Keeping cool at night

[Legin]

I spend a lot of time in Morocco where it can get quite hot. Having been a lorry driver for ? years on European routes I know about keeping the cab cool.
I want something to keep the van cool at night without letting wee bitey things in.
Been looking at the Indel B SW. Now comes in 12 volt and plugs into a lighter socket. Not cheap at £1,800 but on a van costing as much as a California, not too much to spend to keep cool at night.

Not going to work on a ciggy socket it will melt in 10 seconds. This draws 36 amps at 12v so your leisure battery will be flat in just over an hour if you can wire it in. Realistically only two ways to power it either a mobile generator at 240v or from the mains in both cases via a transformer or really big battery charger. It does look viable and the packaging looks good.

 

[WelshGas]

One minute people are worried about running the Diesel Heater and waking the neighbours now we're talking about running AirCon units and in-between worrying about emissions and climate change.

As far as I'm concerned if you can't sleep at night you've spent too many ZZZZZ's during the day and not enough C2H5OH in the evening.

All you need is a fan, 12v or 240v at night if there is no breeze or you can't leave the windows open.

Hot air rises, so Tailgate open with AirSafe and roof bellows windows open.

 

[ArunAlec]

Thought I might try one of these!

 

[Legin]

Could do with a bigger one just to be sure

 

[Legin]

We have purchased an a/c unit from " cool my camper " it is a split pack connected by an unbilical cord ,you hang one half outside the sliding window on a table with the other half sitting on the glass kitchen unit . I had to buy a sheet of 2mm plastic and use the Cali fly screens as a template and make a solid screen with a small cut for the cord to seal the interior ..it really does keep it nice and chilled

Im amazed the unit can pass through the sliding window which is rather handy.
Do you have a photo of the set up ?

 

[Wongo]

How about a cool mat from the pet shop, the cat is suspicious of it so I used it last night on top of a pillow, very cool.

 

[Legin]

Our dog has one and it is actually cold.

 

[Gasgas]

When the temps are high at night with no breeze then a Fan is ok but air cond is much better imo and with a Dog its a must have

 

[Gasgas]

Hi legin ,I am away for a couple more days but will post a picture with it set up when we return

 

[Legin]

Hi legin ,I am away for a couple more days but will post a picture with it set up when we return

Great appreciate that

 

[WelshGas]

When the temps are high at night with no breeze then a Fan is ok but air cond is much better imo and with a Dog its a must have

Why?
Plenty of dogs in Southern Europe, Australia, California. All areas having a Heatwave. They seem to cope.

If you are so worried about the dog/dogs coping then why stress them out. Why not give them a holiday at home in a good kennel or with friends.?

 

[Gasgas]

Why?
Plenty of dogs in Southern Europe, Australia, California. All areas having a Heatwave. They seem to cope
If you are so worried about the dog/dogs coping then why stress them out. Why not give them a holiday at home in a good kennel or with friends.?

Ok let me rephrase it, a fan is ok but Air/con is much better imo and for me it's a must have and the Dog quite likes it too ..

Who wants to just cope when you can do something about it and enjoy a good nights sleep ?

Putting our Dog in Kennels is hardly giving him a holiday and would for sure stress him out as he has never been before ( nothing against kennels, just not for us)

I appreciate (do you ?)that everybody reacts differently to high temps ,some people after 12 months in a hot climate still don't cope with it very well..I just want Air/con and then I am a happy bunny.

 

[Gasgas]

Hi, as promised I have posted some pictures of my “cool my camper” A/C unit set up in the Cali , what do you all think ?

 

[Gasgas]

Here is one that I missed

 

[Legin]

I think you have done a great job and thanks for sharing as its much easier to understand looking at the photos.
Is there a way to hang the condenser rather than sit on the table ? I wondered about some straps from the header rail with some big load spreading suckers onto the side panel or a flat plank with foam on it.
Possibly the same idea but higher up then the evaporator could be located on the passenger seat freeing up the work surface.

 

[Gasgas]

I don't think that the umbilical cord would be long enough to enable you to do this.

However for the two of us hopefully its going to work fine as when we are likely to need it, say 30 degrees plus, we would be cooking and eating {cadac} outside and not using the interior kitchen ,

I will post a picture of the brackets that come with it as I also think that you could modify the plastic screen and make some cuts for them, which would enable you to hang it from the sliding window and then you could maybe reach the passenger seat ?

 

[Legin]

Thats what i was thinking. Get the condenser aligned with the window then the cord may well reach the seat. I take your point that if its that hot your not likely to be using the burners or sink. Maybe stick as you are location wise but knock something up that gets rid of the table. Either hangs on the window cill or off the awning rail. Main thing is you have got it to work.
I got caught in a heat wave in mid France when it hit 40c and in the midday we sat in the caravan with a 2 and 3 year old child ,a/c flat out at one end - it couldn,t cool the whole thing. A German in a motorhome next to us had his a/c pack up and he just decamped and drove north. We found 40c is a whole new (survival) ball game.

 

[Elly Swanson]

http://www.justkampers.com/cab-window-air-vent-t5-2003-2015-t6-2015-on.html

Easily Fitted. I think Brandrup also make something similar. They do work with Electric Windows.

View attachment 23989

These are really great for ventilation. We have internal cab screens and fold them down so the air isn’t restricted.

They do work with electric windows but you have to be very patient. If you don’t stop the window going up at exactly the right time it comes straight back down again. So, bit by bit and don’t get frustrated if the window comes back down again to it’s default position. Have fitted ours about 5 times (both sides) so far and it’s not gone right at the first attempt, but I’m getting better. Don’t think my hubby would have the patience for them though.

Remember, you can’t dive with them in.

They sell them in the EC shop now.

I know this is an old post, but thought this might be useful to others in the future.

 

[MattBW]

I just have dubflectas which allows the windows open a touch without it being obvious from outside.

Would love an air con but just too much space required for us. I notice the zero cool is on the second iteration now on Kickstarter.

 

[MattBW]

Sorry it’s the Zero Breeze I was thinking of.

 

[Legin]

Update on this. I finally got round to doing my spin on this, basically copied Gasgas design but built a hanger set up from the rail. With this it means the evap can sit on the passenger seat. Hanger is made from 3mm steel powder coated. The rail is aluminium alloy allied to 6mm stainless steel coach bolts. Works fine and pretty solid although I do get wind noise over 60mph - joke.

 

[stupjamvw1234]

Hello @legin and @Gasgas . Apologies in advance, I know this is an old forum. I've just purchased the same AC unit you're discussing above. Can I ask were got the plastic window cover and straps? If you made them, but would mind providing a bit of info re construction? Thanks, Stuart