Life expectancy of RV Air Conditioners

One of our Dometic died after 11 years, the other is still going (knock on wood) and we live in Florida where we run the AC all year and we travel to LA and OK in the summer heat!

My question to all who answered the OP's question and swear the AC will last a lifetime is ...... Have you read where and how he plans to use his AC??? Read the original question, then post an answer based on his criteria.

On our 1964 Airstream, lasted 45 years!

Now, on our 1990 Bluebird, just replaced one of three. 25 years, and 2 of 3 still going.

I have one on my 1990 pop up that is original, main thing is cleaning the coils and the filters, plus correct voltage.

Mine was built in 96 and still running great.

They can last a long time. Every once in a while you need to take a garden hose to it, and wash the outside coils. Once a year in most areas, twice if it is dusty in your area.

Keep the inside coil clean - rinse out the indoor filter soon, and when about 1/2 way through summer. While you have the inside cover off, if you have not checked the inside bolts that hold the top unit to the inside frame, tighten them with a 1/2" or 9/16" socket. Just 'snug' not tight. It is compressing a gasket, and needs to be snug about every 3-4 years. Just slightly over finger tight. . .

Good luck!

Fred.

Gr8life wrote:
I know that they will run many years in normal RV use, my concern is how long one will last in what amounts to darn near 100% duty cycle for months at a time.

Again it will vary.

In 1998 we purchased a 1966 Avion that was used for full time living.

It had run in South Florida all those years. We revamped the entire trailer, used it as a weekend camper until 2004. When we sold it the A/C was still going strong.

I know that they will run many years in normal RV use, my concern is how long one will last in what amounts to darn near 100% duty cycle for months at a time.

As noted here they'll run a dozen years. Maybe 2 or 3 dozen years. Keeping filters and coils clean is important. And yes, you may need to replace capacitors

Biggest factor I think of here is POWER. If voltage is around 120 and there are no spikes, outages and brownouts, you can expect those dozens of years.

Both my 1984 Duo-Therms still work great. I don't know what the previous owner might have done, but they appear to be original.

Howdy!

Toss of a coin. I have one in a 1988 Air Stream that still going strong. My last 5er the main AC was still working 11 years after we purchased it and the bedroom AC had been replaced twice with 7 years of that fulltiming.

"Hapy Trails"
Chiefneon