Not looking for one, just wondering if there is (or was one.)A co-worker who is an RV'er and I were talking campers and somehow we stumbled on the concept of a propane air conditioner. Seem logical (since propane cools RV refrigerators...) but logic aside- is there such a unit that exists?

Hi,Yes at one time they did exist. The Absorption cycle is not too efficient so it would use LOTS of propane. Cool down time would be similar to the fridge as well. A large cubic foot per minute fan would still be needed, so a large battery bank would be required.If you live in a dry climate an evaporative cooler may be a better choice for a low electrical load.

I'm old enough(barely) to remember absorption gas A/C house units in the 1950s & 60s You do not want one. Your fridge barely keeps cool on a hot day on propane, how do you think it would do for cooling the house?

Why not a solar absorption A/C? Use a couple of mirrors to focus the heat of the sun in place of a propane burner.Probably not practical for RV applications due to physical size limitations (you would have to have a reflector mounted in a position that could be moved/rotated throughout the day.)

The standard concept of an absorption based A/C is usually what most folks think of when a propane A/C is mentioned, however, I wouldn't mind seeing a roof A/C unit that worked like the refrigerator unit on a semi trailer, and has a small propane motor driving the compression vs an electric motor, or a unit that can use either.

Home natural gas adsorbtion based units did exist (and still do, to some extent). They work just as well as a compressor based air conditioner, but BTU/BTU they aren't near as efficient. They only make sense if there is a very large price difference between natural gas and electricity.On an RV, the gasoline needed to drive a generator to power a compressor based A/C will cost a lot less than the propane needed to fire an adsorbtion A/C. Look at it this way, as soon as you hook up shore power, what doe the refer do? It switches to electricity. There is a reason.Now, that's not to say I don't see an advantage to having a propane, or dual-fueled generator on board...

Propane RV air conditioner...? | Good Sam Community

13 Replies

portscanner
Explorer
Jun 17, 2013
Why not a solar absorption A/C? Use a couple of mirrors to focus the heat of the sun in place of a propane burner.

Probably not practical for RV applications due to physical size limitations (you would have to have a reflector mounted in a position that could be moved/rotated throughout the day.)
SDcampowneroper
Explorer
Jun 17, 2013
I'm old enough(barely) to remember absorption gas A/C house units in the 1950s & 60s
You do not want one. Your fridge barely keeps cool on a hot day on propane, how do you think it would do for cooling the house?
pianotuna
Nomad III
Jun 17, 2013
Hi,

Yes at one time they did exist. The Absorption cycle is not too efficient so it would use LOTS of propane. Cool down time would be similar to the fridge as well. A large cubic foot per minute fan would still be needed, so a large battery bank would be required.

If you live in a dry climate an evaporative cooler may be a better choice for a low electrical load.

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Propane RV air conditioner...?

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