If you love camping in the summer, having a tent air conditioner is necessary. A camping ac is a cost-efficient way to keep your tent entire tent cool throughout the summer.
However, it must be cleaned and maintained for the AC to function at full capacity. Cleaning a tent AC is easy, and manufacturers include a detailed user guide in the manual. Overall, we recommend the following:
- Clean the drain
- Clean and/or replace AC filters
- Check the coils
- Remove dust
If you want to know more about maintaining a tent AC, below is our guide with tips on how to clean a tent air conditioner – Check it out!
Why is it important to clean a tent AC?
During the summer, debris and dust build up in the AC because of its activity. If it’s not cleared up for long, it can cause the unit to malfunction and decrease its efficiency.
In some cases, if you are not cautious and disregard dirt removal, the cooling unit might break down, and you will have to spend money on repairs or replacements.
Furthermore, dust and allergens such as mold can affect your health if you don’t properly maintain them (especially for those with asthma). You won’t feel comfortable in a tent with all the coughing and sneezing caused by the allergens when they are blown into the air.
Therefore, there is no doubt – cleaning a tent air conditioner will save you repair costs while ensuring your health is not affected.
4 tips on how to clean a Tent Air Conditioner
Air conditioners are fitted with many moving parts and powered by some energy source. Safety always comes first; hence turn the device off first to avoid potential electric shocks (even if you are using a battery-powered AC).
Plan your maintenance before heading out on a camping trip so that you ensure equipment runs perfectly on scorching days.
Clean the drains
When air runs over the coils, it releases more than just heat. As the unit cools hot air in the tent, it also produces water that needs to be drained. Tent air conditioners have a drip pan with a tube attached to help drain out the water.
Whether your AC uses a drip pan or drain, it can be clogged with algae. If that is the case, your tent AC unit will start dripping from other areas when clogged.
Always check the drainage system or drip pan for algae growth. If present, remove them with hydrogen peroxide or commercial algaecide.
Use a small bottle brush to clean the stubborn tubing for the drainage system.
Clean or Replace Filters
Tent air conditioners have filters meant to be cleaned or replaced. If you want to buy a larger unit, check the instruction manual carefully because some camping ACs are meant to be replaced rather than cleaned.
How the filter is removed varies by unit, but the steps for cleaning are the same. The role of a filter is to stop dirt and dust from getting inside.
It needs to be rinsed with clean water or soap water periodically. If you are going to be using it for a few weeks, clean it at the end of each trip.
Before reinserting the filter into the unit, let the filter dry. You can do replacement when you notice any holes or tears in the filter.
Check the Coils
Many campers might not know this, but everything occurs at the coils. Dust and dirt build-up on these parts will reduce the air conditioner’s working efficiency.
When the coils are not working correctly, they will consume more power to produce the same cooling capacity. This will cause the battery to drain fast if you are using a battery-powered tent air conditioner.
Before cleaning, inspect the coils for any sign of damage. Use your hands to remove dirt debris, dust, mold colonies. After that, you can use the coil brush and clean in a parallel motion to the fins to help straighten the fins that might be bent.
After cleaning, allow the coils to dry before assembling the unit again. Remember to rinse in a motion parallel to fins to prevent them from bending.
You will be surprised how checking and cleaning the AC coils can improve its operation.
Remove Dust
The more dust the dust filters have, the harder it will be for the conditioner to function effectively. Manufacturers recommend cleaning dust filters every few weeks, depending on how often you use the air conditioner. So, the more you use it, the more often you should clean the dust filters.
As a rule of thumb, we recommend at least once per month, given that camping ACs are exposed to high levels of dustiness. However, every six months should be fine if you don’t use it too often.
If you find the dust filters grimy and dirty, wash them in warm water with mild detergent. Before putting them back, ensure the dust filters are completely dry.
Conclusion
Cleaning your tent ac is easy and will improve its cooling performance.
Failing to maintain your equipment correctly might lead to poor cooling outputs, dirty air and a potential premature breakdown.
The tasks detailed above will only take a few minutes, and you won’t require the services of a professional unless it’s something serious. We highly recommend you doing it before each every summer camping trip to ensure you make the most of it!
