When it comes to heating and cooling your home away from home, choosing the best caravan air conditioner makes a world of difference.
It makes your leisure time that much more comfortable allowing you to escape from the extreme temperatures raging outside. It’s important then that you make the right choice for your RV style and that the AC unit is fit for your needs.
There are many good units around on the market today so let’s take a look at what exactly are the best air conditioner units for camping vehicles around today in Australia.
What to consider when choosing the best caravan air conditioner
Type
Caravan air conditioners can be split into two main categories – rooftop units and built-in units. Both have their distinct advantages and disadvantages depending on the type of camping vehicle you on.
As with any other heavy-duty item for your RV, there are certain areas that you have to pay close attention to when searching for an AC unit. Most of the time, getting a traditional household unit is unnecessary as it will be too powerful for your needs and extremely inefficient to run.
Caravan AC units are designed with portable vehicles in mind and should be the primary focus of your search. When searching through the available options, you need to consider particular features such as:
· Rooftop units. As the name suggests, rooftop units are installed into a hatching in the roof of your caravan. They will come in either a 360mm or 400mm sizing so it’s important to ensure you measure the size before picking the right unit. These are great for caravans with insulated walls as they are easy to install and keep cool air inside at all times
· Built-in units. Built-in units are much better suited for vehicles that are uninsulated or have a pop-up design. This is because it reduces the overall weight load on the roof of the vehicle and are easy to install within a kitchen bench or fixed surface area.
Reverse cycle vs heating elements
When looking at the actual heating and cooling features of a cooler, it is worth seeing how it achieves the desired temperatures you want.
Most opt for reverse-cycling which uses a compressor to reverse the type of air going out of the blades – so hot air is moved outside when cooling and brought in when it is heating.
This is the more efficient way of cooling an area over a greater distance and maintaining a constant temperature inside your vehicle.
On the other hand, heating elements will use a heat exchange technique to cool a room and use a dedicated element to provide the heating function. This works quite well when in extreme temperature although relying on an element can limit the amount of heat spread out to a larger area.
Size
It’s important to pay close attention to the power of your AC unit as that will play a big part in the type of unit that can be used in your vehicle. The power is measured in kilowatts (kW) and gives a good indication of the performance you will get. Units are broken down into two main categories:
· 2-2.5kW – Any vehicle up to 5m long
· 3kW+ – Any vehicle up to 7m long.
Take these factors into consideration when looking at units before deciding whether a unit is suitable for the size of your caravan.
Installing Your AC unit
Installing a caravan AC unit is pretty straightforward as most will come with all the necessary tools and instructions for it to be done safely. However, it may be worth investing in some additional gear to make everything secure when installing the unit including:
· Adaptors. Some adaptors are necessary to mount the unit safely. For example, you will need a 400mm adapter for your roof if you are trying to fit a 360mm into the larger space for it to stay fixed into position. Other adapter styles can also be bought to give added support to the roof thickness giving them the ability to handle the weight and size of a unit and also keep the cooler air in.
· H-Frames. A great little accessory, H-Frames fit on the roof of your vehicle to give added stability to your vehicle and the accommodating AC unit. They are not mandatory but are a worthwhile investment should you have any doubts.
If you are looking to fit a dedicated split-system unit into your caravan, you will need to get professional help.
As some units will need refrigerated lines to produce cold air, you will need an AC technician to install this to your vehicle to meet all the necessary legal requirements. If you are also unsure of how to mount your AC Unit, many RV shops and workshops will also install a unit for you regardless of size or style.
Top AC Units available today
Dometic Harrier Plus Air Conditioner
Sweden’s Dometic are the top caravan air conditioner maker in the world and their Harrier Plus AC unit is an excellent appliance.
A 3kW reverse cycle unit, the Harrier Plus is as versatile as it comes fitting both 360 & 400mm hatchings and capable of cooling any vehicle up to 8m in length.
It can operate at various speeds due to the multi-level compressor meaning that it requires less power to run on and it’s extremely quiet when kept at lower speeds.
Weighing just 44kg, the Harrier Plus is extremely lightweight making it easy to install and it won’t have an overall impact on your caravan when you are towing it. There is also a dedicated sleep mode built into the remote allowing it to run quietly overnight and reducing compressor vibrations to keep it ticking over without keeping you up all night.
A great unit that meets all the needs you want regardless of the caravan type you own be it a Jayco or a Crusader.
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Houghton Belaire HB2400 Air Conditioner
If you own a small or medium-sized caravan, the Houghton Belaire HB2400 will suit your needs down to the ground. This 2.4kW reverse-cycle unit packs a lot of punch for its size fitting comfortably into any 360mm hatching in your roof.
It’s sleek and low profile means that you hardly notice it at the top of your vehicle and weighing in at just 32kg, it adds practically no extra weight to your set-up.
It can comfortably operate in any temperature up to 52C making it particularly durable all year round even if you decide for a bit of bush trekking in the mid-January sun.
The regular 110l/s of airflow also ensures that the cool air is always maintained at an even rate and that the temperature remains regulated whilst it is in operation. An excellent unit for any smaller caravan.
Final thoughts
When choosing the right caravan air conditioner, it’s worthwhile paying attention to a multitude of factors to ensure that you get the right unit.
You need to ensure that the type and size are right for your caravan type as it will severely impact the performance and cost of running the unit. It is also important to ensure that it is installed properly so that everything runs legally and without potentially damaging your caravan.
Brands such as Dometic and Houghton are always a trusted option to go with and that can make a big difference when choosing the right caravan air conditioner unit.
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