# Fiat Ducato Air Con Fitting



## Sakamoto0161jp (May 20, 2016)

*Hi Guys.
I'm new to this site having only recently joined the Motor Home community.
I have a 2009 Fiat Ducato CI Mizar GTL Living 160 multijet.
It has everything I need but for one thing when travelling in the hot parts of EU and that is Air Conditioning. What is the best inexpensive way to have an air con fitted,
Thanks for any useful replies.

Cheers JP.
*


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## mgdavid (Nov 27, 2014)

Do you mean for the cab area when actually travelling (driving) or for the habitation area when parked up on sites etc, or both?


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

For the hab area they seem to fit into an existing 400x400 roof light, some are see through now, expect to pay around £1300 plus, Electrolux seem to be the best one and needs a mains supply, possibly a DIY fix if you're good at such things.

For the cab, I think the conversion would be prohibitively expensive, but not done a costing.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Retro fitting cab air con is a VERY expensive exercise indeed, as in many thousands of pounds because there is a huge amount of work involved, new compressor, different engine pulleys to drive the compressor, additional mounting brackets for compressor etc, additional radiator, extra pipe work, extra heater (cooler) matrix, additional electrical controls, many many hours of labour etc etc. 

It's probably cheaper to change MH's 

Yes really!!!!

Habitation area (mains electrically driven) will cost in the region of £1500-£2000

Andy


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

When this topic has come up before I've also said what you say Ploddy.

Last time I said it Pomme1 posted the reply he gives in this thread http://forums.motorhomefacts.com/23...tting-cab-air-con-elddis-autoquest-130-a.html

So maybe we are overestimating the cost and complexity of the job.


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

It's not the cost I would question but the value of adding cab aircon.
(Read the thread pointed to in erneboy's post above.)
http://forums.motorhomefacts.com/23...tting-cab-air-con-elddis-autoquest-130-a.html

We found it a waste of money.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

I cannot see how anyone could fit a cab air con unit for a similar price to that of a habitation air con. They both use the same components BUT the hab unit is a totally self contained "bolt on" item that fits into a hole in the roof that's already there. A cab Aircon unit requires every single extra component to be individually fitted into the already crowded engine bay. There is far more work required to fit (for starters the whole dash unit has to come out and that is certainly not a 10 minute job) 

I will be watching this thread very carefully to see if the OP gets a quote (not an estimate!) 

As I have said frequently in the past I am always happy to be proven wrong.

Andy

P.s. I always insisted on Aircon in all the MH's we had, I always found them to be very effective, even in very hot climates so I am surprised others thought them a waste of money (unless of course the retro fitted items are not as efficient as the factory fit ones?


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Unless you draw a curtain across the hab area it'd be running full tilt all the time I suspect, even if you bought a van with it factory fitted.


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## Dick_Sale (Sep 26, 2011)

We have had no issues with the cab air con, must admit I did price up a retro fit air con on our previous Autotrail 2004 vintage and it was just over £2000 fitted. That said I will agree that to cool the whole van down is a big ask from the base units air con especially for people travelling as passengers in the back, however you can now run the habitation units air con from a 12v DC supply on the Dometic units which is what we are having fitted, Freshlight or Freshjet, we are just struggling a bit as the front skylight on our Adria Matrix is on the curved roof so think we will have to go for the Freshjet


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## exmusso (Jun 18, 2006)

*Air Con*

Thinking a bit outside the box, I bought a portable air con from Maplins reduced from £399 to £199.

This was for my last motorhome which had aircon in the cab.

I fitted this in my motorhome garage blowing in through a small door to the hab area and idea was to plug in if on hook-up in Portugal.

In the event, was not required but determined to see if it would work, I gave it a try.
It worked fine but weather not hot enough to need it.

After start up, it only draws 850 watts which normally would be less than 4 amps from a 240v hookup which most campsites will supply.

If you had a reasonable size inverter - say 1.5- 2kw I reckon it would run if your engine was going whilst on the move. Obviously not when your stopped as it will eat your batteries.

The bonus is when home, it can be used on the rare occasion in the house and I can attest to the fact it works really well to cool my study in about 5 minutes.

The drain hose can be directed outside through a window, garage door or a drip tray.

The one I had (AMCOR) was even supposed to have a remote for controlling temperature and fan speed but was missing on mine.


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

Hello,

I have been in the RAC industry for 30 years and more.

Some advice.......

Retrofit Cab A/C is a nightmare of a job. Even the best end up with pockets full of "Pocket Screws" and broken plastic when they have done the job. Me included and I work like a swiss airline Technician coupled with a swiss watchmakers eye.

I did once when we owned a Frankia Mercedes wire the Dometic Habitation A/C to a Pure SineWave inverter and contacter. Just as a belt and braces for use on the move if the cab A/C broke.

The Mercedes Sprinter condenser developed a leak whilst in Spain. So we managed to stay cool with the hab A/C ahilst in-transit. That said, our alternator was 220amps.

But, we also have run a small portable A/C unit whilst on the move in the rear of our first motorhome (Another Mercedes that we purchased with an already poorly installed retro fit cab A/C).

And the latter I would say is your best option !

You can use it on the move via an inverter and on-site when you are on EHU. Providing you have the space?.

I hope this help?

If not send me an email, same as my username but with @sky.com on the end.

Happy & Safe Travels

TM


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