Avan air conditioner
Submitted: Tuesday, Jun 09, 2009 at 21:14
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lindon
Hi there.
My wife and I are planning an "around Oz" trip and after much to'ing and fro'ing are about to place an order for a new Avan Cruiseliner 5. I am in 2 minds as to whether I should have air conditioning installed whilst the van is being built.
I have heard conflicting comments and would appreciate any
feedback out there.
I believe the unit (motor) has to be installed in the interior of the van, hence taking up valuable storage space and that it's noisy when in use. I need to work out whether these factors outweigh the convenience of the comfort that the air con would provide.
Also - any thoughts on the installation of a solar panel?
Many Thanks.
Don.
Reply By: Roughasguts - Tuesday, Jun 09, 2009 at 22:11
Tuesday, Jun 09, 2009 at 22:11
Yeah the heron 2.2 is noisy but it's not so much the A/c unit that is noisy it's the fan. And yup even on the lowest fan setting it's distracting.
Got to remember the Heron is not reverse cycle it has a heating element for the heat setting. So you could buy a 20 dollar heater, if heating is all you need.
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Reply By: Motherhen - Tuesday, Jun 09, 2009 at 23:21
Tuesday, Jun 09, 2009 at 23:21
Hi Don
We haven't used our air conditioner many times, but have really welcomed it in very hot weather. A caravan can heat up very quickly, and i suffer from the heat. We have the roof top Dometic Cal 126, which runs from a Honda 2eui genny. It isn't very noisy, and being roof top takes no space from the interior of the van. We haven't tried the heating element. If i was getting a van built from new, i would consider a diesel heater (like Webasto) with dual vents (one to bathroom - ideal as a clothes drier in wet weather). They are expensive.
Solar power was one of my very top priorities when looking for a caravan. Even with the previous wind-up camper, we bought a solar panel, battery and controller and used the panel as a portable when we stopped. Present van has four panels and four batteries. Heaps of power for our needs. Silent and always there (almost - unless in prolonged dense cloudy weather).
Motherhen
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