Extreme temperatures

[Amarillo]

With temperatures forecast to be nearing 50C in parts of Spain and Portugal in the next few days, cooling to the mid thirties overnight, is it acceptable to run the engine for air conditioning at night time on campsites? Might this damage the engine?


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[2haw]

You away again? Thought you'd done enough traveling!

 

[Amarillo]

You away again? Thought you'd done enough traveling!

Just trying to get some off topic chit chat going... We're enjoying air conditioned comfort at home.


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[WelshGas]

With temperatures forecast to be nearing 50C in parts of Spain and Portugal in the next few days, cooling to the mid thirties overnight, is it acceptable to run the engine for air conditioning at night time on campsites? Might this damage the engine?


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I would say not a good idea.
1. Noise
2. Diesel engines compared with Petrol run relatively cool so Oil Temperature would probably be low on idle. Not good.
3. I presume you would leave it on idle. I don’t think that would help being kept at constant revs for extended times.

In Italy, last year, with temperatures upto 38c we slept very well. We had a Brandrup AirSafe on the tailgate, flyscreens on the open sliding windows. We had Brandrup Window vents for the front windows, and a 50w Electric fan that will run off the Mains or the Inverter Socket.

On that site, no one ran their engine or had Mains powered AirCon on.

 

[MattBW]

would be situation where you want a zero breeze on hookup

 

[Ocean Spirit]

I think not.
But it would be a master stroke by VW (or mercedes) to be able to switch the air con to run off the hook up or have a secondary unit that does.

 

[Jabberwocky]

I would say not a good idea.
1. Noise
2. Diesel engines compared with Petrol run relatively cool so Oil Temperature would probably be low on idle. Not good.
3. I presume you would leave it on idle. I don’t think that would help being kept at constant revs for extended times.

In Italy, last year, with temperatures upto 38c we slept very well. We had a Brandrup AirSafe on the tailgate, flyscreens on the open sliding windows. We had Brandrup Window vents for the front windows, and a 50w Electric fan that will run off the Mains or the Inverter Socket.

On that site, no one ran their engine or had Mains powered AirCon on.

Agree about noise! Have suffered a night with that noise from a very self centred camper who despite attempts to get him to switch it off did not. Grrrrr! As for the other motor issues I am not qualified to comment except some trucks run all night auxiliary a.c. units with their own small diesel sets. I guess they must be designed differently.

 

[T6 CFO]

With temperatures forecast to be nearing 50C in parts of Spain and Portugal in the next few days, cooling to the mid thirties overnight, is it acceptable to run the engine for air conditioning at night time on campsites? Might this damage the engine?


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Yep definitely run the engine.

Keep running it until you’ve driven somewhere cooler, perhaps the mountains, then turn it off.


Mike

 

[WelshGas]

Agree about noise! Have suffered a night with that noise from a very self centred camper who despite attempts to get him to switch it off did not. Grrrrr! As for the other motor issues I am not qualified to comment except some trucks run all night auxiliary a.c. units with their own small diesel sets. I guess they must be designed differently.

As you say, Auxilliary AirCon Units. Specially designed for that purpose.

Should have blocked off the exhaust.

 

[MarkVw2017]

When sciensts are saying crazy heat is due to global warming, keeping an engine on all night to cool down doesnt seem like very a sustainable solution just to stay cool when the engine you would be using to keep cool is also part of thr problem that is causing the extrme heat! But then again, according to Mr Trump, its all fake news anyhows!

 

[Jabberwocky]

As you say, Auxilliary AirCon Units. Specially designed for that purpose.

Should have blocked off the exhaust.

We moved pitch early next morning and were not overly quiet!

 

[GrannyJen]

As most portable air-con units only run off 230v. I would think about buying a 3kw generator.

It can be left outside the van with an extension lead passed through the window and if you placed it far enough away from the van then the noise through the open window would not be that intrusive.

This one for example has up to 12 hours running time.










I'll get my coat ...

 

[MattBW]

You could always make your own cooler, quite easy. We made one once, worked well but you will need ice etc.

Parts:
Well insulated drinks cooler, some vent pipe or copper tubing internally, cut holes and connectors for input output pipes, low power 12v fan. Add lots of ice from supermarket = Cool air. They even work with water if sealed but not as effective.

In fact just saw a video last night of just such a thing... Ill see if I can find it and share.

 

[MattBW]

Maybe a smaller one for the Cali


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[Amarillo]

Maybe a smaller one for the Cali

1100 Watts for when on hookup.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01G7L48CG/?tag=eliteelect-21
You'd still need to make something to vent it out of the sliding window.

 

[MattBW]

I’ve got an air con unit at home it’s amazing but they are quite noisy and large for a Cali. It would work though.


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[MattBW]

Mine was less than a hundred in a closing down sale.
Can get a narrow vent for putting in window gaps


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[MarkVw2017]

Thats amazing!! So simple but so clever!!

 

[MarkVw2017]

These look great as well, only £29.99, but what looks great and what is could be two different stories, wonder if any one has tried these?
https://iwantzone.com/products/arct...nY1xwTq4n6iXIBsRFbez9ssP9kjk1uQkaAkjSEALw_wcB

 

[MattBW]

They're all over ebay and amazon but dont have great reviews. Evaporative coolers work well in dry heat not so well in humid heat. Be interested to see what they are like. From what I've seen they do help but you literally have to have it in your face to feel the cool air.

I've been using one of these rechargeable magnetic fans:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07CNM4WL7/?tag=eliteelect-21

 

[Hotel California]

In Belgian warehouses not a single fan or portable aircon is availeble (so the newspapers says...)
Not a fan of camping in these extreme themps.
Holliday starts in two weeks , hope it cools down by then.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

I wonder how good these are?
323318247110

 

[WelshGas]

I wonder how good these are?
323318247110

The fact that it has “ Mood Lighting “ says a lot.
Just put a bowl of water in front of a fan, same effect.

 

[Borris]

I think not.
But it would be a master stroke by VW (or mercedes) to be able to switch the air con to run off the hook up or have a secondary unit that does.

They can't even provide hot water or solar energy so I afraid there's no chance of that happening.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

The fact that it has “ Mood Lighting “ says a lot.
Just put a bowl of water in front of a fan, same effect.

But it say arctic