I just purchased my first trailer (1998 Fleetwood Mallard 19N) and I ran into something new to me. I'm used to staying in my parents fifth wheel with A/C units controlled by a thermostat. So you can imagine I was surprised to see all the controls on the ceiling on my new camper. So I guess my question is won't the unit run constantly while I'm camping if it's hot outside? I know the compressor will kick off but I don't want to be getting up in the middle of the night turning the thing on and off. I guess why didn't they put an AUTO feature on these things? or a wall mounted thermostat? Sorry if this is dumb question but I'm new to the TT scene.

Lots of camper AC units have only ceiling controls. There is a thermostat, it's just built into the unit on the ceiling. It should have a knob to adjust it. The fan will run all the time. The compressor will kick in and out as needed. I tried modifying mine so that the fan turned on and off with the compressor. I didn't like it and switched it back. I got too hot in between compressor cycles. The running fan keeps the air stirred up and it stays much more comfortable.

I plan on going to the lake for a 8 days here in about a month and temps will be 90 plus during the day. Is it bad for it to run constantly or should I give it break when I can? I guess whats the worst I can do? Burn up the fan motor?

Our current trailer (2013 Keystone Cougar) is the first one we have owned that had the thermostatically controlled AC. Prior to that the ones we've owned have either had the ceiling controls like you have, or in the case of our very first trailer way back in the early 70s, no air conditioning at all.

dylanksimmons wrote:I plan on going to the lake for a 8 days here in about a month and temps will be 90 plus during the day. Is it bad for it to run constantly or should I give it break when I can? I guess whats the worst I can do? Burn up the fan motor?I think I would be inclined to only run it while you are actually in the trailer. Why cool it when nobody is there using it?

Murphsmom wrote:dylanksimmons wrote:I plan on going to the lake for a 8 days here in about a month and temps will be 90 plus during the day. Is it bad for it to run constantly or should I give it break when I can? I guess whats the worst I can do? Burn up the fan motor?I think I would be inclined to only run it while you are actually in the trailer. Why cool it when nobody is there using it?Our pug will be sleeping in it while we are not there. Can't leave her in the heat

Air Conditioner without Auto?? | Good Sam Community

15 Replies

Cocky_Camper
Explorer II
Jun 29, 2016
bartlettj wrote:
Cocky_Camper wrote:
Run it all the time. We just got a new to us TT that has deducted A/C. Our old hybrid had the blast A/C with just control knobs. We loved having the fan noise while sleeping at night. That is one thing that I'm going to greatly miss out our hybrid.

My ducted AC system (Dometic) has a setting on the thermostat to keep the AC fan on. If yours has a "fan" feature on the thermostat, set it to Hi or Lo instead of AU, then switch over to AC. It will stay on.

If we set the temperature, will the compressor still cycle on and off?
pianotuna
Nomad III
Jun 29, 2016
Hi,

It is fine to run the a/c constantly. Do monitor the voltage. My comfort zone is 107 volts and above.
bartlettj
Explorer
Jun 29, 2016
Cocky_Camper wrote:
Run it all the time. We just got a new to us TT that has deducted A/C. Our old hybrid had the blast A/C with just control knobs. We loved having the fan noise while sleeping at night. That is one thing that I'm going to greatly miss out our hybrid.

My ducted AC system (Dometic) has a setting on the thermostat to keep the AC fan on. If yours has a "fan" feature on the thermostat, set it to Hi or Lo instead of AU, then switch over to AC. It will stay on.
danimal53
Explorer
Jun 29, 2016
as long as the compressor shuts off when it's cool enough overnight, i prefer the fan to stay on as it is the noisy part. the fan going on and off overnight is likely to wake you, while the fan staying on constantly is more like "white noise" that you get used to and won't disturb your sleep.
Gambit80
Explorer
Jun 29, 2016
Our original TT had non-ducted AC and it would run constantly as it is supposed to. We bought that TT used and had it for almost 7 years and never had a problem.

I will say that we love the ducted AC in our new unit much better, but you shouldn't have any problems with it.
rockhillmanor
Explorer II
Jun 29, 2016
gbopp wrote:
No. It won't hurt anything if you leave the A/C run constantly. That is what they are built and designed to do.

X2

And.... look into buying some van windshield sun shades and slip them under the shades in your TT to keep the sun and heat out during the day. Also buy pillow inserts for all your roof top vents. Just doing those 2 things will drastically reduce the heat inside your RV and assist the ac in keeping things cool inside.

Camco Sunshield RV Vent Insulator

And as a side note you should not leave your pet in an RV unattended 'especially' during the summer months.

The power could go down in the CG or ac malfunction while you are away and within seconds all RV's will heat up to a dangerous temperature and you will loose your pet.
Cocky_Camper
Explorer II
Jun 29, 2016
Run it all the time. We just got a new to us TT that has deducted A/C. Our old hybrid had the blast A/C with just control knobs. We loved having the fan noise while sleeping at night. That is one thing that I'm going to greatly miss out our hybrid.
tatest
Explorer II
Jun 29, 2016
In Great Plains summer heat and sunshine, if you don't run the AC continuously there is a good chance interior temperatures will go higher than you want, and you won't have the AC capacity to get them back down where you want them until the sun goes down. My RV, sitting in the sun on a 80 -90 F day, will get to well over 120 F ina couple hours. Sometimes the most effective thing I can do for cooling is open the windows and run the power vents to pull in that "cooler" outside air.

You can run your RV AC 24/7. That's the duty cycle for RV and window units. The manufacturers know we buy on cost, and tend to greatly undersize for maximum heat loads.
Terryallan
Explorer II
Jun 29, 2016
Murphsmom wrote:
dylanksimmons wrote:
I plan on going to the lake for a 8 days here in about a month and temps will be 90 plus during the day. Is it bad for it to run constantly or should I give it break when I can? I guess whats the worst I can do? Burn up the fan motor?

I think I would be inclined to only run it while you are actually in the trailer. Why cool it when nobody is there using it?

So it will be cool when you go inside. 90 degree temps will heat the inside up to an unbearable temp, and it will take a really long time to cool it down. May as well keep it cool all the time. Easier on the AC unit.
gbopp
Explorer
Jun 29, 2016
No. It won't hurt anything if you leave the A/C run constantly. That is what they are built and designed to do.