To air condition or not- this is the question!

[tim5]

Can you sleep easily in August in south of France without air con? This might be easier for adutlts who can use wine as a sleeping additive but I am thinking of my 16 & 12 twelve year old, then my brother in his motorhome who has wife 8 & 2 year old. The site has a 6 amp supply and we have looked at using mobile air con that has a 4 amp usage. We have read about using desk top fans and using the blown air system on the van.
The decision will be based on YOUR comments!!!
Thanks
Tim

 

[LesleyP]

Well, we had always had air con fitted as standard on our vans for years and, having caravanned in France in April and Whitsun with usually just a week in the north of France in August, we did not really need it. The last time we changed our van it was "optional". I decided not to pay the extra to have it fitted however now we are going on a 3 week holiday last 2 weeks in August and 1st week September. I have been following the weather and as it is quite consistently reaching 30 to 35 degrees we have just had air con fitted whilst it was in for it's 1st service! Even if it is to keep the clothes and food cool and beds cool until bed time when we switch it off it will be worth it. Having it fitted as an extra you can always move it over when you change van.

 

[ValA.]

Having camped and caravanned in France for thirty one years, I have to say we've never used air-conditioning or ever felt the need for it really. Even when it's been very hot we've not had a problem sleeping - just use minimal bedding, (no duvet, just a top sheet, or even on top of the top sheet if it's really hot), keep the caravan blown-air on 'cold' and put a bowl of iced water in front of the vents - that cools the air down. We usually set the blown air going on cold whilst we're still up and about during the evening, so the warmth of the day has chance to be 'blown out of the window's' and find the caravan cools down significantly. We open the windows, but leave the fly screens down, keep the door open with the fly screen across, put the blown air on, and leave it to cool. By bedtime you should have no problem.
If you've no blown air then a fan and a bowl of ice is much less costly than an air-conditioning unit!

 

[KeithJ]

Like Val, we have caravanned in Europ for a long time and have never found the need for air conditioning, In fact I'm not sure that it existed until fairly recently. When in hot places - central Spain and Portugal are often in the high 30s from June onwards - we sleep on top of the duvet with all the roof vents open (fly screens closed!!) and we use a 12 inch portable fan, stood on a worktop and pointing towards the bed. When it's very hot we also use the fan in the daytime.

 

[RayS]

Likewise, never had aircon, but a small fan with a head which can be set to sweep sideways takes very little room and works well. Some may be a little noisy but not much worse than the Truma fan on top speed and the air distribution is much better. I'd love to try one of the new Dyson bladeless fans but will have to wait for a price reduction.

 

[smiley]

We haven't had air con, if hot we use an electric heater blowing cold air and stand it behind the desk fan with windows open at night works wonders.

I think if I had air con in the van I would never go outside as I also dodge the sun and heat.

Throw kids in tent,, they never complain,

 

[Tony_5041742]

I'd echo other comments, we've done the med during the summer holidays a few times and can highly recommend one or two electric fans. I'm sure aircon is great, but for the occasional time you need it I've never been convinced the extra money and weight was worth it.

 

[airsiggy]

We've just come back from 4 weeks in France where it was frequently 28 degrees from Calais, the Loire and the Vichy areas.
One day a caravan and motorhome pulled into the site we were on and BOTH had aircon on in the evening. The noise was awful and they didn't make many friends in what could have been a quiet evening. If they hadn't switched off at night I know there would have been a scene, especially as eveybody had windows open and there is no soundproofing for the tenters.
I think they are as antisocial as generators.

For Val.A
We used supermarket diesel all the way in our X Trail with no smoking

 

[ValA.]

I'm glad to hear you had no problems with fuel! I just didn't want it to happen to anyone else, if it could be avoided - so better to post a warning, than sit back afterwards, and say 'I could have told you................'!

 

[JonnyG]

12 inch enclosed fan put a damp cloth over the cover peg it and enjoy the cooled down draft,every 5 minutes take cloth off re wet.

 

[Jennifer2]

We had air con fitted as an extra when we got our present van in 2008, and we find it excellent. Ours is the Dometic B2200 and on the low fan setting it is very quiet. Outside you cannot hear it from a few metres away, it is louder inside than out.

We have only once needed to run it overnight. Generally, if it is hot, we leave it on low during the day, the van then stays cool and there is usually no need to run it overnight. A fan would be no use overnight in our van as there is nowhere to stand it so that the air would reach the bed.

On a site where the van has no shade, it can quickly get very warm inside on a sunny day even in spring. We are not long back from a month in the South West followed by 8 weeks in Belgium, Germany and Switzerland, where we had temperatures over 30 degrees on several days. We were glad of the air con then!

We have actually used it much more than we thought we would, and we have NOT used the van in July and early/mid August at all.

 

[tim5]

Thanks everyone for your replies, that is a 100% thumbs down for airconditioning!
Thanks again
Tim

 

[VIP640]

Have a look at this, its inexpensive and gets good reviews......
http://www.coolmycamper.com/how-it-works.htm

 

[Jennifer2]

Thanks everyone for your replies, that is a 100% thumbs down for airconditioning!
Thanks again
Tim

Not quite......I make it 2 for and 7 against!

 

[Brum1]

Thanks everyone for your replies, that is a 100% thumbs down for airconditioning!
Thanks again
Tim

Not quite......I make it 2 for and 7 against!

How many of the 7 against had actually used air con in a caravan, or are they really saying "I have not got it therefore I don't need it?

 

[Jennifer2]

I think you have a point there.
I also think it depends on whether you love/can stand the heat.
We like it warm and sunny, but not too hot. When it gets over about 28 degrees we start to wilt, so it is good to know that we can be cool and comfortable in the caravan after a day out and about.