MOTORHOME AIR CONDITIONERS

Redpara54

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I'me looking to purchase an Air Conditioner for my Motorhome but due to where it's parked under a Caravan /Motorhome Port the height is a problem. I wondered if anyone could help me in reccomending a low fitting unit that would be suitable to install on the roof of my Swift Bolero Low Liner Motorhome.
I need it so as I can use it efficiently in climates of France and possibly Spain and Portugal.
 
Whichever system you get make sure it can be re-gassed if necessary. Many are sealed units. Mine lost all cooling capacity and could not be re-gassed meaning £2000 to replace so had it removed and an extra rooflight put in its place.
 
Thanks for the advice, what system have you installed on your Motorhome to replace the previous one ?
 
Redpara54 said:
I'me looking to purchase an Air Conditioner for my Motorhome but due to where it's parked under a Caravan /Motorhome Port the height is a problem. I wondered if anyone could help me in reccomending a low fitting unit that would be suitable to install on the roof of my Swift Bolero Low Liner Motorhome.
I need it so as I can use it efficiently in climates of France and possibly Spain and Portugal.
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Rather than an air conditioner, have you thought of a 12amp large fan fitted to the ceiling. Someone did a thread about them not to long ago. My brother had one of these fitted to his camper in Australia and it worked perfectly in the hot weather.
Cheers. David
 
Roof top aircon , must be on good EHU to use , unless lots of solar and big battery capacity (for a short time) . I fitted a european waeco unit in place of one of the Coleman units on my American RV , as the Coleman used too much power for most european EHU . If clearance is a problem , it might pay you to fit a Dometic Freshwell inside unit . This would allow you the added benefit of being able to fit a Fantastic Fan or Maxxair fan in the roof aperture . These are very effective and I found that most of the time saved having to run an aircon .
 
Redpara54 said:
Thanks for the advice, what system have you installed on your Motorhome to replace the previous one ?
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As I said I replaced it with another rooflight- more light and just open for more air. As someone else said, you need ehu for air con, we don't go abroad and don't use sites with hook up in summer months.
 
Well I hadn't but i wouldn't rule one out, is it air conned or just fanned air, and does it install into most Motorhome vents ?
Also if you could direct me to the thread, that's if its stilll on this website so i can check out the brand etc...

Thanks
 
Ill give tgat some thought, any advice on a particular brand model, ive never seen this type of system and would need to have a look to see what's the best one to buy ?
 
There are a few to choose from, but you need to also consider low amperage/soft start features, as site on the continent can be low as 6+ amps, so you need to be looking at those types such as the Dometic Fresh-jet FJ2200 or Fresh-Light (which has a non-opening skylight), or the Kronnings as both use approx 4-5 amps and have soft-start.
 
OK thanks for your advice, i was informed by one person that be sure to look at reagssable units but have been told that all Caravan/Motorhome units do not contain gas, with this in mind does tge ones you mention neef re gassing ?

Regards

Alan
 
I will be upfront and say that I'm unsure about re-gas, I will check the units we keep here. I'm 90% sure the Dometic is a sealed unit (although I haven't personally had issues with these units and we've been doing Dometic/Waeco for a long time), as for the Kronnings, I'm really unsure as for us this unit is a new product. The reason we have taken a look at them is they have the same low current use as Dometic, but they are lower in height and a little lighter.
 
These may be great when on an EHU, but we’ve just spent a weekend about 50 yards from an rv running its generator to power the airconditioners. A bit like an eternal ice cream van ?
 
So thier noisy but efficient and low lying 220 cms in height from.a roof of a caravan/Motorhome, it's not that the noise bothers me if the efficiency is good, it's what other people on a site would think. Having said that what's the noise level and height on a Dometic, are they comparitable and as noisy or less noisy...?
 
Just back from a nice trip to France and I’ve came to the conclusion that the air conditioning unit fitted to our van is a brilliant piece of kit but only usable with a 240 hook up we spent a few nights without power and it was unbearable not having it you can’t hear it running from the outside but noisy on inside when running at full pelt I have a generator but it’s for emergencies I was very tempted to run it a couple of times. My unit is a truma and came fitted with van
 
Redpara54 said:
So thier noisy but efficient and low lying 220 cms in height from.a roof of a caravan/Motorhome, it's not that the noise bothers me if the efficiency is good, it's what other people on a site would think. Having said that what's the noise level and height on a Dometic, are they comparitable and as noisy or less noisy...?
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Take a look here for specifications for Dometic, you'll need to download the operational manuals:

RV Air Conditioners | Powerful, Quiet, Polished

Upgrade your RV comfort with smart design and powerful performance. Dometic Air Conditioners offer innovation, comfort, & sustainability wherever you roam.
www.dometic.com www.dometic.com

I believe the Kronnings is the same sort of figure.
 
Most aircons can be re gassed by using a bullet piercing add on valve . I know the American Coleman units can be .
The euro type aircons are a bit quieter externally than the US types , but that may just be down to them being smaller output . The Coleman on front (lounge) of my RV was 15,000 btu and the Waeco (bedroom) I fitted to replace another coleman was only 9000 btu but was adequate for bedroom as would be operated at cooler time (night) . HTSH
 
RV2MAX said:
Most aircons can be re gassed by using a bullet piercing add on valve . I know the American Coleman units can be .
The euro type aircons are a bit quieter externally than the US types , but that may just be down to them being smaller output . The Coleman on front (lounge) of my RV was 15,000 btu and the Waeco (bedroom) I fitted to replace another coleman was only 9000 btu but was adequate for bedroom as would be operated at cooler time (night) . HTSH
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I have to say that I have heard the same method used on the early Waeco B2200 units. I know there was a lot of hype regarding the pump seals being improved on the later Dometic FJ & FL units and (grabbing the wooden desk with all my might) not seen any issues with them de-gassing.
We stuck with Dometic's AC units as Dometic have supported even their older units for spares well, but give 3 year warranty on any of the new systems fitted at an approved DMC (Dometic Motorhome Centre).
Also (but not on the cheap side) they do a kit so the A/C can be used whilst driving along, but must stress it cannot be used when parked up and without either a hook-up or genny, as it would kill the leisure battery bank in no time at all. You can however use the inverter that is supplied in the kit for other items.

We will be spending a bit of time looking at the Kronings as a comparison (have two here in stock at the moment) and I believe it to be similar to that of what Webasto are offering on their portfolio. It looks a smart unit and uses slightly less amps on mains and a marginally quieter. Price comes out slightly cheaper than the Dometic and it does have a re-gas point (just stripped the unit to have a look at the product):

Kronings :: Aircondition

kronings.com kronings.com
 
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Are you a dealer in AC's as you've commented on your reply that6 you will be looking at the
Kronings model, and if so can you supply to customers interested in this particular brand..?​
 
Redpara54 said:
Are you a dealer in AC's as you've commented on your reply that6 you will be looking at the
Kronings model, and if so can you supply to customers interested in this particular brand..?
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For our sins yes, we supply and fit here. We are a Dometic DMC centre, which if we supply and install any Dometic product, you get 3 years warranty.

We looked into the Kronings product, as we are working closely with a very large leisure company in Europe, but Kronings have been one of the largest market share down under for a long time. It looks the part, it's built very well, the only concern I have at this stage is with the roof space of some vans, as the entry point to the van it right at the front of the unit, compared to Dometic's Fresh-Jet, where the entry point is central to the unit. This means the Kronings does have a bit of overhang at the rear, so it may not fit to most vans where there is a bit of roof space premium.

Most installations take about a day to complete and we include one night's stay at our site at Cornish Farm Touring Park to take the grief out of travelling to us.
 
If you look at the spec of my Motorhome a 2015 Swift 714 SB Low Liner design can you see if at all this.will fit my motorhome, if so give me a price inc installation and also whereabout's this campsite is you offer ?
 
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