Sleep comfortably: air conditioning for campers and caravans

Tropical temperatures in Southern Europe: wonderful. But those tropical nights, with temperatures approaching 40 degrees Celsius… they can also keep you awake for a long time. That's why air conditioning is one of the most popular accessories for campers and caravans.

Hot, sticky nights where you're practically stuck together – nobody wants that on holiday. The comfortable heat of the beach can really get to you at night. A fan is the solution, and there are a few other measures you can take to brave the heat in your caravan or motorhome. For example, it helps if your caravan is in the shade – many Spanish campsites have shade cloths over their pitches for this reason. Another tip is to keep windows, doors, and combi-blinds closed during the day. At night, you can open them and the fan will provide a cooling breeze. But in the long run, that won't help, because if the outside temperature eventually gets inside your caravan or motorhome, the only way to get it out is with air conditioning. For the recreational market, there are special models that are suitable for motorhomes and caravans in terms of weight, power consumption, and dimensions. This article is about that.

Sleep like a rose

You can simply set a camper or caravan air conditioner to your desired temperature, but the most important thing is that it dehumidifies the air. The combination of drier air and a lower temperature is the secret of camper and caravan air conditioning. This is because our bodies dissipate heat more easily in relatively dry air. For an optimal climate in a camper or caravan, this should be 18 to 24 degrees Celsius, with a humidity of 40 to 70 percent. In countries like Spain, Italy, and Croatia, it's still well above 30 degrees Celsius at night in August – if you set the air conditioning to 27 degrees Celsius, you'll sleep like a baby.

Noise level

When choosing an air conditioner, it's important to consider the noise level. They used to be noisy appliances that could keep your neighbors at the campsite awake. These days, noise levels have improved enormously. Air conditioners from brands like Truma, one of the leading brands in this field, are among the quietest on the market. Outside, you barely hear them; only inside can you hear the airflow, especially when the air conditioner is lowering the temperature. Once it reaches the desired level, the air conditioner only kicks on when necessary. Most air conditioners also have a "sleep" or "night" mode for nighttime operation, which reduces the internal fan speed. This makes them even quieter, both inside and outside.

Three types

Modern air conditioners are compressor air conditioners that work just like a refrigerator at home, using coolant in a closed system. Warm air from your caravan or camper is passed through an evaporator, which cools and dehumidifies the air. For the recreational market, there are three types of air conditioners: the main ones are roof-mounted air conditioners (on the roof of the vehicle) and so-called bench air conditioners, which are installed in a caravan's storage cabinet or in the garage of campers. There are also cheaper split-unit air conditioners on the market, from brands like Mestic and Eurom, which have a large unit inside, placed on a table, for example, and an outdoor unit that hangs on hooks from the (closed) caravan window. The downside of these split air conditioners is the noise level (both inside and outside) and the significantly lower performance than roof-mounted or bench air conditioners. However, these are offset by a more affordable price tag (around 500 euros). The advantage of roof air conditioners is that they don't take up any luggage space, and the cold air drops directly down and spreads throughout the vehicle. Installing a roof air conditioner is also very simple. While a bench air conditioner does take up luggage space, the advantage is that modern systems are even quieter than roof air conditioners. Another advantage of bench air conditioners is their low center of gravity, which is important for caravans because it minimizes their impact on handling. A disadvantage is that installing the air hoses, in particular, not only requires more work but also sacrifices even more storage space. It's no wonder, then, that roof air conditioners are the most popular type.

How much does that cost?

Truma offers rooftop air conditioners in various capacities. They start with the Truma Aventa Compact, with a cooling capacity of 1700 watts and a 2,8 amp draw. It's also the lightest on the market, at 27 kg (from around €1.700). A bench air conditioner (Truma Aventa Saphir) will cost around €1.200, excluding installation costs. Truma's top model is the Aventa Comfort, with a generous 2400 watts and a 4,2 amp draw. A unique feature of this model is that, thanks to its heat pump technology, you can also use the air conditioner as auxiliary heating. Some companies offer on-site installation, starting at around €2300. You can operate the air conditioner with the remote control, an app on your phone, or via Truma's own iNet system, if it's already installed in your camper or caravan.

Tip: Don't set the air conditioner lower than 8 degrees below the outside temperature. Otherwise, you could easily catch a cold.

Tip: Thanks to the good insulation in campers and caravans, air conditioners don't need to run continuously. Turning it on an hour before bed is usually sufficient.