Exterior paint color question

[DeckArtist]

I am getting ready to have the exterior of my RV painted. With the aluminum skin does a darker color present a problem with heat transfer [enough to really notice]? I am recovering the roof with Henry's Tropicool this next spring.

 

[Martian]

Even on trailers the same laws of nature hold true. Dark colors in sunlight get a lot warmer than light colors. As you are in Texas that would surely apply. I would personally like to have a dark gray rig but will keep to my off-white as we do a lot of hot weather camping. A darker unit will make your air conditioner work harder. Does it have enough reserve to handle the extra load?

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Definitely. Darker colors absorb sunlight and converts it to heat. The heat has to dissipate somewhere, so some radiates toward the interior (resisted by whatever insulation may be present) and some of it radiates outward. Having owned a well-insulated black & gold motorhome, I can testify that the dark areas do make a difference in the sun.

 

[DeckArtist]

It's a brand new AC unit but the darker color is not that important. I will go lighter grey instead. Don't want to make it any hotter than it will be already.