter quarterly. In case your unit makes use of a extra conventional, residential-style air filter, preserve a inventory of substitute air filters helpful for RV air conditioner upkeep. 

Impacted Drain Pan or Line

Most RV air conditioners work by pumping warmth out of your RV and concurrently decreasing the humidity stage. When that moisture is pulled from the inside air, it usually collects within the air conditioner’s condensation drain pan, through which rests the evaporator coil. 

With the vast majority of AC designs, the drain pan has a small gap that permits water to expire onto the roof, the place it would then run off one of many sides. That is regular for a camper with AC. That’s why you’ll usually see an RV AC dripping water outdoors when working.

Nonetheless, if that drain pan is clogged or broken, or if you happen to’ve improperly sealed your air conditioner with a sealant not beneficial by the producer, moisture might not be draining as designed. When this occurs, the drain pan can overflow, and the water will naturally discover one other place to empty: inside your RV. 

To examine this subject, you have to take away your air conditioner shroud and examine the drain pan. If the drain gap is just clogged, eradicating dust and particles ought to treatment your subject. If the drain pan is broken and that harm prevents correct draining, you’ll want to switch it.

Lastly, if you happen to’ve resealed round your air conditioner and that sealant prevents correct drainage, you’ll must take away the sealant impacting drainage and seek the advice of your producer on the finest sealant to make use of in your RV roof.

Improper Set up

Your RV AC may additionally leak inside as a result of it wasn’t put in or secured accurately. RV air conditioners have an exterior gasket that should be compressed to the producer’s suggestion. Failure to tighten the unit’s lag bolts to the beneficial torque setting can enable water to leak into your RV. 

That beneficial torque setting is necessary as a result of overtightening these lag bolts can be a problem, inflicting harm to the outside gasket and permitting water to drip inside. An exterior AC gasket additionally doesn’t final eternally. It should be changed when it has misplaced its elasticity.

Past the compression of the air conditioner gasket, the ceiling meeting should be correctly secured to the outside a part of the roof-mounted air conditioner. The shroud should be secured accurately and freed from any cracks or holes permitting water in. The ceiling meeting should be correctly put in to the ceiling and totally sealed with foam and foil tape to maintain cool air and heat air from mixing, which results in overcooling, condensation, and icing.

To guage potential set up points that may very well be inflicting RV AC leaks inside, you possibly can visually examine the shroud and the outside gasket for cracks or harm. You can too contact the AC producer for his or her beneficial lag bolt torque setting and examine that after eradicating the ceiling meeting panel inside your RV. 

This tutorial (and accompanying video) has wonderful details about disassembling an RV air conditioner to examine these parts and/or carry out an aftermarket improve.

Damaged Pump

Many air conditioners for RV use are outfitted with a pump that strikes water from the condenser unit to the condensation drain pan. If this pump fails, the air conditioner gained’t drain correctly, water will construct up, and the drain pan will overflow and leak water inside your RV. 

Generally, the suspicious signal of a damaged pump is an audible change to the air conditioner’s noise output when working. Hearken to your air conditioner when the fan is working versus when the RV AC compressor cycles on. In case your air conditioner doesn’t sound regular throughout operation, it’s a very good signal that it’s time to have a skilled technician examine it.

Is It Time to Service Your RV AC?

Along with these points, your air conditioner may leak inside as a consequence of a broken coil or defective air handler. These are points finest left to a skilled RV technician. 

If none of the following tips clear up your RV AC leak, it’s time to contact a service middle to schedule an AC diagnostic. Skilled technicians can shortly check and troubleshoot RV AC points to establish the reason for a leak. They will additionally carry out routine RV AC upkeep and provide you with a warning to imminent companies to schedule within the close to future. 

In fact, you may also schedule an RV service appointment if you happen to’re uncomfortable performing any of those troubleshooting checks at dwelling!

If a technician informs you that your RV AC must be changed, use this information to selecting an RV air conditioner to seek out the correct substitute.

Use these extra assets to maintain your camper’s inside local weather at your very best temperature and humidity stage: 

Have you ever skilled your RV AC dripping water inside as a consequence of another excuse? Inform us about your expertise and the way you mounted the difficulty.