we are having our new van built..... and Im sick of the noise of roof mounted units so am going with the split system
would be interesting to hear the thoughts of those with split domestic type aircon as to their experiences with them
we are getting a 23 foot van and hoping a 3.5k rev cycle inverter system will suit us.
thanks.lucas
Hi Lucas..after much research,and discussions with installers etc,I chose a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries 2.5kw system,bought from Good Guys for $700. Unit cannot be heard from inside van,and almost inaudible outside.Run my AC 24/7 off batteries,but in winter,to heat the van, I generally use the Truma Diesel Heater, which also heats my hot water. Highly recommended.Cheers
-- Edited by yobarr on Tuesday 26th of January 2021 12:11:51 PM
Thanks for replies so far...... there has been much discussion about warranties etc in some other posts..... Im happy to risk it because most others on this site have had very few problems in that regard. In regard to a gennie yes they both run fine on the standard Honda 2.2kv .
I assume that yobar is using an inverter and lithium iron batteries to be able to run 24/7 ? We will be having a modest dual 140 ah to work with so Im guessing with fridge etc it would be unlikely that we could run it off battery even though the running is only 890w average with a starting of 1290w ....easy for the Honda not sure about the batteries via inverter though.
Thanks for replies so far...... there has been much discussion about warranties etc in some other posts..... Im happy to risk it because most others on this site have had very few problems in that regard. In regard to a gennie yes they both run fine on the standard Honda 2.2kv .
I assume that yobar is using an inverter and lithium iron batteries to be able to run 24/7 ? We will be having a modest dual 140 ah to work with so Im guessing with fridge etc it would be unlikely that we could run it off battery even though the running is only 890w average with a starting of 1290w ....easy for the Honda not sure about the batteries via inverter though.
All is good Lucas,but being a responsible and caring person,you no doubt will park,when using your generator,at least 100 metres away from other campers so as not to affect their qualityof life,and their right to enjoy their camping experience? Generators should be banned if their owners wish to use them within 100 metres of other campers. Cheers
"All is good Lucas,but being a responsible and caring person,you no doubt will park,when using your generator,at least 100 metres away from other campers so as not to affect their qualityof life,and their right to enjoy their camping experience? Generators should be banned if their owners wish to use them within 100 metres of other campers. Cheers"
And don t forget camp-fire smoke, loud conversation, music, TV, noisy kids, barking dogs, late arrivals and early starts, turbo timers, cigarette smoke, diesel heaters, truma hws, all of which might be more annoying than a generator
"All is good Lucas,but being a responsible and caring person,you no doubt will park,when using your generator,at least 100 metres away from other campers so as not to affect their qualityof life,and their right to enjoy their camping experience? Generators should be banned if their owners wish to use them within 100 metres of other campers. Cheers"
And don t forget camp-fire smoke, loud conversation, music, TV, noisy kids, barking dogs, late arrivals and early starts, turbo timers, cigarette smoke, diesel heaters, truma hws, all of which might be more annoying than a generator
Hmmmm....I may not be the brighest star in the sky,but I struggle to understand how it can be suggested that "Campfire smoke,loud conversation,music,TV ,noisy kids,barking dogs,late arrivals,and early starts,turbo timers,cigarette smoke,diesel heaters,Truma HW" (silent) can be compared with the constant and incessant noise of a generator that is selfishly used to keep ones Rs cool?.At some stage in one"s life,one surely must learn to consider one's peers? Cheers
You will probably find that running the air conditioning as a dehumidifier will be adequate a good portion of the time so the compressor will be running a relative small percentage of the time.
Since you are getting the van built, get it properly insulated. It is amazing what a bit of extra insulation does.
Whether it is a fridge or a room the same applies.
Our van is 23' and we installed a Mitsubishi after it being recommended by an aircon service man who serviced the many different brands used on Pardoo Station in the Pilbara WA - he did not sell aircons just serviced them. We figured if they can stand the heat, dust and continual use up there it would do us. Love its efficiency and quietness for both heating and cooling. Have done a few thousand k's on outback, dirt, corrugated roads with no trouble since it went in in 2015. $800 to buy and $800 to install by Roma at Cambellfield. would never have a roof top type again
-- Edited by villatranquilla on Tuesday 26th of January 2021 08:53:45 PM
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Jenny and Barry
2009 Roma Elegance / 2013 Colorado. Permanent travellers 2011-2015 now just travel for 4-6 mths
where do they fit the compressor thingymebob , around 30 kg arn,t they?
And Oh dear I do run a honda gennie when really hot because mainly my older dog at 15 and has seizures I think the world of her, and can;t stand to see her in distress.
We do bush camp though and try to keep well away from the maddening crowd.
Regards Orid
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Mitsubishi GLS Pajero, Jurgens Lunagazer caravan.
Also Toyota FJ Cruiser missus wont let me sell it, sigh
where do they fit the compressor thingymebob , around 30 kg arn,t they?
And Oh dear I do run a honda gennie when really hot because mainly my older dog at 15 and has seizures I think the world of her, and can;t stand to see her in distress. We do bush camp though and try to keep well away from the maddening crowd. Regards Orid
Hi Peter....the AC unit goes on the drawbar,thus getting weight forward and onto the towball of the car,while the cassette is mounted on the lounge wall....my van has a lounge/living room that is separate from the bedroom.As you suggest,the AC unit is around 30kg,but when placed near the front boot,it transfers only about 15kg to the towball.At night,I leave the main door of the caravan open,with the screen door closed,so as I don't have to mess around adjusting temperatures.Cheers
I would like to ask the people who have these split A/C systems if they are inverter types. As I understand it they just slow down the compressor to maintain temperature after achieving set temperature, instead of switching off the compressor and then having to restart again every so often.
I too would like some details of your system Yobarr if you would be so kind. I would be interested in fitting an air con and upgrading my system if I get to do more time on the road again. On another thread it was said that plenty of solar is needed to basically run it during the day and charge the batteries, so you can then run off the batteries at night. This make perfect sense to me as the sun is available to generate power if it is hot and daylight. But then having the a/c on lower power during a hot night would be the ultimate luxury. Brownie point there for sure !!
I have a 5kW & 2.5kW Daikin in a rental property. The compressor does slow down when not much is asked of it. It will also then turn off the compressor & cycle if it can't slow down enough.
The good news here is that you can get it to use little power by setting the temperature a bit below ambient. Or use the dehumidifier setting which by nature will make you feel cooler.
It's not ideal to not use the air conditioner to its full capacity but if you have limited battery power it is better to ration the cooling so your battery lasts longer.
I can't easily test my air conditioners as they are in a rental property & also hard wired in.
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Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!
50L custom fuel rack 6x20W 100/20mppt 4x26Ah gel 28L super insulated fridge TPMS 3 ARB compressors heatsink fan cooled 4L tank aftercooler Air/water OCD cleaning 4 stage car acoustic insulation.
we are having our new van built..... and Im sick of the noise of roof mounted units so am going with the split system
would be interesting to hear the thoughts of those with split domestic type aircon as to their experiences with them
we are getting a 23 foot van and hoping a 3.5k rev cycle inverter system will suit us.
thanks
lucas
Hi
At our site shed they just put in a mits heavy industries and you can hardly hear the motor or head unit I probably would put in a new build unless the currant range of rooftops dont pick up their game
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John
2017 dmax lovells upgrade full CSM trade aluminium canopy,3.5 m quintrex tinny and rear boat loader mangrove jack aluminium trailer
We recently (within the last 12 months) replaced one of our home units and chose the Fujitsu on the advice of the supplier.
It was his experience that dealing with Mitsu Heavy Industries is a PITA. They were reluctant to provide him (a registered dealer) with technical support and were very tardy in supplying spare parts. This was quite different from dealing with Fujitsu. BTW he said that the other, separate arm of Mitsubushi who only made Air Conditioners, were much better to deal with.
The new Fujitsu unit is far better both in performance & cost to run than the old unit. We are very pleased with it.
edit .. Of course he may get a higher commission/margin from Fujutsu
-- Edited by Cupie on Monday 15th of February 2021 04:18:43 PM
Park a 100 meters away from others because you have a gennie.
Seriously?
Nah DickO, He couldn't possibly be serious. He may have meant those arriving after should move at least 100 metre's away (or even further if they like). A lot of "funny folk" out there with opinions on generators. One opinion I read recently was that they (generators) will be banned in the not to distant future. Shock horror, I don't think so.
"I may be wrong, but I doubt it"
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We acknowledge and pay our respects to the British and European Elders past and present, who introduced civil society and prosperity to Australia.
Brownie point there for sure !! 
