Yes! Air conditioners do work in a pop-up camper, and it’s a very useful luxury to have. When camping in warmer climates, such as Florida for example, you will want AC to be comfortable in the heat.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that pop-up campers lack heavy insulation compared to travel trailers or other camper options. Yet, pop-ups do a decent job of keeping the cool air inside.
For those of you who want to go off-grid, in order to run most pop up camper ac units, you’ll need to be on shore power at a campsite. This is the only way to power the higher BTU (more powerful) air conditioners that pop-ups have for any reasonable amount of time. Smaller window style ac units can be run off solar, yet that’s not going to keep a pop-up cool in hotter weather.
AC Unit Sizes
The bigger the better when it comes to air conditioners for a pop-up camper. It’s almost always better to go a little overkill so that you’re comfortable. Especially with the lower levels of insulation, you’ll want a beefy unit for it to adequately cool the area. You don’t want to be caught in the middle of the summer without air conditioning or with a unit that’s too weak to stay cool.
How Much Air Conditioner BTUs Do I Need?
When it comes to selecting your AC unit, you’ll want to assess the amount of BTUs it has. A BTU stands for British Thermal Unit, which is the international measure of energy. You can also multiply the square footage (with the slide-out beds) by 90 for an estimate that’s close to what you’ll need. Generally, most pop-up camper rooftop ac units are between 12,000 and 15,000 BTUs.
The Best Pop up Camper Air Conditioners
In my opinion, the best types of pop up camper air conditioning units are the rooftop style. Typically they’re more expensive than other options, yet they do the best job. They’re also the most popular and come pre-installed on most pop up campers.
Here’s a few of our favorite pop up camper air conditioners:
Ways to Maximize Your AC Unit
Here are a few ways to help keep your pop up camper cool:
- Park in the shade and out of direct sunlight
- Maintain your AC unit, clean the filter
- Keep a clear line of airflow from the vents inside the pop-up
- Be careful not to use too many other power drains when your AC is on at full speed (to avoid tripping your breaker)
- Zip up all the canvas and check that each area is sealed
- Look for any openings around the canvas and fill it with insulation
One of the best tips for keeping cool air inside your pop-up camper is to use some air conditioner weather seal tape.
This stuff works super well to keep all the cracks around the corners filled. Those are going to be your major places for loss of air. All you need to do is cut some segments of the sealant tape and press it in place to seal the gaps. By sealing any openings, you also help to keep insects out, which is a nice added bonus.
Conclusion
For active campers, it’s best to invest in a solid rooftop air conditioning unit for your pop up camper. These are the easiest to use and will keep you cool even during the heat of the summer.
From personal experience, this is an absolute lifesaver when getting back from a long hike or bike ride. All you want to do is sit down and enjoy some cool air.