Portable mains air con unit (2 Viewers)

Jul 18, 2009
11,189
17,843
Manchester UK + Javea/Xabia Spain + Abu Dhabi
Funster No
7,543
MH
HYMER B644
Exp
2004
Working in the Oman at a very hot concrete airfield, I found it better to avoid the aircon, used to sit under the aircraft fuselage as the constant desert breeze and the shade helped. Used to constantly drink water but never felt sweaty. The water was just blowing away from me. Going in and out of the aircon seemed to make you more prone to heatstroke.
Our Daughters live in Abu Dhabi. One is with us but flies back tomorrow. She is dreading the summer heat.
 
Apr 14, 2022
292
530
Carvoeiro, Portugal
Funster No
88,080
MH
Bavaria T71LP
Exp
50 years of boating, just one on motorhomes.
I went for the Mestic unit as it advertised a higher power output for similar cost. Currently sitting in Sicily where its 35degrees. It works, but certainly does not make the van 'ice cold' but changes the inside from 'impossible' to 'warm'. It is not very noisy and, as I need to sit here and get some computer work done its OK. You really need to be sitting in front of it though. Fairly heavy and a two person job to fit. I put a table under the window first so you can easily pass the inside part in before hanging the outside part. Make sure you have water draining to outside, it is remarkable how much it creates. I had to make up some tie wraps to keep the window closed and SWIMBO complains that it is not possible to lock the window when it is installed. Trick is to switch it on when you first wake up and leave it on, once you have allowed the inside of the van to get really hot it struggles to cool it down.

mestic.jpg
 

Djenks

Free Member
Feb 20, 2017
39
71
Prestbury
Funster No
47,405
MH
Hymer Exsis t 564
Exp
2017
Our Daughters live in Abu Dhabi. One is with us but flies back tomorrow. She is dreading the summer heat.
I can relate with that. I have lived and worked in all the Middle East countries at one time or another and the fact is 45 plus degrees centigrade throughout June, July and even August is not fun. That is why most Middle East countries have legislation limiting the amount of time that workers can spend working outside during the Summer. My wife would take the children back to Europe every summer and you only have to look at the high cost of flights immediately after the schools break up to realise that plenty of others do the same.

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Swifter

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 28, 2020
3,912
9,039
Herefordshire, UK
Funster No
73,605
MH
C Class
Exp
Since 2019
I went for the Mestic unit as it advertised a higher power output for similar cost. Currently sitting in Sicily where its 35degrees. It works, but certainly does not make the van 'ice cold' but changes the inside from 'impossible' to 'warm'. It is not very noisy and, as I need to sit here and get some computer work done its OK. You really need to be sitting in front of it though. Fairly heavy and a two person job to fit. I put a table under the window first so you can easily pass the inside part in before hanging the outside part. Make sure you have water draining to outside, it is remarkable how much it creates. I had to make up some tie wraps to keep the window closed and SWIMBO complains that it is not possible to lock the window when it is installed. Trick is to switch it on when you first wake up and leave it on, once you have allowed the inside of the van to get really hot it struggles to cool it down.

View attachment 635074
Iā€™ve not seen this one before . Looks good
 
Sep 22, 2020
71
52
Beaumont-cum-Moze
Funster No
76,163
MH
Autosleeper Burford
Exp
A class American RVs and C class over 50 years
Is anyone using a plug in portable air con unit in their van when on hook up - what are pros and cons of carrying such a unit apart from the weight and any recommendations
You have answered your own question Weight and Size.I bought one to keep my German Shepherd cool worked very well but to heavy to move and store.
 

Puddleduck

LIFE MEMBER
Jan 15, 2014
12,385
43,992
Scottish Borders
Funster No
29,703
MH
Without at present
Exp
On and off for many years.
We have one which does work and is quite small but I think you would get just as good cooling by running a fan (fan heater but no heat, fan only) with the air flow over a tub of cold water or ice.

There is less chance of things getting tipped over with the AC unit.

Oh and if you want a nice smell add a few drops of essential oil but be careful not to spill the oil on anything as it can damage things.

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Apr 14, 2022
292
530
Carvoeiro, Portugal
Funster No
88,080
MH
Bavaria T71LP
Exp
50 years of boating, just one on motorhomes.
To add some further experience. Currently we are in Sicily and the temperature outside is 38 degrees. Inside with the Mestic on its about 28 However, sit right by the unit and its a very sensible cold breeze so possible. Trick seems to be to get enough air moving around the camper. However, leave it on over night and it makes sleeping very comfortable which would be very difficult without, not only because of the temperature but the very high humidity.

First time I have really used it in anger so it has been continuously running for 48 hours now. I will report back when we finally switch it off which I am guessing will be in four days time!
 

Swifter

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 28, 2020
3,912
9,039
Herefordshire, UK
Funster No
73,605
MH
C Class
Exp
Since 2019
I recently bought a new Eurom AC2401 unit online from a dealer in mainland Europe (KIIP). It arrived well packed within 3 days of order and cost a total Ā£470 (including packing, shipping, etc) which is considerably cheaper than I could find in the UK. It is heavier than it looks but it works very well.
racerdave tagging you so you can see the Ā£470 price šŸ‘šŸ»
 
Aug 20, 2020
946
5,397
Cheshire
Funster No
74,740
MH
Lunar Home Car P59
Exp
I'm a newbie
Aug 20, 2020
946
5,397
Cheshire
Funster No
74,740
MH
Lunar Home Car P59
Exp
I'm a newbie
some nice hot weather coming up so I will update with our experience over the weekend.
If it gets really hot post it down to me and I'll try it out for you

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Nov 14, 2018
1,050
2,409
Europe
Funster No
57,224
MH
Just sold
Exp
since 1996
Always has a Dometic on the roof of all our MHs. Ours only runs on mains but happy with that. Most of our trips over the years have been Italy, Croatia, Greece etc in summer months, so we find it a blessing at night. We don't sit inside at all when the weather allows but its nice to cool down sometimes.
 

Swifter

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 28, 2020
3,912
9,039
Herefordshire, UK
Funster No
73,605
MH
C Class
Exp
Since 2019
Always has a Dometic on the roof of all our MHs. Ours only runs on mains but happy with that.
It wonā€™t only run on mains if you get a decent lithium bank and inverter and a big solar array to top you up šŸ‘šŸ»

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Jul 6, 2009
1,798
2,222
Funster No
7,383
We have 700 watts of Solar a Victron 12/2000/80 inverter charger and 2 x 100 amp lithium batteries. Not cheap but we can run our Dometic Freshjet 2200 roof air for several hours. The trick is not to try and turn the van into a fridge. We set it at 20c when we were in France it was 38c at times so made us comfortable.
 

Swifter

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 28, 2020
3,912
9,039
Herefordshire, UK
Funster No
73,605
MH
C Class
Exp
Since 2019
Anyone struggling to keep cool tonight?
We have managed to achieve a nice cool temperature inside at the front area but itā€™s not exactly the best view šŸ˜†.
Sitting outside now. hab area will be nice and cool for bedtime hopefully. Next weekend even hotter . Heatwave set for the next 30 days ( Daily Mail said so šŸ˜†

5E987A54-4E86-4EC7-96AE-432AD5C7A162.jpeg
CB66C595-1B91-420E-BEE0-EA1D37F3CF28.jpeg
7EA6FE9F-DAB6-4E7D-A4FA-7063D71C3852.jpeg
2A86137D-794D-4194-9B4E-4AA5A1775ED6.jpeg
F5AAD0AA-84FB-4EA2-8BE7-3177412FF1CB.jpeg
 
Apr 14, 2022
292
530
Carvoeiro, Portugal
Funster No
88,080
MH
Bavaria T71LP
Exp
50 years of boating, just one on motorhomes.
To add some further experience. Currently we are in Sicily and the temperature outside is 38 degrees. Inside with the Mestic on its about 28 However, sit right by the unit and its a very sensible cold breeze so possible. Trick seems to be to get enough air moving around the camper. However, leave it on over night and it makes sleeping very comfortable which would be very difficult without, not only because of the temperature but the very high humidity.

First time I have really used it in anger so it has been continuously running for 48 hours now. I will report back when we finally switch it off which I am guessing will be in four days time!
I can report it behaved perfectly with a record 180 hours continuous use :)

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Nov 9, 2022
69
85
Whitestone, Hereford, UK
Funster No
92,364
MH
Knaus 650 MEG
Exp
2006
I went for the Mestic unit as it advertised a higher power output for similar cost. Currently sitting in Sicily where its 35degrees. It works, but certainly does not make the van 'ice cold' but changes the inside from 'impossible' to 'warm'. It is not very noisy and, as I need to sit here and get some computer work done its OK. You really need to be sitting in front of it though. Fairly heavy and a two person job to fit. I put a table under the window first so you can easily pass the inside part in before hanging the outside part. Make sure you have water draining to outside, it is remarkable how much it creates. I had to make up some tie wraps to keep the window closed and SWIMBO complains that it is not possible to lock the window when it is installed. Trick is to switch it on when you first wake up and leave it on, once you have allowed the inside of the van to get really hot it struggles to cool it down.

View attachment 635074
Thanks for the information and the pictures, is that the SPA3000 or the 5000 David
 
Apr 14, 2022
292
530
Carvoeiro, Portugal
Funster No
88,080
MH
Bavaria T71LP
Exp
50 years of boating, just one on motorhomes.
It is an SPA3000.

It works well but we decided to have a permanently fitted one after using it, mainly because we realized how much we needed it.
 
Nov 9, 2022
69
85
Whitestone, Hereford, UK
Funster No
92,364
MH
Knaus 650 MEG
Exp
2006
It is an SPA3000.

It works well but we decided to have a permanently fitted one after using it, mainly because we realized how much we needed it.
Many thanks, I suspect that we will end up doing the same, just want to get something whilst we wait to get one permanently installed.

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Apr 14, 2022
292
530
Carvoeiro, Portugal
Funster No
88,080
MH
Bavaria T71LP
Exp
50 years of boating, just one on motorhomes.
That was our approach, we were going to Sicily in August so I needed something 'now'. It also proved that we needed one fitted :) Its been brilliant from another perspective in that the motorhome is parked in out garden and we have used it a lot for visiting friends and family, without the fitted aircon that would be impossible here.
 
Nov 8, 2019
393
3,126
Surrey
Funster No
66,685
MH
A Class
Exp
Since 2017
Anyone struggling to keep cool tonight?
We have managed to achieve a nice cool temperature inside at the front area but itā€™s not exactly the best view šŸ˜†.
Sitting outside now. hab area will be nice and cool for bedtime hopefully. Next weekend even hotter . Heatwave set for the next 30 days ( Daily Mail said so šŸ˜†

View attachment 639596View attachment 639597View attachment 639599View attachment 639600View attachment 639601
Had 34c here in SW France on Weds and our unit like that did a similarly good job. Not ice cool but lovely to come into after a day outside
 

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