Hi, reecee,
Air conditioning in caravans is difficult, and it is questionable if the benefits are really worth the expense. Technically it is difficult achieve, as there is a very limited power supply available, at best 16A, but at worst is some continental sites its as low as 3A. Consequently most AC units for caravans have dual power settings with a maximum power of 3kW (13Amps) and perhaps a 1kW (4.4Amps)( See individual specifications)
Its tempting to make the comparison with AC in your car and to think it will work as well in a caravan, but there are some compelling scientific reasons why it will never be as good as in the car. First and foremost is the power available to the car AC unit will be nearer 6kW from the engine so approximately twice the power.
Basically AC units operate on the occupational volume. Caravans have much more volume than cars, just as an guide, a standard saloon car has an occupational volume of about 3.5 cubic metres. By comparison a 4.2m caravan has a typical occupational volume of 12cubic meters, so you can see there is a roughly a 3 to 1 volume advantage to the car. Include the power difference, and the car has about a 6:1 advantage.
Cars also have the advantage they are moving, and this also helps to reduce the heat up take of the car compared to a caravan.
So even of fairly rough estimates it is likely that a caravan AC unit will be only about 1/8th as good overall as your typical car unit.
If you restrict the area you want to cool or direct the airflow in a particular direction then you can improve the effect locally.
None of them are particularly quiet. You can use the smaller portable AC unit found in DIY stores for local cooling, but to make the most of them the do need to have the condenser and coil air flow ducted in and out of the caravan.
So you may find that a simple desk fan is almost as effective, and a fraction of the price and will work on all available hook ups.
A word of advice. Steer clear of the evaporative air coolers – they appear to work at first, but they basically humidify the air, and eventually it becomes so saturated and can take no more moisture. This means the temperature will rise again, but this time with ‘wet’ air and that feels very clammy and uncomfortable, and will lead to excessive condensation. The units them selves are a perfect breeding ground for legionella.
All types of AC units should be properly cleaned to minimise the health risk of bacterial growth.
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