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Celticman's avatar
Celticman
Explorer
Sep 03, 2018

Rooftop air conditioner filter

Hi,
So I recently flushed out my condenser and exhaust coils on my 5th wheel with a water hose. It was short-cycling and now works like a champ- had lots of wind and dust this year.

Anyway, when I took the sheetmetal shroud cover off the condenser coil I noticed that there was no longer a filter. I am getting bits of leaves, etc not to mention a lot of dirt from the elements in that coil.

What type of filter should I get?

Thanks for the advice
  • Is it a ducted or non ducted unit?

    Make and model?

    What filter did it come with from the manufacturer?

    I had to do the same thing you did about a week ago. My unit has two blade-type reusable (washable) filters that I ordered online.
  • Cleaning it is what you should do. Do not impede the airflow by putting a filter where there was none. Make sure to clean the inside filter too. That one plugs up pretty quickly.
  • We have an AC on our TC and one on our TT but there is no filter on either unit outside, only the foam on on the inside portion.
  • A/Cs do not have a filter on the condenser(outside) coil, only on the evaporator (inside) coil.
  • The sheet metal cover is typically over the evaporator coil (cold coil) and there is never a filter installed up there. What you are calling the exhaust coil is actually the condenser coil. The only filter there should be is the one you clean from the inside of you rig that is placed in the inlet of the airflow.

    Cleaning the AC the way you have done is something that should be accomplished annually anyway. More so if you spend a lot of time in dusty climate.
  • Cleaning the AC the way you have done is something that should be accomplished annually anyway.

    Whoah, it looks like I am around 7 years over due. :h
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    Never was a filter. They do not make 'em with filters. Same for residential units. the only filter is on the condenser (inside) coils.
  • wa8yxm wrote:
    Never was a filter. They do not make 'em with filters. Same for residential units. the only filter is on the condenser (inside) coils.


    Other way around, Evap coil is inside (with filter) and condensor is outside. ;)
    (I forget and mix them up myself..)
  • Okay, thanks for the responses. I was uncertain as there is lining attached to the sheet metal cover on the condenser coil and thought that there might have been at one time a filter. Maybe the previous owners installed one? The unit is ducted and has the foam insulation. Issue solved and I won't worry about it, thanks again.

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