AC compressor not cycling off.

Provide the details on the unit, and I'll try to find a parts list. I think all you have is a home window unit rearranged to work on an RV, and only a simple mechanical thermostat.

Just think of it. You're the only RVer to ever be Cold in an Oklahoma Summer.

I agree the thermostat was not sending signals to shut off. I turned the ac off when it was 60 degrees in the RV. It was off for about 1.5 hours. Turned it back on to sleep and it kept the RV at a comfortable 72 for the last 10 hours. I’m sure the compressor was not getting a signal to shut off yesterday. Hope it does not happen again!

I agree with JD, sounds like thermostat not sending the signal to shut off.

DutchmenSport wrote:
AC have a built in safety feature, that if they get turned off, they won't come back on for a set number of minutes. If you have a power flicker and your air conditioner goes out, the power in your camper may come back on right away, but the air conditioner will not. After a few minutes, it will come back on again.

If your AC was running when you came in, and you turned the thermostat up (warmer) to turn it off so it would quit running, then immediately turned it back down (cooler), it probably did not come back on right away. They are suppose to do that.

If you did not do this yourself, its possible the AC just quit running right when you came in when it reached it's 60 degree setting on the thermostat. When you tried turning it back to run again, it didn't. It needed to wait a few minutes before cycling back on. This is a safety feature to keep the compressor from getting damaged for this very reason ... power fluxes on and off.

Try again. See if it finally comes back on.

Sounds like your explaining the exact opposite of what happened. The problem is not that it won't come back on, the problem is it won't shut off.

DutchmenSport wrote:

Try again. See if it finally comes back on.

Right answer, wrong question.
He said that it was stuck ON, not OFF.

And the first thing to check is the thermostat itself.

Hi, Gia!

I take it this A/C has the two knobs on its inside housing. One's On/Off/Fan/Speed and the other is Temperature? Not ducted, and no wall thermostat? Fan runs full time and Compressor cycles for Temperature?

If so, that Temperature Knob is directly mounted to a bulb type thermostat. I don't think it can be much wrong but something with the Thermostat itself.


Knob goes on that shaft, and the coiled part is the temp sensor. Mechanical contacts inside cycle compressor according to temp experienced by the coiled piece.

Sound like what you have?

Please post Make/Model of the A/C.

That all makes perfect sense, but, it was 74 in the RV when I left because I checked the little thermometer I keep inside. I did not change the temperature setting at that time. When I returned to the RV 5 hours later, the inside temperature of the RV was 60, so I am pretty sure the compressor didn’t shut off the whole five hours I was gone. The AC compressor has been very reliable to cycle off and on to keep the temperature pretty even. Am I right to think the compressor probably didn’t cycle off in those five hours, to drop the temp down to 60 when it was 92 outside?

AC have a built in safety feature, that if they get turned off, they won't come back on for a set number of minutes. If you have a power flicker and your air conditioner goes out, the power in your camper may come back on right away, but the air conditioner will not. After a few minutes, it will come back on again.

If your AC was running when you came in, and you turned the thermostat up (warmer) to turn it off so it would quit running, then immediately turned it back down (cooler), it probably did not come back on right away. They are suppose to do that.

If you did not do this yourself, its possible the AC just quit running right when you came in when it reached it's 60 degree setting on the thermostat. When you tried turning it back to run again, it didn't. It needed to wait a few minutes before cycling back on. This is a safety feature to keep the compressor from getting damaged for this very reason ... power fluxes on and off.

Try again. See if it finally comes back on.