How powerful should my caravan air conditioning system be?
The choice of air conditioner depends on the size of the area to be cooled. Larger motorhomes need a more powerful air conditioner or several units that are coordinated with each other.
If your living space that you want cooled is below 5m in length then choosing either the Aventa Compact or Saphir Compact is the right choice. Moving up to lengths of 5-7m, the Aventa Compact Plus and Saphir Comfort RC are the correct choice. For larger living areas then you can choose the Aventa comfort or combine two Aventa Compact/Saphir conditioners.
What cooling power can you expect?
The cooling power from a motorhome air conditioning system differs from that of a classic vehicle air conditioning system, which operates using the vehicle’s engine.
The air conditioning system for a motorhome ensures a much more comfortable climate by minimising heating indoors, improving the complete room climate through dehumidification and enabling undisturbed sleep with pleasant temperatures and quiet operation.
What effect do temperature and humidity have on my well-being?
A pleasant indoor climate is achieved by a combination of temperature and humidity: as the room air temperature increases, humidity should decrease. In other words, an air conditioning system should also lower humidity. The recommended conditions for a comfortable vehicle are temperatures from 18 – 24°C and 40 – 70% humidity.
The chart below, courtesy of Truma, shows the range in which the indoor climate is perceived as pleasant, with a temperature of 27°C and 65% relative humidity as an example. The comfort zone can be achieved with a compressor air conditioning system (dark blue arrow), but not with an evaporative system (light blue arrow).
How do I choose between a roof mounted air conditioner or a storage box air conditioner?
Roof-mounted air conditioning systems are especially quiet, light and powerful. They can be used in many different types of vehicle and can be installed quickly on the roof of your caravan or motor home and are very easy to retrofit. They don’t take up storage space. They also cool directly via the inside air distributor and the air outlets can be adjusted individually.
The storage box air conditioning systems are installed in the vehicle’s storage compartment, which means they are hidden from view and not blocking a vent or roof space. They have many options for distributing cool air through ducts to specific areas of the vehicle, such as to a room behind a closed door. They are lightweight and, because of the low centre of gravity, have a positive effect on the vehicle’s roadability. But the installation may be more time consuming.
Find the right Truma air conditioning system for you...
| Roof-mounted Air Conditioners | Storage box air conditioners | ||||
| Aventa Compact | Aventa Compact Plus | Aventa Comfort | Saphir Compact | Saphir Comfort RC | |
| Large living Area | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Small Installation Space | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Low power consumption | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Heating mode | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| LED Lighting | ✓ | ||||
| Price | £1495 | £1544 | £1440 | £1095 | £1345 |