portable aircons in caravans

lyn-n-ken · Senior Member

portable aircons in caravans

CARAVANgio · Member

hello Lyn,
I have the same dilemma with the same sort of van.
I am just about to investigate a couple of possibilities.
I know you can buy those small square air cons that will fit under one of the seats (you need to put a grill to the outside for the hot air) but they are around $2000 and for me as a beginner vanner - that is too expensive. But you might be okay with that .
here's a link to one I just found on ebay : www.ebay.com.au/itm/like/111231872085
they are called an Aircommand heron 2

the other possibility is one of those free-standing air cons from places like 'Hardly Normals' - here's one I just found at Bunnings www.bunnings.com.au/heller-15000btu-portable-air-conditioner-with-timer-remote-_p4441282 I presume you still would need some sort of a tube to push the hot air to the outside --- I think I'll be going with something like this one - i only spent $8k on this first van and I don't want to overspend on it... if I decide I like going on van holidays I will try and save up for a better van over the next couple of years..

anyway-- I hope this helps

cheers
Caravangio!

brian · Guru

Are you talking about an evaporative cooler or a portable refrigerated unit?

Evaporative coolers circulate water over an absorbent membrane, air drawn over this membrane causes some of the water to evaporate, taking some of the heat in the water with it. This leaves the remaining water cooler, which then cools the air being drawn over it.

The problem with this system is that, for a portable unit in an enclosed space, the evaporated water increases the inside humidity and condenses out onto cooler surfaces in the van.

Not a great problem where the climate is dry, but not good if humidity is already high.

A portable refrigerated unit cools the air by a normal refigeration process which is simply an exchange of heat from one part to another. That heat then needs to be expelled outside of the space being cooled and so requires the exhaust of the unit to be ducted to outside.

If you can manage this then the refrigerated unit will do a better job as its coefficient of performance is far higher than the evaporative type and it works very well in humid conditions as it also extracts moisture from the air. This moisture is normally collected in the machine to be emptied manually by you.

exa41 · Guru

Hi guys , yep I have a Digilex portable aircon , both heat and cool and works great , not sure of the Db rating but its reasonably quiet .
I used it quite a bit in winter when I was renoing the camper and worked a treat . Size is about 320mm wide x 350mm deep x 800 high , bought it almost brand new off Ebay for $130.
All I did on the waste air was to make a small insert to fit in the sliding window with the outlet in it.

Bunkerbob · Senior Member

I have just replaced my Ibis Aircon for another Ibis Aircon but it was $2500 but works beautifully. As a truckie I have a small portable Evaporative Air conditioner called a Rapid Cool. They advertise in most truckingmags and cost about $300. 12 Volt to a cig lighter and is very ggod. I have slept in a Kenworth during the day with that as the only cooling and slept well. Will repost a phone number when I find it.

Bunkerbob · Senior Member

try the link www.transcool.info Sorry but couldn't make the link live but it is a simple website to type in

lyn-n-ken · Senior Member

Hi Guys,
was only thinking cooling (have a small blow heater for heating it works a treat) aircon not evap, seen a cute dimplex one at joyce maine the hot air vent comes out of the top instead of down low on back so could run the pipe up the wall and out the poptop window would use less space as it goes straight up its a bit smaller than the others i'v seen its $600 . The built in ones are realy expensive
caravan gio hubby thought hardle normals was realy funny
exa my brother just bought a bus and is going to do it out he's thinking of putting one in it
lyn

exa41 · Guru

most of them are reasonable , google reviews when ever you thinking of buying,

hako · Guru

You could always instal a household wall A/C under the seats - I've done this is our Avan Cruiser which is 12ft inside. Brand new with 2 year warranty they are about $350 - fit it yourself. I added a hatch to allow the hot air out which costs another $150. The aircon can easily be removed in winter to save weight. I have the fitting instructions in a PDF file which I can forward - PM me your email address if interested.
Problem I see with the portable aircons is that they must be stored somewhere when travelling and then setup each time they are used. Not sure how much noise they make.
Regards.

bill12 · Guru

I went another way. I had a spare small box aircon , and fitted it to the back of myslide on. Its about 7000btu, and if anything, gets too cold!I ran it off the genny and it went down to 18.5c,which is cold for up here in NQ.I think I paid $50 for the little aircon.You certainly need it at times up here .Bill

CARAVANgio · Member

good one Hako- I've just sent you a PM with my email
hope you can send me that PDF -
cheers
Caravangio

-- Edited by CARAVANgio on Friday 20th of December 2013 08:14:08 AM

hako · Guru

Anyone else wants the PDF just PM me.
Regards

Denis

Ontos45 · Guru

We have a 240VAC Daijitsu Portable Aircon which I fitted to our 21Ft van. It needs an output vent to outside of van to remove hot air, about 6" dia. I then mounted an air vent over the external hole.
Works ok, better in your smaller van I reckon and I can sleep with it and I'm a light sleeper.

DeBe · Guru

This is a Mistral port A/C I repaired recently. They are not that efficient as they are pinching your cold air with the bottom fan & pushing it through the condencer & out the vent pipe to the outside. This also means it is dragging in hot air from out side for the unit to re cool. I certainly wouldn't use one. Mistral AC 5.JPG Mistral AC 3.JPG Mistral AC 1.JPG

DeBe · Guru

This is what I use in a Millard pop top van & if the outside is over 40C it will keep the inside at 22C easy as it cycles at those temps. VAN AC.3.JPG VAN AC.2.JPG VAN AC.1.JPG

CARAVANgio · Member

Ontos45 wrote:
We have a 240VAC Daijitsu Portable Aircon which I fitted to our 21Ft van. It needs an output vent to outside of van to remove hot air, about 6" dia. I then mounted an air vent over the external hole.
Works ok, better in your smaller van I reckon and I can sleep with it and I'm a light sleeper.

Hi Ontos45,

would it be possible for you to give us a model number for this unit.

I'm having trouble finding a unit that is a max of 300mm high-- so that it will fit under the dining seat.

most of the 'house units' I have found are just under 400 mm high.

anyone else know of a reasonably cheap model - cooling only is fine -- that is under 300mm high?

thanks
Caravangio