Some time ago, I upgraded to a programmable thermostat so that I could better control the furnace in cold weather. What I liked about it is that I could set a temperature for different times of the day, so go to bed in a warm rig, let it cool down overnight, and then get up to comfy temps.

It’s taken me a bit of time to realise that I can use the thermostat the same way with the air conditioner. Now, I don’t run the AC tons and I don’t need my home to be icy cold when it’s 50 billion degrees outside, but I work in here and need to concentrate. I have the machine, so why not use it?

We’ve been having an odd summer where it is very cool in the morning and then it gets to infernal temps in the afternoon. It’s such a gradual change that by the time I realise that I’m boiling, it’s 95 in the RV!

So I have my AC set to 85F, which is a good compromise for me between boiling and paying for tons of power. Most days, it never kicks on. But there are days like today where the AC kicks on and I realise that it really is getting warm. I get up, shut the door, windows, and roof hatches, and then let the AC do its thing.

The thermostat upgrade was one that has really paid off over the years. You should consider it if you spend any length of time in your RV!