12v Aircon

[Gavin and Bigi]

Can somebody recommend a 12v Aircon for a 6m campervan. A rooftop one I guess.

 

[Teithwr]

Just got a Zero Breeze 3 with two batteries, What's the best positioning for these, I was going to put the exhaust pipe through the driver's window and put the unit between the seats.

The set up shows it installed with an input pipe and an exhaust pipe both to the outside (plus s adrain pipe). I've always used domestic aircon units with just an exhaust pipe. Surely this would be bringing in outside air which is likely to be hotter than internal air once the unit has been running a while?

 

[Guigsy]

Just got a Zero Breeze 3 with two batteries, What's the best positioning for these, I was going to put the exhaust pipe through the driver's window and put the unit between the seats.

The set up shows it installed with an input pipe and an exhaust pipe both to the outside (plus s adrain pipe). I've always used domestic aircon units with just an exhaust pipe. Surely this would be bringing in outside air which is likely to be hotter than internal air once the unit has been running a while?

Efficient domestic have an input and an output for the heat exchanger side that just cycles outside air. The inside air is kept separate. If you just have an exhaust, then the unit must be pulling air into the room (or you'd have a vacuum). Presumably the outside air is hotter than the air already in the room. So it makes more sense to chill that air inside. Not needing to chill outside air is worth quite a chunk of efficiency.

I have no idea if the Zero Breeze has separate inputs for the heat exchanger and the chiller sides? Most portable units that are far bigger than the Zero Breeze don't manage it.

 

[peterseabrook]

Had a look at one of these £ 749 with battery. need to decide if we can do the ducting

https://uk.ecoflow.com/products/wave-3-portable-air-conditioner?variant=50942834671955

 

[Tombola]

Efficient domestic have an input and an output for the heat exchanger side that just cycles outside air. The inside air is kept separate. If you just have an exhaust, then the unit must be pulling air into the room (or you'd have a vacuum). Presumably the outside air is hotter than the air already in the room. So it makes more sense to chill that air inside. Not needing to chill outside air is worth quite a chunk of efficiency.

I have no idea if the Zero Breeze has separate inputs for the heat exchanger and the chiller sides? Most portable units that are far bigger than the Zero Breeze don't manage it.

sorry, are you saying the zero breeze can recirculate the cooled inside air too? Guigsy

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[Guigsy]

sorry, are you saying the zero breeze can recirculate the cooled inside air too? Guigsy

So all units circulate internal air. The difference is that I think the zero breeze has a dedicated external intake for the hot side of the heat exchanger. Whereas most cheaper portable units only have a single intake inside the vehicle that is then split the airs so some goes through the chiller for inside the van, and the rest goes over the hot side and pumped outside. They only have one outside hose. The reason this matters is that the air that's pumped outside has to be replaced from somewhere (or you'd have a vacuum chamber inside the van). So it's dragging fresh air in from outside... which is obviously going to be hot! So units that keep their internal and external air separate are more efficient (window units, or portable units with two outside hoses), because they're keeping the cool air inside and not trying to cool hot air from outside.

 

[Tombola]

So all units circulate internal air. The difference is that I think the zero breeze has a dedicated external intake for the hot side of the heat exchanger. Whereas most cheaper portable units only have a single intake inside the vehicle that is then split the airs so some goes through the chiller for inside the van, and the rest goes over the hot side and pumped outside. They only have one outside hose. The reason this matters is that the air that's pumped outside has to be replaced from somewhere (or you'd have a vacuum chamber inside the van). So it's dragging fresh air in from outside... which is obviously going to be hot! So units that keep their internal and external air separate are more efficient (window units, or portable units with two outside hoses), because they're keeping the cool air inside and not trying to cool hot air from outside.

great info, thanks