which air conditioning

[matt34]

I'm thinking about maybe getting air con in my motorhome, Do i get the roof mounted version or portable ones ? Or do i keep a my heski and carry on using fans in the van? we only do a month in france a year and the rest in uk, any thoughs pro's con's etc.

 

[tacr2man]

Aircons only work on site with EHU and if enough amps. Portable aircons non mains dont work . The mains portables are not viable in a normal size motorhome (weight and size) . I had a US RV with twin roof aircons , 99% of time i used the Fantastic Fan roof vents . When on sites running aircon is noisy for neighbours . HTSH

 

[EuroTrotters]

I have used all three.

1st Motorhome, carried a good quality Italian Mobile unit for use on EHU around the Med.

2nd Motorhome came with Dometic Roof A/C, I converted it to Run on my Inverter on the move. Did not usually need it as cab a/c was very efficient and we could close a rear door off. But when my Condenser went on the Merc chassis in Lyon @ 35c, it came in handy.

3rd Motorhome, did not need it.

Current motorhome has no cab A/C. So I fitted a Truma Saphir Ducted unit and use it on the move through a Victron inverter. Its okay and takes the edge off the extreme heat. When on Sites, we use it a lot. Keeping all blinds and window vents 90% closed. Very quiet too, unlike the Dometic roof version we had.

As well as using the Hab A/C via Inverter through Alternator/Solar on the move. I can also run on a gennie, even on the road.

Only thing I have had trouble with is Jobsworths claiming I am dripping grey water. One guy pointed it out to me and when I told him it wsa condensate, he scoffed and said "I dont think so". When I asked him what he knew about humidity he walked away. On the Cavaliere aire, some Italian bloke was pointing at the leak and made what I assumed to be mosquito noises. So I dug a small hole for the condensate to drain. I did not see him approach his Dutch neighbour who's waste tap was open.

Quite entertaining some times.

 

[The Wino]

I think if you are only going to use it for a short while every year and if you don't stay on ehu all the time its not worth it. Maybe figure out what its going to cost the likely extra value on trade in (probably not a lot) the likely time to change etc and come up with a cost per night if it is just a month a year or less it might make your mind up. That being said when it was sweltering in France the other year I would have paid a lot just for a couple of nights. Theres also the payload effect and loss of a rooflight if its a roof mounted one.

 

[matt34]

The portable one is not a household ones but the type that fit onto a window, I know you have to have ehu,
Having it on the move would bee good as we have no cab air con and the kids get hot.cheers for replies we have a 6 berth 7.3 m motorhome

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[The Wino]

The portable one is not a household ones but the type that fit onto a window, I know you have to have ehu,
Having it on the move would bee good as we have no cab air con and the kids get hot.cheers for replies we have a 6 berth 7.3 m motorhome

How are you going to have ehu on the move!

 

[matt34]

The guy above sid he has done it with an inverter ? The price is putting me off and would have to get a second hand unit but didnt know which one to get, I guess pros with roof one is space saving hot and cold but heavy and i loose light,other type i only take to hot places but loose space,perhaps i will just stick to fans.

 

[eddie]

Hard to give a definitive answer. We are lucky enough to have all of the options and use them all

We install Dometic Air Conditioning and Kronings roof mounted Air Condition units just for disclosure.

Last year in June, on holiday in France, we had temperatures in excess of 40 degrees and it was sweltering. When we were driving we used the dash air conditioning as well as the roof air conditioning as we have a built in generator which can be used when travelling

On site, when the temperatures are "normal" we often will use the three roof mounted Fantastic Fans rather than Air Con, again, sometimes with a floor standing 14" AC fan.

Normally when we are driving and the temperature isn't high thirties low forties we use the 14" mains fan on the floor for Shadow our dog, running it from the built in inverter.

So as I say, it is hard to say which is the "right" option.

I wouldn't bother with a freestanding unit as it is too much hassle and they create a lot of heat which you have to try to get rid off, which normally means and open door or window, and fans can be great, but Air Con is better when you have the power to use it.

Modern A/C units in the main are soft start and need about 5amp so not many campsite nowadays have an issue. Personally we simply check before booking in the hottest Summer months

 

[BillandHelen]

We have a Freshlight 2200 model, so keep the skylight when not using. As Eddie said, soft start so works on 5amp, used all over Spain and France.
We find it invaluable, great to cool down van before sleeping, we don’t keep it on overnight. Quiet in operation, faint hum externally, haven’t had any complaints from neighbours!
Bill

 

[AJM2]

I bought one of the AC2401 portable units for our annual 5 weeks in summer (EHU) in the south of France. I wasn't expecting to walk into a freezer, I just wanted something to reduce the internal temperature to comfortable levels if we were in the MH in the afternoon, or for sleeping at night. It's very quiet (I'd be hyper-sensitive to causing nuisance), very easy to set up (although I'd say it's a 2 person job) and has the added benefit of your investment not disappearing with the MH should you come to sell it. It does the job I bought it for and I'm pleased with it.

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[matt34]

We have a Freshlight 2200 model, so keep the skylight when not using. As Eddie said, soft start so works on 5amp, used all over Spain and France.
We find it invaluable, great to cool down van before sleeping, we don’t keep it on overnight. Quiet in operation, faint hum externally, haven’t had any complaints from neighbours!
Bill

the freshlight looks ideal cheers

 

[eddie]

Don't forget with the Freshlight the hole needs to be 70cm long by 40cm wide so can't be a drop in for a standard 40cm x 40cm roof vent

Which means that should you change the motorhome and wish to swap the Air Con (three year warranty from certain Dometic dealers) you can't simply replace the original vent.

There is a 70 cm x 40 cm vent made to deal with this but it is really costly option

Also the white fades to yellow quite quickly on the Freshlight which upsets some people

 

[eddie]

Whilst on the subject of the Freshlight, which we have fitted on the Van Bitz exhibition unit which will be at the NEC if anyone wants to see one fitted, I wish that they'd have designed the thing properly and made the roof light actually open!

The number of people that assume that it does, and then get upset that it is just a clear panel, not an opening roof light.

 

[sallylillian]

Whilst on the subject of the Freshlight, which we have fitted on the Van Bitz exhibition unit which will be at the NEC if anyone wants to see one fitted, I wish that they'd have designed the thing properly and made the roof light actually open!

The number of people that assume that it does, and then get upset that it is just a clear panel, not an opening roof light.

Eddie I had 2 of the Freshlights fitted from the Morelo secret price list. I deliberately eliminated the standard Hekis and the Freshlights occupied that roof space. We did this because of the heat issues from the Hekis we had on the Flair. It was often catch 22, leave the vent open and get all sorts of crap drop in and still need to put the black out blind across to reduce heat transmission. When I realised that the Freshlight did not open I was a bit concerned but Sally and I discussed our use and realised that it was no big deal. Indeed there were several advantages. The glass is much higher and provides a borrowed light and we found that we did not need to use the blackout blind anywhere as much. Unusually the Freshlight has a fan assisted vent which can be selected and therefore provide added forced ventilation in conjunction with our Fantastic vents on inverter with minimal drain. So it is my belief that as a product they have much to be admired in day to day use. But of course that is based on our use and need.
Michael

 

[BillandHelen]

Michael, we did the same, freshlight replaced a heki, also we got ours colour coded to the colour of our IH panel van so no yellowing over time!! Would be great if it also opened.
Bill

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[eddie]

I agree that it is a good product and we sell quite a few of them, but pound for pound the much newer FreshJet is a much better unit in our opinion

Having said that, we fitted the Freshlight on the exhibition unit as we wanted the natural light!

 

[eddie]

Michael, we did the same, freshlight replaced a heki, also we got ours colour coded to the colour of our IH panel van so no yellowing over time!! Would be great if it also opened.
Bill

Which is of course the simple solution as it looks great

We are also always on the lookout for customers with pale yellow vans

 

[sallylillian]

Which is of course the simple solution as it looks great

We are also always on the lookout for customers with pale yellow vans

Buy a Morelo you get the roof bulwark which hides virtually everything up there.

 

[BillandHelen]

Buy a Morelo you get the roof bulwark which hides virtually everything up there.

Sorry to go off topic, I remember parking my IH beside Stewart W’s Morelo and thinking I should have asked him to clean my roof from his lounge window!!
Bill

 

[TCG]

our freshlight started to yellow last year. i contacted Dometic dealer and was given a cost (thought it was a telephone number ) to replace the outer casing, it is only held on by 4 push in plugs.. in the end i removed the casing and had it sprayed white and replaced the graphics, have to say its looks as good as new

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[BillandHelen]

Here’s ours, colour coded along with the electric awning , shame about the Ariel!!
Bill