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You are here: Home / Review / 10 Best Air Conditioners For Pop Up Campers 2021: Brand Buying Guide & Reviews

10 Best Air Conditioners For Pop Up Campers 2021: Brand Buying Guide & Reviews

Jonathan Holmes

Best Choice
Editor's Choice
Best Value
Honeywell Home HL14CESWB Air Conditioner,...
Whynter ARC-14S 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable...
SereneLife SLPAC8 Portable Air Conditioner...
Honeywell Home HL14CESWB Air Conditioner,...
Whynter ARC-14S 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable...
SereneLife SLPAC8 Portable Air Conditioner...
Price not available
$499.00
$331.65
Check Today's Price
Check Today's Price
Check Today's Price
Best Choice
Honeywell Home HL14CESWB Air Conditioner,...
Honeywell Home HL14CESWB Air Conditioner,...
Price not available
Check Today's Price
Editor's Choice
Whynter ARC-14S 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable...
Whynter ARC-14S 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable...
$499.00
Check Today's Price
Best Value
SereneLife SLPAC8 Portable Air Conditioner...
SereneLife SLPAC8 Portable Air Conditioner...
$331.65
Check Today's Price

A pop-up camper is a home on wheels, so why not treat it like your home and equip it with an AC?

With that said, air conditioner options for pop-up campers are limited. Most aren’t compatible with roof-mounted RV AC units.

That’s not a problem though since you can buy a portable air conditioner! And below, we have 10 options for you to choose from!

Table of Contents

  • 10 Best Portable Air Conditioners For Pop-Up Campers
    • 8,000BTU air conditioners
    • SereneLife SLPAC8 Portable Air Conditioner… (20638) $331.65 Check Today’s Price
    • Sale BLACK+DECKER 8,000 BTU Portable Air… (41075) $173.84 Check Today’s Price
    • EdgeStar Ultra Compact 8,000 BTU Portable Air… (633) Check Today’s Price
    • 10,000 – 12,000BTU air conditioners
    • Amana AMAP101AD Portable Air Conditioner with… (165) $468.97 Check Today’s Price
    • Honeywell Compact Portable Air Conditioner (1497) $469.99 Check Today’s Price
    • Midea MPF10CR81-E Portable Air Conditioner… (73) Check Today’s Price
    • Shinco 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner,… (4735) $239.99 Check Today’s Price
    • 14,000 BTU air conditioners
    • Sale Whynter ARC-14S 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable… (12203) $499.00 Check Today’s Price
    • Honeywell Home HL14CESWB Air Conditioner,… (1988) Check Today’s Price
    • hOmelabs 8,600 BTU Portable Air Conditioner -… (1477) $509.97 Check Today’s Price
  • Why Buy A Portable Air Conditioner For A Pop-Up Camper?
    • Pros of portable air conditioners
    • Cons of portable air conditioners
  • The Heat Efficiency Of Portable AC Units
    • ASHRAE-128 vs DOE 2017 standard
  • Things To Look For In The Best Portable AC For Your Pop-Up Camper?
    • Cooling capacity
    • Single-hose vs dual-hose ACs
    • Auto condensate evaporation
    • Dehumidifier mode
    • Programmable features
    • Noise level
    • Dimensions
    • Weight
    • Casters
  • Final Words
    • Related posts:

10 Best Portable Air Conditioners For Pop-Up Campers

8,000BTU air conditioners

1

SereneLife SLPAC8 Portable Air Conditioner...
SereneLife SLPAC8 Portable Air Conditioner...
(20638)
$331.65
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Save: $34.24 (17.14% OFF)
Summary

If you want a portable AC unit with a small footprint, then this little guy by SereneLife may be the right option. Sized at just 14.6 x 13.8 x 27.2 inches (L x W x H), it’s a pretty compact unit that should work great with smaller pop-up campers.Not only that, but it’s pretty light at just 46.3 pounds.

The stated heat output in this AC is 8,000 BTUs, and it is claimed to be able to cool up to 215 square feet areas. This should be just enough for most pop-up campers available out there.

Aside from cooling, the SereneLife portable AC unit has fan and dehumidifier modes (with a capacity of up to 2.5 pints per hour) that can be engaged via the onboard touch control panel or the included remote.

Among the other bells & whistles you can control in this AC unit is the 24-hour timer, sleep mode, and the fan speed settings.

SereneLife claims that this portable AC unit produces 55 – 57 dB of sound, which is neither outstandingly quiet nor unbearably loud.It should be quieter in the sleep mode, though SereneLife doesn’t specify how quiet it goes in that mode.

Finally, this AC unit is rated at 900 watts, which is typical for portable ACs of its size.Make sure that your generator will be able to provide such power to the AC!

  • Pros
  • Pretty lightweight.
  • Small footprint.
  • Touch control panel.
  • Programmable.
2

Sale BLACK+DECKER 8,000 BTU Portable Air...
BLACK+DECKER 8,000 BTU Portable Air...
(41075)
$173.84
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Save: $34.24 (17.14% OFF)
Summary

The BPACT08WT portable AC by BLACK+DECKER is another nice option if you don’t have much space in your pop-up camper. Sized at 16.5 x 11.5 x 26 inches, it’s a bit wider but shorter and less deep than the SereneLife AC unit.

The functionality in the two portable ACs is similar – you again 3 modes along with programmable settings like a 24-hour timer, sleep mode, and temperature.

One key addition to the BLACK+DECKER portable air conditioner is the casters. They allow you to move this unit around a little easier. And given that this thing weighs 52.9 pounds, any assistance with carrying is welcome.

The heating capacity of the BPACT08WT air conditioner is 8,000 BTUs according to the ASHRAE 128 standard and 5,000 BTU according to the newer 2017 DOE standard. We’ll talk about the difference between these standards a little later, but the key thing to know here is that the 2017 DOE standard was introduced since portable and window units can’t be accurately tested with the same methods.

The cooling area of this AC unit is claimed to be 100 – 150 square feet, which is what you’d expect from an AC that’s around 5,000BTU, albeit it’s in the lower range of 8k models. As for the power rating, it’s 950 watts, which is 50 watts higher than in the SereneLife AC.

  • Pros
  • Built-in casters for easy transport.
  • Programmable settings.
  • Pretty compact.
  • Cons
  • A little heavy.
3

EdgeStar Ultra Compact 8,000 BTU Portable Air...
EdgeStar Ultra Compact 8,000 BTU Portable Air...
(633)
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Save: $34.24 (17.14% OFF)
Summary

The key feature of the AP8000W portable air conditioner by EdgeStar is its self-evaporative system. This system is designed to exhaust all liquid formed inside the unit by condensation. As a result, the AP8000W is promised not to need manual draining in most climates.

But if necessary, you can still do manual draining.

In terms of cooling capacity, the AP8000W AC seems to be less powerful than the BLACK+DECKER’s unit – it has a heat output of 8,000BTUs according to the ASHRAE-128 standard but only 4,600 BTUs according to the DOE 2017 standard.

The integrated dehumidifier is also very nice – it is claimed to deliver up to 50 pints of moisture per day, which is great for this AC’s size.

EdgeStar claims the coverage of this unit to be around 150 – 225 square feet, but given that it’s weaker than the BLACK+DECKER AC, its actual coverage is probably closer to 150 square feet.

The power rating of the EdgeStar AC is also lower– 840 watts –which may actually make it more appealing to you.

EdgeStar AP8000W is quite a heavy unit, weighing at 56 pounds. Fortunately, it does come with integrated casters to assist with transport.

And aside from being heavy, it’s also pretty bulky – it’s sized at 19-1/4 x 13-1/4 x 24-3/4 inches (W x D x H). It’s noticeably bulkier than the other two units reviewed, so it may not be the right choice for very compact pop-up campers.

  • Pros
  • Built-in casters.
  • Automatically condenses liquid.
  • Programmable settings.
  • Cons
  • Heavy and bulky.

10,000 – 12,000BTU air conditioners

4

Amana AMAP101AD Portable Air Conditioner with...
Amana AMAP101AD Portable Air Conditioner with...
(165)
$468.97
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Summary

The Amana AMAP101AD portable AC unit is not much different from the ones already reviewed. The most important difference is that it has a higher cooling capacity – 10,000 BTUs (ASHRAE-128) or 6,500 BTUs (DOE 2017).

The area capacity of this AC is also higher – it can cool rooms sized up to 250 square feet. Not only that, but it has an additional feature – the swing mode that allows the AC exhaust to oscillate.

The features we’ve seen in the 8k models are here as well, including the fan and dehumidifiermodes. And you can again program the temperature, running time, and fan speed.

The dehumidifier mode here is promised to deliver up to 5 pints per hour of dehumidification, which suggests a whopping up to 120 pints per day! This is much more than in most other AC units on our list.

And while this AC has a higher capacity than the previous 3 models, it isn’t much bigger – it’s sized at 14.2 x 16.9 x 28.7 inches (D x W x H). It’s sure a little bulkier, but not by much.

It’s also surprisingly light at 54 pounds, and it has casters to assist with transport. 54 pounds is still plenty though, especially if your pop-up camper has very limited cargo capacity.

  • Pros
  • Integrated caster wheels.
  • Can heat up to 250 square feet rooms.
  • Programmable settings with swing mode.
  • Pretty compact for its capacity.
  • Cons
  • On the heavier side.
5

Honeywell Compact Portable Air Conditioner
Honeywell Compact Portable Air Conditioner
(1497)
$469.99
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Save: $34.24 (17.14% OFF)
Summary

The MO10CES portable AC by Honeywell is a pretty nice option if you want a light and fairly compact unit.

This thing weighs just around 49 pounds, which would be light even for the 8k models we’ve reviewed earlier. Besides, it’s sized at just 13.5 x 14.6 x 27.7 inches (D x W x H) and has casters for more convenient transport.

The cooling capacity of the MO10CES AC unit is also remarkable. It is claimed to be able to cool up to 350 square feet, which is solid for its 10,000BTU ASHRAE and 5,500BTU DOE ratings.

This portable AC also has an auto evaporation feature that allows you to avoid manually draining the water in areas with lowhumidity. This system should be similar to whatEdgeStar AP8000W AC had, but it may not work everywhere.

In terms of functionality, the MO10CES AC is similar to the models overviewed so far – it again has 3 operation modes, as well as allows you to set a timer, adjust the temperature, and go to the 10-hour sleep mode. Its dehumidifying mode is also very nice – 61 pints of daily capacity is no joke!

However, the MO10CES portable AC doesn’t have a swing mode, which may be a big downside for some people.

  • Pros
  • 350 square feet coverage.
  • Integrated auto evaporation system.
  • Built-in casters.
  • Weighs just 49 pounds.
  • Not too bulky.
  • Cons
  • No swing mode unlike other 10k models.
6

Midea MPF10CR81-E Portable Air Conditioner...
Midea MPF10CR81-E Portable Air Conditioner...
(73)
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Summary

If you want a portable AC unit that provides flexibility in adjustment, then the MPF10CR81-E air conditioner may be the right option.

The key feature of this air conditioner is that it is available in a Wi-Fi-enabled variant. Wi-Fi connection allows you to adjust and monitor the AC from your mobile device basically anywhere from your house.

In terms of functionality, this portable air conditioner is similar to the Amana AMAP101AD AC unit. Both have the oscillation mode, as well as cooling, dehumidifier, and fan modes along with temperature and timer settings.

The cooling coverage of the MIDEA air conditioner isn’t too remarkable though – this thing is claimed to easily cool up to just 150 square feet rooms. Given the 10,000/5,500BTU cooling capacity, you’d expect more from this thing.

The MIDEA portable air conditioner is heavy and bulky as well – weighing around 65 pounds and sized at 17.1 x 13 x 29.1 inches (W x D x H), it won’t be the best option for very small pop-up campers.

  • Pros
  • Built-in casters.
  • Wide range of adjustment with swing mode.
  • Wi-Fi-enabled variant available.
  • Cons
  • Bulky and heavy.
  • Underwhelming cooling capacity.
7

Shinco 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner,...
Shinco 8,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner,...
(4735)
$239.99
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Save: $34.24 (17.14% OFF)
Summary

The SPF2-10C portable air conditioner by Shinco promises to cool spaces sized up to 300 – 450 square feet. Not only that, but it boasts 75 pints/day dehumidifying capacity, which is pretty solid.

Shinco also boasts the integrated self-evaporation system that’s designed to help you avoid frequent manual draining. This system probably won’t free you from manual draining entirely, but it should make your job a little easier.

In terms of functionality and programmability, this portable air conditioner doesn’t differ much from others – it likewise has adjustable fan speed, a 24-hour timer, a swing mode, and whatnot.

What you may particularly like about this unit though is that it’s pretty light – just 55 pounds. And the built-in casters should make the transport of this thing easy.

We can’t say good things about the size though – measuring 17.4 x 13.4 x 32 inches (W x D x H), this thing is wide and tall. It’s thusprobably not the best option for smaller pop-up campers.

  • Pros
  • Cools up to 300 – 450 square feet spaces.
  • Equipped with a self-evaporation system.
  • Built-in casters.
  • Cons
  • Tall and bulky.

14,000 BTU air conditioners

8

Sale Whynter ARC-14S 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable...
Whynter ARC-14S 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable...
(12203)
$499.00
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Save: $34.24 (17.14% OFF)
Summary

Want reliable performance? Well, the Whynter ARC-14S portable air conditioner should be a good option if you have space and cargo capacity for it.

Whynter boasts that this unit has received Consumer Report’s highest score in 2019. This certainly does tell that this portable AC lives up to the claims and expectations.

This 14,000BTU air conditioner is claimed to cool up to 500 square feet areas, and judging by Consumer Report’s roundup, it does deliver on the promise. 500 square feet of cooling area may be overkill for pop-up campers, but if you want reliable cooling throughout your entire camper, the ARC-14S may be just right.

The key to this AC’s secret is its dual-hose design, with one hose dedicated to taking in cold air from the outside and the other dedicated to evacuating warm air from the home. What the dual-hose design allows for is much higher cooling efficiency. We’ll go into more detail about dual-hose ACs in our buyer’s guide.

Whynter also writes that this air conditioner has a patented auto-drain system that continuously drains itself without user input. You may still drain the unit manually though if you find that its auto-draining feature doesn’t work well enough.

Another thing that the ARC-14C portable AC unit has is a carbon air filter. Compared to other filter types, this filter should be better at filtering air coming into the RV from outdoor pollutants and dust.

If the dehumidifier mode is also important for you, then know that the ARC-14C has a dehumidifying capacity of 101 pints a day. Aside from that, this air conditioner has adjustable fan speed and full thermostatic control.

If you have a small pop-up camper though, the ARC-14Ccertainly isn’t the best option – it weighs 80 pounds and is sized at 16 x 19 x 35.5 inches.

  • Pros
  • Cools up to 500 square feet rooms.
  • Drains itself automatically.
  • Efficiently deals with produced heat.
  • Effective carbon air filter.
  • Built-in casters.
  • Cons
  • Bulky and heavy.
9

Honeywell Home HL14CESWB Air Conditioner,...
Honeywell Home HL14CESWB Air Conditioner,...
(1988)
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Save: $34.24 (17.14% OFF)
Summary

Honeywell’s HL14CESWB portable air conditioner seems to have a little more oomph than the Whynter ARC-14C unit. Boasting 14,000/8,500BTU (ASHRAE-128/DOE+ 2017) cooling capacity, this AC unit is promised to cool areas up to 550 – 700 square feet.

The ARC-14C is overkill for many pop-up campers, and Honeywell’s AC model is such as well. This guy right here will probably be enough for even the biggest pop-up campers out there!

If you also want a high-capacity dehumidifier, then you’ll be glad to hear that the dehumidifying mode’scapacity in this AC is also great at 111 pints per day.

An auto evaporation system is here as well to allow you to waste less time on manual draining. In areas with high humidity though, expect to have to drain this thing manually.

In terms of programmability, the Honeywell portable AC is like many others on our list –it allows you to choose from 3 modes, as well as adjust the temperature, fan speed, and set a 24-hour timer. Nothing too remarkable.

Also, keep in mind that this thing is pretty bulky – sized at 18.9 x 20.5 x 18.2 inches, it’s short but wide and deep. Not only that, but it weighs 64 pounds, though it does have casters to assist with transport.

  • Pros
  • Cools up to 550 – 700 square feet rooms.
  • Auto evaporation function.
  • Built-in caster wheels.
  • Cons
  • Heavy and bulky.
10

hOmelabs 8,600 BTU Portable Air Conditioner -...
hOmelabs 8,600 BTU Portable Air Conditioner -...
(1477)
$509.97
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Summary

Finally, we have this portable air conditioner by hOmeLabs.

The first thing to catch the eye in this AC is its relatively small footprint – this thing is 30.7 inches tall – which is a lot – but it’s just 17.9 inches wide and 15 inches deep. It’s thusa little smaller than the Honeywell and Whynter 14k AC units.

On the other hand, keep in mind that this air conditioner does not have an auto evaporation function, so you will have to drain it manually.

Weighing 72.3 pounds, it’s also the second-heaviest AC unit on the list, though it does have casters for more convenient transport.

In terms of coverage though, the hOmeLabs air conditioner is on par with the Honeywell unit – both are claimed to cool up to 550 – 700 square feet areas.

Not only that, but this portable AC unit has an automatic swing function, a feature that was absent from the two other 14k units reviewed. It’s not a must-have feature, but it may be important for some people.

And other than that, you have the usual set of functions, including a 100 pint/day dehumidifier, fan & sleep modes, a timer, and temperature controls.

  • Pros
  • Cools up to 550 – 700 square feet areas.
  • Has an automatic swing function.
  • Not too bulky for what it is.
  • Built-in casters.
  • Cons
  • Heavy.
  • Doesn’t have an auto evaporation function.

Why Buy A Portable Air Conditioner For A Pop-Up Camper?

When it comes to air conditioners in RVs, probably most people opt for the roof-mounted AC units provided by the manufacturers by default.

On the other hand, we have portable air conditioners, a type of ACs that has been lately gaining popularity.

Which type of AC is better though? And why would you choose a portable AC over a regular RV AC for your pop-up camper?

Pros of portable air conditioners

The answer to the question above is the benefits of portable air conditioners:

  • Portable ACs can be used in RVs that aren’t compatible with roof-mounted ACs.This is the biggest benefit of portable ACs. Even if your pop-up camper isn’t compatible with any roof-mounted RV AC, you can use a portable AC in it for your cooling needs.
  • As suggested by their name, portable AC units can be moved around when needed. Roof-mounted RV air conditioners do not have this benefit – they are fixed in place and cannot be moved elsewhere.
  • Quick installation. Portable ACs are much quicker to install than roof-mounted ACs. Portable units come with window kits that you need to mount to one of your RVs windows. The installation of the window kit takes relatively little time.
  • Portable AC units are often less expensive than traditional roof-mounted RV ACs. If your RV is compatible with an RV AC but you simply don’t have the budget for one, then a portable AC is a good alternative.
  • Lower power requirements. While portable AC units require plenty of power, their power needs are lower than those of roof-mounted ACs. If you don’t have a powerful enough generator for a roof-mounted AC, then you can opt for a portable AC.
  • Lower weight. Portable air conditioners also tend to be lighter than roof-mounted units. The difference isn’t huge – we aren’t talking a two- or three-fold reduction – but if your pop-up camper has very limited cargo capacity, then even 10 or 20 pounds of weight reduction will be vital for you.

Cons of portable air conditioners

Portable air conditioners sure have some great benefits, but they also have big disadvantages that you must know about.Depending on your needs, these disadvantages may actually make traditional roof-mounted RV ACs more appealing to you.

  • Issues with heat evacuation. This is the biggest and most important downside of portable air conditioners to know about. In fact, it’s so important that we are going to cover it more in-depth a little later.

Located outside, roof-mounted air conditioners have a much easier time evacuating the hot air produced during operation. Conversely, portable air conditioners are designed to be placed inside. And since they often have limited means of air evacuation, heating becomes a concern with them.

And when an appliance that is designed to cool the room produces heat, it’s getting less efficient.

  • Lower cooling capacity.Portable air conditioners mostly have lower cooling capacity than roof-mounted units. Roof-mounted units are more efficient with heat, not to mention that they can be much bigger than portable AC units.
  • Space requirements.Mounted on the roof, an RV AC won’t require any floor area for installation. Portable air ACs don’t have this benefit – they are designed precisely to be mounted on the floor.

And while this implies flexibility in placement, it also means that you need to provide a portable AC unit with floor space.

The Heat Efficiency Of Portable AC Units

To understand what the heat efficiency issue in portable air conditioners is, we should first understand how air conditioners generally work.

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the air cooling process in air conditioners:

  1. The air conditioner intakes warm air from the room.
  2. The warm air flows over the cold & low-pressure evaporation coils. As this happens, the refrigerant inside the AC changes from liquid to gas, absorbing heat from the warm air and cooling it down.
  3. The cool air is blown back into the house.
  4. The refrigerant then needs to be converted back intoa liquid state so that it can cool down the next portion of warm air from the room. To do this, a compressor inside the AC unit puts the gas under high pressure. This process creates waste heat. The heat is evacuated from the air conditioner unit to the outside of the house via condenser coils and a fan.
  5. As the gaseous refrigerant cools down, it changes back into a liquid state and is ready to absorb heat from the warm inside air again.

The problem with portable air conditioners is that they aren’t as efficient with the 4th step, i.e. evacuating heat from the house.

A window or roof-mounted AC uses outside air to cool the coils, while a portable AC has to use conditioned air from the room to cool its components. Using air from the inside, portable AC units cause negative pressure inside the room. In turn, this negative pressure allows hot air from other rooms and outside to flow into the room that the AC is in.

There are a few portable AC units though that deal with this issue by employing two hoses – one totake in air from the outside for cooling and the other to evacuate the heat waste. We’ll overview dual-hose units a little later.

ASHRAE-128 vs DOE 2017 standard

Clearly, the decreased heat efficiency of portable air conditioners implies that wall and portable AC units’ efficiency cannot be tested with the same measures. Due to this, the US Department of Energy set forth new efficiency standards for portable ACs in 2016.

But according to Consumer Reports, while these standards are in force, they have yet to be finalized.

Previously, the ASHRAE-128 standard has been used to assess the efficiency of portable air conditioners. The testing procedures were the same as for window AC units.Thus, the old standard didn’t take into account the heat leakage problem of portable ACs.

The US DOE’s new standard does take this issue into account.

The adoption of the new standard has caused and continues to cause confusion among buyers. Both standards rate the cooling capacity of portable air conditioners in BTUs, but ASHRAE-128 ratings are usually higher than DOE ratings.

The reason for this is simple – as explained above, the DOE rating takes into account the increased heat production of portable air conditioners. And needless to say, if an air conditioner produces a certain amount of heat, it means that it’s cooling capacity is reduced by the amount of heat produced.

Manufacturers of portable air conditioners still use both ASHRAE-128 and DOE BTU ratings to market their products.However,they usually put ASHRAE-128 ratinginto their product namessince it gives a higher number.

But in the product description, they bring the DOE rating as well since it is required by the Department of Energy.And know that you should give preference to the DOE rating since it gives a better assessmentof the cooling capacity of a portable air conditioner.

However, keep in mind that you can’t directly compare window and portable ACs’ BTU ratings. As Consumer Reports writes, the Department of Energy’s tests for window ACs are more demanding than for portable units. An 8,000BTU window unit will deliver more cooling than an 8,000BTU portable unit.

Things To Look For In The Best Portable AC For Your Pop-Up Camper?

Now, the heat inefficiencies aside, how do you choose a good portable AC unit for your pop-up RV camper? Let’s have a look at the features that matter in them the most.

Cooling capacity

The cooling capacity of a portable AC unit is the most important thing to look for.The higher it is, the more effective an air conditioner will be, and the larger areas it will be able to cool.

The desired AC’s cooling capacity should correspond to the area that is to be cooled. There are plenty of BTU-to-room charts online that you may base your decision upon. One of them is this chart provided by

Energy Star:

Area (Square Feet) BTUs Needed
100 up to 150 5,000
150 up to 250 6,000
250 up to 300 7,000
300 up to 350 8,000
350 up to 400 9,000
400 up to 450 10,000
450 up to 550 12,000
550 up to 700 14,000
700 up to 1,000 18,000
1,000 up to 1,200 21,000
1,200 up to 1,400 23,000
1,400 up to 1,500 24,000
1,500 up to 2,000 30,000
2,000 up to 2,500 34,000

While this chart is made for room ACs, it should work for portable ACs as well. Unfortunately, there appear to be no similar charts made specifically for portable ACs.

Do make sure to follow the DOE 2017 ratings instead of the ASHRAE-128 ratings. We’ve already explained why the DOE 2017 rating is a more precise way of measuring a portable air conditioner’s cooling capacity.

And besides, you may add 1,000 – 2,000 BTUs on top of what is indicated in this chart. As mentioned above, portable AC units aren’t as efficient as window units even if they are rated the same.

Single-hose vs dual-hose ACs

We’ve overviewed one portable AC that had a dual-hose design. It was Whynter’s ARC-14S air conditioner. And thanks to its dual-hose design, this portable AC is way more efficient than single-hose units.

The purpose of a dual-hose unit is to solve the negative pressure problem we’ve talked about above.

Dual-hose units have two hoses:

  • One output hose to evacuate the heat coming from the refrigerant as it is condensed into a liquid state. This is the hose that single-hose units also have.
  • One intake hose whose purpose is to take air for cooling from the outside.

Dual-hose units are thus similar in operation to window ACs (and roof-mounted RV ACs for that matter). And since they take air for cooling from outside, they do not cause negative pressure, and warm air from the outside thus doesn’t rush into the space that you are trying to cool.

Thanks to this, dual-hose portable air conditioners are much more efficient than single-hose models.

With that said, dual-hose units are still rated by both ASHRAE-128 and DOE standards. And these ACs still aren’t as efficient as window units. However, with the same ASHRAE-128 rating, a dual-hose portable AC will probably have a noticeably higher DOE rating than a single-hose unit.

Auto condensate evaporation

When the refrigerant condenses (turns from gas to liquid), some moisture forms on the condenser coils. This moisture has to be removed from the AC somehow.

Many portable ACs rely on a drip pan for condensation removal. That is, with some portable units, you have to occasionally manually drain the drip pan from the fluid.

Newer and more expensive portable air conditioners often come with an auto condensate evaporation feature. If a portable air conditioner has such a feature, it will remove the condensate through the exhaust without you having to manually drain the drip pan.

In very humid areasthough, this feature will be less useful. This doesn’t mean that it’s pointless – you may still want to look for a portable AC with such a feature since it will make your life easier no matter how humid your area is.

Dehumidifier mode

Often, the humidity of the air is the thing that causes discomfort, not the high temperature itself. Due to this, a dehumidifier can also be a very useful appliance to have, especially in very humid areas.

Not only that, but in humid areas, the air conditioner may be unable to remove the condensation caused by the cooling process fast enough. This results in cold but wet air. This issue can be combatted by a dehumidifier.

The vast majority of portable air conditioners available out there has a dehumidifier mode.The capacity of the dehumidifier mode is measured by the amount of moisture (measured in pints) it can remove from the air in a given period, usually per day.

The right capacity will depend on the humidity and size of your area. Sylvane, a manufacturer of air treatment products, provides this chart for sizing a dehumidifier:

Humidity Square footage
300 500 700 1000 1500
50-60% 30 40-45 50 60 70
60-70% 30 40-45 50 60 70
70-85% 40 50 60 70 90
85-100% 40-45 50-60 60-70 70 90+

Programmable features

Consider what kind of features the desired portable AC comes with. Among the things to consider are:

  • Temperature controls to shut the AC off once the desired temperature is reached.
  • Timer to allow you to run the AC for a fixed amount of time and then shut off.
  • Sleep mode for quieter operation.
  • Swing mode for exhaust oscillation.
  • Fan speed controls.

These aren’t that important in ACs, but they can make your life a little bit easier.

Noise level

You may want to pay attention to how much noise the desired portable AC produces as well. The noise level is measured in dB. Needless to say, if you want a quiet AC, then look for one that has a lower dB rating.

Pay attention to how the manufacturer measures the noise level – some give the noise level at the max setting, while others at the lowest setting.

Dimensions

Remember that one of portable AC units’ downsides is that they need floor space?

Well, pop-up campers are smaller than other RV types, so you should pay careful attention to how much floor area you have and how large the desired AC is.

At first glance, it may seem that you just need to do some measurements and pick an AC that fits in them. But things aren’t quite as easy.

Portable air conditioners may be required to be placed at a certain distance from walls and other objects. What this means is that you should ensure that you have floor space not only for the AC unit itself but also for the clearings recommended by the manufacturer or maybe even required by law in your area.

Weight

Consider also the weight of the desired portable air conditioner. Pop-up campers are quite sturdy, but their capabilities are limited.

Every RV has a maximum cargo capacity that should not be exceeded. If you didn’t know, the cargo capacity limits may be due to the materials used in an RV, its suspension, or maybe some local laws and regulations.

You should make sure that the combined weight of everything in the camper – including passengers – stays within the cargo capacity of your camper. The same applies to your portable air conditioner.

Casters

Most portable air conditioner models out there have built-in casters. Only the lightest models won’t have them, but it’s a good feature to have no matter how light a portable AC is. Portable ACs don’t get as light as 20 or even 30 pounds, so every bit of assistance is welcome.

Final Words

Given the downsides of portable AC units, we’d say that you should go for an RV AC if your pop-up camper does work with it.

But since most pop-up campers don’t have the roof space for roof-mounted ACs, you probably have no other option than to opt for a portable unit.

If you do have to buy a portable AC, then make sure that it’s the best unit you can get. As explained above, portable ACs aren’t terribly efficient, so you should choose a unit that’s going to allow you to save as much money as possible. We suggest that you avoid cheap units and look for something more serious.

Related posts:

What are the Best RV Generators?
The 15 Best RV Patio Mats of 2020: Brand Buying Guide & Reviews
Humminbird Helix 5 Chirp GPS G3 Fish Finder Review
What Are The Must Have RV Kitchen Accessories?

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