Running the AC with Cover on

Don't run the AC with the cover on. Even though the cover is vented, it would not allow sufficient air to get to the condenser coils in the outside part of the unit. That would mean that the unit could not get rid of the heat and it would probably cause the unit to fail. The evaporator coil that serves the inside unit does recycle the inside air, but the outside condenser coil needs unrestricted airflow to work.

The only way you might get it to work would be to build a frame to set on the roof of your R-Pod to support the cover well away from the AC cover and allow for unrestricted airflow.

Did we ever learn why anyone would want/need to run the AC with the cover on?

I assume he wanted to either exercise the A/C (which you should do monthly) or else he wanted to work inside it and it was too hot?

Originally posted by clickscrazy To work inside. It's Florida. It's physically impossible to work inside it with no Ac. I decided to just pull the cover back. There was a lot of hot air building up, and I think the Ac was not performing because of it.

That was probably the best move. I've seen covers for just the AC unit, but that would leave the rest of the roof unprotected. If you have the equipment, you could make a flap that you could open up when you want to work inside and close when you don't need the AC. You would need to have a really good heavy duty zipper or Velcro to hold it shut or just cut an opening to slide over the unit leaving it exposed and get the separate cover. Any of those options would be just about as much a pain in the neck as removing the cover since you would still need to get up on top to open or close such a flap or remove and install a separate cover.