Answer
Jul 26, 2025 - 05:19 PM
On some of the older RV air conditioners, especially the budget or entry-level models from the ‘70s, ‘80s, and even into the ‘90s, did not use thermostats in the way modern ones do.
🔧 Here's how they worked:-
No wall-mounted thermostat. The unit had manual controls — typically a rotary dial or push-button system right on the ceiling assembly.
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You’d select fan speed (Low/High/Auto) and cooling level (basically compressor on or off).
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The compressor would cycle based on an internal mechanical thermostat, often placed in a poorly calibrated spot near the intake — or in some cases, it wouldn’t cycle at all until you manually turned it off.
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Many ran the fan continuously — the compressor might kick on/off, but the fan just kept going unless you turned the whole unit off.
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