Boost Your RV Air Conditioner Performance With This Cheap, Easy Fix!

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Certified Mobile RV Technician, Darren Koepp, briefly walks you through how an RV air conditioner (Coleman Mach in this instance) operates and how to give your RV A/C a performance boost using nothing but some foil duct tape!
If you are in need of RV Repairs in the Olympic Peninsula area of Washington state, submit a service request on our website at myrvworks.com today!

[@stephanefraga2599]

Purchased: August 2023 - still works GREAT!I kzbin.infoUgkxxsUnXhGsSJLim_XnMHyQK0u3XVaW-CGn live in a studio and during the summer it gets scorching hot - really old building with no ac units. I can’t express how EASY it was to install. This unit has been a life savior during the summer and some days during other seasons where it can still be a bit warm at night. In this small place is my friend, a husky, poodle mix and myself. We need AC - lolI don’t use the dehumidifier option - I’m not sure if it will leak in my house, since I did not install the small draining hose that came with it. May look into it late but I don’t worry about much humidity in the apartment. I don’t understand why the negative reviews since all things mentioned, I personally did not find issues with. Definitely worth it!

[@rob5306]

Great video. Suggestion, when you put the foil tape in, put the section of tape that is further into the plenum first. Then the second piece over laps. This will prevent the constant air from blowing against the seam and eventually leaking. Like a roof shingle or sidding, you start from low and go high.

[@halekus7664]

*Great product **Fastly.Cool** so far*

[@ryank4]

We bought a new wildwood tt and had this same issue, there was a 1/4 inch piece of foam dividing the two half but it was crinkled and just flowing air between the two. Not only that but the passage to the ducts weren't taped or sealed so the air was blowing into the ceiling instead of the duct work. We were having issues with very low air flow so it wasn't cooling it down. Instead of taking it to the dealer, I pulled the ceiling cover off and discovered the problem. I put a thicker barrier between the two halves, and sealed all the gaps and holes and made the bends more aerodynamic and what a difference!! Went from very poor ac to ice cold. I went over the whole duct system and cleaned up the edges, and put caps after the end ducts so eliminate air leakage. Took a couple hours but it was a night and day difference. I used material I had on hand from other projects so the cost was 0. Thank you for this video!

[@barrypetersongc969]

Unbelievable what I found. Thank you so much. Our air vents blow way better. Divider piece installed backwards, huge holes blowing into basically the attic, and tape hanging down blocking half of our vent. Never would've checked this. Thank you.

[@Mainuh]

Thanks Darren, we were camping last week in Alamogordo, NM and a fellow Grand Design Imagine owner told me about this easy mod and said it was one of the best he'd ever done to improve efficiency. Glad to find this video and will be looking at my Coleman very soon! Nicely done.

[@genebond]

Thanks for the wake up call. We had new A/C units installed last year, and haven't been overjoyed with the performance. I took a quick look just now, and sure enough! The divider was flopped over on one and misaligned on the other... Thanks!

[@johngiese4900]

Saw this a year or so ago and vowed to check mine as my brand new RV AC sucked. He was spot on and now it blows cold as ice. Gonna buy you a beer for that great advice.

[@TomD53]

Thanks for making this video. I have the exact Coleman AC as in the video and it had exactly the same issue. I fixed it following your video and what a difference. I have cold air coming out of both RV side ducks now when it was only on one side before the fix. It is even quieter in the RV now because the blower outlet noise now not being directed through the air intake as before. We when camping last weekend in 99°F heat and the AC wasn't even close to keeping up. It will be fun to see the difference the next time it is that hot when we're camping. Overall, very happy! Thanks again.

[@SkylinersYeti]

Have you notice that the quality of the work done in manufacturing RV's has decreased? I have had so many friends who bought new RV's and there were Major manufacturing mistakes. This is good for the RV service industry but shows me so many manufactures do not care about the quality of their products, just quarterly profits. Love your videos. They help me keep my RV running 100%

[@wally1957]

Love your videos! I got rid of my original traditional RV air conditioners and installed Midea house window ac which I installed in the living room, entertainment cabinet and will run on 500 watts and I can use my solar panels on the roof to run both AC 's without using a soft start. I also installed compartment doors that swing open and I use drawer slides for the air conditioners to sit on a sliding platform and I can slide the unit in and out easily and of course open and close the compartment door. I could not be happier and the Midea AC unit is less than 400 on Amazon. I installed a Frigidaire 400 watt AC in the bedroom clothes cabinet. Love it. I also have more room on the roof for solar panels and walking space. I got rid of all the 14x14 roof vents when I put a new roof on and then put square Led ceiling lights to cover the inside vent holes. I use the AC's on fan mode or open windows instead of using the traditional roof vents. I also use Alexa to turn off and on the lights and the AC units and all my stuff. So I now have a smart RV. By the way if you purchase a Echo Dot 5 you don't have to use the wake word of Alexa, you can use The Wake Word ECHO... Echo turn on the tv.

[@nickwilliams878]

Your video is very good. I'll be checking my RV A/C units and hoping to improve their performance. Great job!!!

[@dwanehoughtaling419]

Thanks for the video. This is number one on my to to list to make my RV work.

[@briankeithnull194]

I just installed a new A/c unit. I think I have it done pretty well, but just to be sure I'll be taking it apart tomorrow with foil tape in hand just to be sure! Thanks for the video, very informative and well done!

[@Scott_MS]

we just bought a used starcraft trailer...AC seems to work pretty good but I might check anyways...thx for a great video !!

[@sdavis7916]

"Absorber"= Evaporator. Good video, eye opener!!

[@terrydtdi]

Wow thank you so much! We had problems with our coil freezing up. I resealed the gaps we had on our AC unit with aluminum duct tape, and fixed our freezing up problem. Great work thanks again!!

[@kenrodz3858]

Wow, I 'm going to take a look at my a/c up in Michigan. Thank you so much!

[@tgerm22]

I did the same exact thing to both of my air conditioners, I sealed up everything with the silver tape, most of my cold air was going back into the return, and inside the attic space, they both work so much better now.

[@jtknip]

Thanks for this valuable information. My Winnebago Vista 29 had a problem with air not going through the vents to the rear of the coach. I followed your video and it took 20 minutes to fix this problem.

[@lanesairconditioning]

Excellent! I've been in the HVAC trade for over 45 years and these are the BEST suggestions a RV owner could ever do to his air conditioner. Great job!

[@MyRVWorks]

I really appreciate your comment from someone that has as much experience as you do! This air breach is an all too common issue I find. I almost hate charging for it because it is something all RVers need to be checking on their annual inspection. Hope we can get the word out to folks on some of these easy fixes. Thanks for watching and commenting, Cheers, Darren Koepp

[@josephmorales3728]

I have a video that will help you more is in my Fabe book , this video is good if you go out side end cat the plastic end install a chicken fence you will not have restriction air out only one side

[@sebrina72]

That's awesome I was wondering how to fix that .now I'm going to check it out thanks you

[@loriw2661]

Wow, thank you. I’m going into my RV to check my A/C right now. What a great video!!

[@timm184]

Great air con tip. We are brand new to Rving. Green as green can be, but very handy. Thank you Tim and Mary

[@wkj_or244]

Fantastic Information!! I'll be checking on correct system configuration ASAP. Thank you!

[@shawnk7084]

Great video. A very easy fix to get a little more out of your RV A/C. I love it!

[@MyRVWorks]

Hi Shawn, Thanks for the comment! I will keep sharing this info as I come across stuff like this in the repair arena. Cheers, Darren Koepp

[@Pilot545]

Great vid! Although, we haven't experienced any AC issues, I'm def going to check out our unit before we take it out again in another week.

[@kristinekoski7345]

Great video! I'm bout to tackle mine today,. And also get on top and clean the coils and junk , So thanks and I am DEFINATLY going to tape up in and around where any air leaks could be ,,, Keep us informed and keep making those videos!

[@Scorpiomary]

Excellent information I bought foil tape for my art projects now I have a true purpose for it. thanks for sharing

[@MyRVWorks]

Hi Mary, Well RVing is a true art form LOL! Glad we could help you find uses for things. Cheers, Darren Koepp

[@therealcomment1811]

great video... I am going to do exactly this to my AC.... thanks...

[@averyhildebrand2579]

Thx for ALWAYS keeping the videos easy to understand TC from Avery in MN

[@rogerfernandez5088]

Thank you for sharing this info and making this video, keep up the good work...maybe I'll search you out next time I visit my family in Oak Harbor and do lunch...

[@stephenchristian5739]

DAMN I CANT WAIT TO CHECK MINE OUT NOW & get into it!

[@brent9516]

I just bought a new class C, the single AC on a 29' isnt cold enough on 90° days. Looks like I'm going to do some disassembling this weekend. Thanks for the info.

[@bobgil3464]

Best advice yet. Thanks.

[@Breach.Callie]

Thank goodness I found this video! I bought an older tt and the divider and roof plenum (?) are missing. I haven't been able to get anyone to show me what it's supposed to look like and how it's set up so I could fix it. The unit works amazingly, in spite of missing these parts. Now I know exactly what I have to do to make it work perfectly - it'll probably freeze me out, haha. Many, many thanks for making this video!!

[@frostriver8686]

I did this to our RV AC’s a couple of years ago. Worth the time and cost for sure. Also plugged up the dead end gaps at the ends of each duct line

[@MyRVWorks]

I like to recommend checking this at least once a year since the adhesive has a tenancy to degrade over time. Cheers, Darren

[@stephanegalipeau3740]

Hello from Canada 🇨🇦. Once again Darren great informative video YOUR THE BEST

[@AllKidsOutNow]

My trailer has a Domestic Brisk II AC with poor air flow and sure enough that divider fell over and putting it back upright had it really pushing air again thank you!!!!!

[@micah119]

We have been in our rv for 4 months now after 1 yr of renovation and are not happy with how cheap everything and I mean everything is in these rvs. What you pay for from dealers they should be doing these things. But they are not in business to help but to make money. Thankfully their are people like you for help.

[@KryptKicker51]

Just recently watched this video, after subscribing to your channel, and checked my A/C. Lo and behold, the divider was out of position by and inch and a half. Removed the plenum, repositioned the divider, added some foil tape, and now I can tell that the A/C is definitely more efficient. Thanks for the very informative video. Being a full time RVer, I can use all the help I can get!

[@MyRVWorks]

So happy to hear it helped! Thanks for watching!

[@anthonylawlor9130]

Word of the day "Airodynamic ". Great video, like usual. Do it to your ac, makes huge improvement. Thanks

[@bsoutdooradventures9541]

I covered my divider with window reflectix on both sides and folded one piece at bottom as I had inch gap at bottom of divider, secured with ac duct tape. Works tons better! Reflecix did my side gaps too. Thanks for share!

[@MyRVWorks]

Thanks for sharing. Glad to hear it is working better! You might be surprised at how many A/C’s are running out there with this huge breach in them. Everyone should check this at the beginning of each season.

[@joeowen1429]

@@MyRVWorks In inspecting our ceiling units, I found the gray foam stuff has mostly disconnected from the cover shell. Is that stuff sold in stores, or something as good or better? I would think that spray contact cement with new foam material is a better deal and might last longer. The OEM stuff used is now 12 years old on our 2007 Holiday Rambler RV and just dissolves when you try to grab it. All but useless.

[@DarrenKoepp360]

@@joeowen1429 You can try that 'Great Stuff' foam product. Just make sure the area you are bonding it to is clean - it may not stick so well to 12 year old dirt! LOL Cheers, Darren

[@spudbono5747]

Can't wait to get in my rv and check this out! My A/C seems just "ok". Just found your channel and really enjoy it so far.

[@MyRVWorks]

Thanks for watching. Hope these tips and tricks helps you be a Happy Camper! Cheers, Darren Koepp

[@luisp4009]

Awesome informational video, thank you for posting!

[@lindaedwards3296]

Very nice presentation. Thank you!

[@paulhindman5703]

Thank you for this great video. I’m going right now to my RV to see if mine is okay

[@MyRVWorks]

My finest student! Well done on your homework assignment!!! LOL. Happy Camping and Stay Cool! Cheers, Darren Koepp

[@genejohnson6064]

nice work Darren!

[@darrylanton9323]

Great advice, thank you! I'm gonna check mine today

[@stevemoores3265]

Thanks for the video. Adding this to my list of projects :)

[@MyRVWorks]

Yep, check it at the start of each season since the adhesive has a tenancy to degrade over time. Happy Camping!

[@santahawes8389]

Awesome video! I am a new RV owner, however I am on the opposite far corner of the country from you (East Central Florida)! So glad to have found your channel, and I have instantly subscribed! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience!

[@MyRVWorks]

You are very welcome. As I read this and reply Dorian is at your front door please be safe.

[@mikepoll2948]

Your advice worked so well. Plus my AC runs much quieter.

[@frankmjr6571]

Very helpful video, thank you!!

[@acdii]

Ahh brings back memories of my last RV. Coleman 274BH had a 13,500 AC. Back half cooled well, front, not so well, so was going to replace it with a 15K unit. In my perusal of the unit to determine everything I would need to swap it out, discovered that the opening to the front duct was partially blocked by what ever was used to "seal" the duct to the plenum. I cut it away, turned on the AC and debris blew out the front vent! Needless to say, did not need to replace the AC, it kept the temp great from that moment on. Now I have a new trailer, a long 5th wheel with two 15K AC's and they struggle to cool it down and keep it cool even with partial shade, so guess what is next on my list. ^^^^^ Exactly what is in this video. It is great information and it does work when the ducts are properly sealed(or open as in my last one).

[@Chimp_6]

Project # one for tomorrow morning. Mine is a Dometic but I assume it will be similar. Thank You!

[@timstretton3174]

Awesome info!!!!! Surprised there isn’t more channels out there for detailed RV repair. Great job

[@MyRVWorks]

Thanks for your comment. I was surprised to find that there's not many other videos like this out there also. I will be continuing with my brand of troubleshooting for those who are willing to watch. Happy camping. LOL.

[@johnnytriggs8899]

Love all your video's I've watched so far thank you so much owner of a 44 ft fifth toy hauler thanks again keep up the good work

[@MyRVWorks]

Thanks for watching. Happy camping

[@truebalsamhogs]

Thanks. Well done and logical.

[@allenjackman8647]

This is Great Advice.Thank you!

[@triplenickle6995]

Good information, thanks for the AC tips.

[@MyRVWorks]

Hey Don, Happy to be of service!!! Cheers, Darren Koepp

[@louie4316]

Subscribed, thank you for sharing this! Something so simple can cause an efficiency.

[@MyRVWorks]

Thanks for watching. Happy camping and stay cool.

[@jimtadlock1082]

Great information. Can’t wait to check my AC looks.

[@acmanwwjd1]

Also some people who are living in these could put a Mister where it will blow a slight spray into that condensing coil make sure you use a calcium filter ,because the compressor works better when they’re not overworked when it’s 110 out

[@RPO6464]

Thank you for sharing this video.

[@richardwatson8822]

Really good advice, Thanks for sharing.

[@gordonvanlieshout8134]

A great help for a newbie to camping in a trailer.

[@cq2425]

Super helpful, best video I have seen!

[@trubus1085]

Great information. I can't wait to see what the duct work looks like inside my RV air conditioners.

[@MyRVWorks]

Spread the news, that should be something that we all inspect at least once a year. As the adhesive on the tapes begin to fail.

[@edbenson98]

Those gaps between the divider were huge! Thanks for the simple fix to repair it! #MRVWI

[@MyRVWorks]

I will always be on the look out for things I can share with y'all on this channel! Thanks for the comment!

[@marysacks5482]

Great training video. Thank you!

[@williamloeper4868]

Gonna be checking Mine.... good stuff Man!

[@markschultz926]

Great video thank you for sharing

[@annafraley5388]

I think ours is like that (same style) have to remember to go check it tomorrow. Today though we did the DM 2652 fridge 120v heating element…. ✅

[@gbowman7344]

Great video thank you for the tip!

[@tlover94]

Great video. You gave me some thoughts on how to fix mine.

[@MyRVWorks]

Hi Gino, So glad to hear that! That is the whole reason I take the time to put there together for y'all. Thanks for your comment! Happy Camping. Darren Koepp

[@vinniecarter7183]

Thanks for the information I have 3 / 15000 BTU AC units in my toy hauler and the one in the main living area is up in a loft area it doesn't seem very efficient I will have to check it out.

[@ricksmith3542]

We have the same unit and I think this is why ours literally sucks in rainwater when it rains. Coleman told us the only way water could get where it's getting is if there was a mixing of the warm and cold air pathways. I'll find out this weekend when I get it out of storage.

[@drews3890]

Great video. Thank you.

[@DennisWintjes2]

Subscribed #621! Just found your channel. Love your instruction style and knowledge!! Thanks for sharing

[@MyRVWorks]

Hi Dennis - WELCOME!!! Thanks for the comment. I plan on making many more and I even invested in a gimbal for my camera phone and some better microphones and lighting so I can capture better video's. I am sure having fun sharing these tips and tricks with folks and watching the channel grow - glad that you are now a part of it. It is good to have y'all along on these service calls! Happy Camping! Cheers, Darren Koepp

[@blueharley2]

thanks for the tips. I'll check mine.

[@michaellumia2399]

Hi All, Great video as usual Darren!!! Question to those on this thread: has anyone installed a RV Airflow system and if so, what is your opinion of it. While funneling airflow to the ducts and shutting off the dump makes sense the price point is pretty high for the unitl

[@fishing4happiness610]

Great video! This is the 2nd time I watched this. I'm on my 2nd 5th wheel in 2 years and both RVs seemed to be put together by Darrell and his other brother Darrell. This increases cooling ability by 50%... Thanks again. There seems to be 197 shareholders in the RV Manufacturers Board.

[@RCFlyer007]

Thanks! Great video 🇺🇸

[@davidbottles3035]

RV Airflow, the best solution for that problem hands down.

[@buddyfrederick121]

The system itself is most likely adequately designed. The problem lies in the quality of the workmanship (or lack thereof) in the installation! - out of sight, out of mind! Thanks for bringing this to attention. It doesn't take much effort to increase the efficiency of your a/c unit!

[@rickc9873]

Chilling !!!!! Excellent

[@tractor1969]

Thank you so much. I've been struggling with the AC in the main living room of my 5th wheel. Takes forever to cool down and the air is weak flowing at the duct vents. Can't wait to pull it apart and check it out. This makes complete sense and has to be the main issue with that unit.

[@MyRVWorks]

Hi Stephen, Hope that fixes the issue. Also check where the ceiling ducts are. Often you will find you are cooling the attic! Happy Camping, Cheers, Darren Koepp

[@tractor1969]

Thank you very much!

[@thedude1215]

I am having the EXACT problem in my 5th wheel. Air comes out strong of the main vent, but as soon as I close that the other vents barely blow more air.

[@tractor1969]

​@@thedude1215 I did all exactly what he did in this video and fixed the issue. He's also right that you should check around the vents. The one in my bunkhouse was partially separated and cooling the attic. Just came back from my annual river trip. 95-100 outside and it was cold in that trailer. Had a friend stay in the bunkhouse and she said she was super happy to have a down comforter.

[@thedude1215]

Thanks@@tractor1969 !

[@edmalts]

Very good video. My rv air conditioning system had that divided but I discovered that it was moving with the pressure of the cold exhaust cold air. I made repairs with ac tape and solved the problem

[@MyRVWorks]

So glad to hear it helped.

[@HeartsGlobal]

thanks for a great video!! I really appreciate all the details

[@MyRVWorks]

You are welcome, thank you for watching. Happy camping.

[@billbaio6662]

This is one of the best videos I have seen. Having encountered this issue with a Thor Ace several years ago, I also encountered a issue with the return path from the filters. Sometimes the spacing between the filters and the ceiling is not enough to permit correct airflow from the cabin to the intake plenum. I have seen this where effective input is virtually cut in half. It's amazing when you clean the filters to find each side half full of dust and the remainder is still clean. You have to make sure the intake has sufficient clearance to use the entire filter on both sides.

[@MyRVWorks]

Hi Bill, Great comment, I appreciate your remarks. Keeping these filters clean is key!

[@elimorfin1694]

Very good video Darren

[@chrism7792]

Great Video! I will be checking my RV AC and fix if needed. Thank you!

[@richardvignola8000]

Thank you for a great video.

[@hughmorgan4949]

Great video

[@EDLaw-wo5it]

Excellent info! Thanks a bunch. Havagudun and stay safe.

[@tomnorman457]

Your video is spot on. I took apart our 26HE Coleman air conditioner, because it didn’t seem as cool as other motorhomes we’ve owned. After removing the inside decorative cover I quickly found out why the A/C unit did such a poor job of cooling. The divider that separates the warm-air intake side of the plenum from the cold-air output side was installed backwards and was laying at almost 45 degrees. In our case there was virtually no separation of airflow between the warm & cold sides. I removed and reinstalled the plenum divider correctly, then I put everything back together. The difference in cooling was unbelievable. Like night and day. I only wish I had seen your video sooner. We put up with the poor cooling last summer, but assumed it was because there was only one air conditioner and that’s all we could expect. We never suspected that it was a sloppy installation by Winnebago that caused the problem.

[@MyRVWorks]

I've seen this on many air conditioners. From all manufacturers and price points. Even after a few years the adhesives start to fail so that should be something that is checked annually.

[@philjlo7560]

Terrific! Thank you for the explanation on how it’s supposed to work and how to restore it. It’s ashamed the RV industry has no concerns for shoddy work. They only care what the customers see on the outside! This makes me so mad!

[@etinfl]

Thanks for sharing this was a great video

[@MyRVWorks]

Hi Eddie, Hope it helps you stay cool this summer! Cheers, Darren Koepp

[@fordracer1415]

Thank you from Graham wa. I will have to check mine. I let mine run all night and it never got down to 70. Cheers

[@mnell356]

Great info thanks very much for this I am having an issue with mine now not flowing very well to the front but still is good to the rear about to dig in and find out what is going on. But now I have a great starting point.

[@MyRVWorks]

Good luck on the hunt! Sometimes I am able to stick a flashlight in the far end and use a mirror at the A/C end and 'see' the light and identify any obstructions. You may have already thought of this tip though. I will cross my fingers for you! Cheers, Darren

[@mnell356]

Thanks for keeping the fingers crossed found that the divider had fallen and was allowing he cold air to be sucked right back into itself. Put it back up and used the foil tape and fixed it as well as fixed an open spot that was not taped up very well and was allowing the air to escape right into it void in the ceiling. Works great now. I did use a battery powered ryobi

[@mnell356]

Ryobi leaf blower to make sure the air flow was good.

[@MyRVWorks]

That is a great report!!! Help share the info so others can stay cool too! Cheers, Darren