Caravan air conditoning

Have a look at this on the caravan forum, another option.link

Hi Peter and Gwen, not having a roof top A/C, but from talk it is not the best way to go, weight etc etc. But there is ways to put and A/C in your van and probably a lot cheaper. Buy a split system A/C from your local aircon dealer, have the A/C put on your a frame and plumb the head unit into your van. Now you can have the unit on the back of your van, like where the spare wheel goes. Ask on one of the caravan sites and I am sure you will get many reply's about the split systems.

Cheers Bruce.

We had the Ibis A/c on our new van, worst decision we have ever made.
It is so noisy that we have to turn it off at night and resort to a small table fan!
I know all rooftop a/cs can be a bit noisy but this one is a joke.
As the compressor builds up pressure it drones and the noise when it cuts back in is like a big thump on the roof!
When it dies ,which more than likely wont be that long! I will retro fit an inverter domestic unit and be done with the thing.
There is a guy on the caravanners forum that has a small inverter domestic unit on a Future sytem van and it uses so little power he can run it from his batteries and solar system on low! (via a 12v 240v inverter) or easily from a 1kv Yamaha genny, try that with an Ibis!

Brian

Installation of a fairly standard roof air or aircommand split will set you back about $2500.00, possibly up to $2800.00.
Install a small split room A/C and this will set you back about $400.00 plus install.and it will work better and much quieter. Roof air is very noisy, much noisier than the aircommand split.
If the roof model is on a poptop then install may be extra. And much harder to push up. 40 plus Kg extra.

Hi Peter/Gwen - I would agree with teh split system suggestuion.

We have the Dometec roof mount, and the pipes of the evaporator unit have cracked on 2 occasions.
The first time cost me $1,200. This time, it started to look like a similar bill, as the evaporator itself cost $600 - so I am having a friend looking at an alternate solution. (nb new cost is aprox $2000)

Anyway - I have noticed small split systems cost around $400 - complete. At that price you could afford 5 complete failures of the split system.

I know many vaners who have gone this way...........Keith.

GWezza - be aware that whilst many claim to have fitted household invertor split systems there is not one single caravan manufacturer (well to my knowledge!) that will even reccomend , let alone fit one, to a new van.
Does that tell you anything?
I have a roof top air- con on my van - (dometic) and yes it is noisier than invertor type, but do you really need an air con going all night?? Even the invertor type would annoy the bleep out of anyone in close proximity as the noise they produce is external to the van.

Hi ..

I have had an Air command Wren roof top on my Jayco since 1999 & it works well. The only problems were DIY fixes - internal fan air guide came loose & mounts on the external fan deteriorated & were replaced by home made ones.

As to noise .. Yes it is a little noisy but just like at home we turn off aircon while sleeping as much as in consideration of neighbours as anything else & we use a small personal fan in the van & ceiling fans at home .. if necessary.

Assuming it is a full van & not pop top a good manufacturer like Future Systems has probably installed the essential H frame & wiring during manufacture. Otherwise the install job will be far more complex & expensive. For pop tops a split system might be better, but then space might be an issue on a 16' van.

I have no experience with using domestic units on vans but would tend to agree with a previous post & would talk to lots of others who have, before taking that track.

Whatever you decide .. make sure that the final job does not detract from the resale value of the unit .. A Future System (quality) van deserves a professional job .. in my view.

cheers .. & good luck .. Graham

I fitted a fully ducted reverse cycle climaster (dometic) under seat unit to my van, from memory about 2.5k.

Its purpose built, ran hoses thru cupboards so lost a bit of space but nothing major.

We find it great, heats a beauty too, runs from genny, not too noisy.

My only winge would be that if the fan would cut out n in with the compressor would be better, fan runs all time unit on, but could prob retro with a relay.

Also its never noticed on sites so dont cop the unnecessary extra a/c charges now going round.