# Ducato Cab Air-Con



## pomme1 (May 19, 2005)

Just got back from France in our Auto-Trail Apache 640 SE. Never realised how much I would miss cab aircon. Has anyone successfully had it retro-fitted to a Ducato base, 2.8 what was the cost, who would you recommend, how did it affect the Fiat/convertor's warranty?
Any info gratefully received.


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## Jeffus (May 1, 2005)

*Welcome*

Hi Pomme, welcome to the forums and our happy little band of warriors. I'm sure you will be made welcome by all.

First week Sept we pick up a new Bessacarr (Ducato base 2.8 tubo diesel) van. I can't help you with retro fit but we are getting cab air con factory fitted by Marquis at a cost of £2000 complete. As I say it's being factory fitted so it won't touch or harm the warranty. Again a big welcome and I hope you enjoy our company. Jeffus. 8)


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

Hi Pomme and welcome to a very friendly place.

Cab air-con, a sore point with us.
Our Peugeot based Suntor (Elddis Autostratus) EB came complete with habitation air-con when we believe that cab air-con is more beneficial.
We have never used it!

We had Eberspacher cab air-con fitted last year in Mansfield at a cost af about £1400.00.
Took about 24 hours and we are delighted.
Before having it fitted we contacted Peugeot to ensure that having it fitted wouldn't invalidate the engine warranty. They gave us the ok.

I'll look up details if it is any use to you. Probably depends on where you live.


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## Andysam (May 10, 2005)

Had eberspacher cab air con fitted at Vehvac in Eden Bridge, Kent for £1200. Worth every penny


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## 91940 (May 1, 2005)

*Air con*

Hi you can have air con fitted at a company called auto aire in poole dorset, very good company i have had a few brand new motorhomes done there, cost is about £1600 PLUS VAT . I have just checked and factory air con for the cab is £1150 inc vat. Iff you had ordered a new van.

regards

daniel


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

Hi Daniel

Welcome to these boards.
Your inside knowledge of the trade will add an extra dimension to some of the discussions.


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## 88790 (May 9, 2005)

Dont hesitate, I had Eberspacher fitted at AS Service centre done in a day, cost about £1600 worth every penny and just like factory fitted.

Go for it.


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## vannin (May 13, 2005)

Hi folks

I am considering getting habitation area AC (12v/240v) next year for my Hymer camp swing. But having followed your thread on the subject I am having second thoughts. I get the impression that you all favour cab AC. Is that because Habitation AC is ineffective. My preference is to have the AC available on site as well as while on the move


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## Bazbro (May 9, 2005)

Hi Campswinger. I've had a Waeco 12v/240v unit fitted to my Rienza, and first impressions weren't good. However, I've now discovered how to properly "drive" it! When on the move, I close the vents to the rear, open the front vents and direct them at the driver/passenger seats. It is then fine, and in this recent hot weather, I've often had to turn it down to the lower setting.

My regret was not buying the larger version. I bought the EC1500, so if anyone wants to do a deal on a little-used unit . . . ! It takes a long time to get the motorhome down to the right temperature (a bit like the fridge, really) so get it going before you leave home, whereas a larger unit would cope a lot better.

Of course, the really big advantage is that you can have a cool 'van when you are on site and plugged in to 240v. However, I acknowledge that dash-air is more efficient for the front passengers when on the move. It wouldn't be impossible, though, to rig sections of small diameter trunking (carburettor de-icing trunking?) to take the "coolth" to exactly where you want it.

I'm otherwise very pleased with my choice of roof-air, particularly as we will be spending longer and longer in hot areas in the years to come.


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

B&S,

'Coolth', is that a technical term reserved solely for those 'with' air con? :wink: 

Can't afford such luxuries myself, have to resort to the wife fanning me with a palm leaf, less expense.

ouch dear, that hurt (again).

pete


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## Bazbro (May 9, 2005)

Peejay - It's also the atmosphere in our house when I refer to my dearest, darling wife in anything other than adoring terms!

Barry

(No, dear, I wasn't being sarcastic . . . no, I really wasn't . . . Ouch! that hurt . . . )


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## Jeffus (May 1, 2005)

*Air Con*

Hi all, I think what you have to keep at the back of your mind is to make habitational air con work (or cab air con for that matter) you have to keep the area enclosed ie all windows and doors shut. I was talking to a salesman at the NEC last February and he actually talked me out of it, but said cab air con was definately worth fitting, made sense to me. I have a friend with an American Winnebago that has habitational air con fitted as standard and he tells me he never uses it (and he never uses the generator either). Do you actually want to sit in your motorhome on a hot day with all the windows and doors shut . . . I don't. HTH, Jeffus. 8)


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

*Re: Air Con*



Jeffus said:


> Do you actually want to sit in your motorhome on a hot day with all the windows and doors shut . . . I don't. HTH, Jeffus. 8)


Just to paint a comparison situation.

4 years ago we had a caravan ( as well as our first mh) and had towed it down to the Dordogne, France in June with our Renault Scenic.
The temperature one afternoon got up to 33 degrees C. and we couldn't get any shade to keep cool.
In the end we got into the car started it and ran the air-con with all the windows and doors closed of course amd were very happy sitting there.
We couldn't go out because our son was enjoying himself in the pool!

If we had been lucky enough to have had air-con in the caravan I would have been more than happy to have sat in it with all the windows and door closed, especially as we would have been using the site electricity.


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## Bazbro (May 9, 2005)

I have a heart problem which means that I'm not very "temperature tolerant" (I'm not happy if I get too cold or too hot :colors: ). We rarely get very hot days in this country, but, as Gillian points out, the situation abroad is entirely different.

So my advice to Campswinger and others is that, if you find extremely hot climates tiresome (I presume you must or you wouldn't be contemplating air-con) and are going to travel abroad, invest in a roof air-con unit. And get the biggest output one you can afford.

Dash air can only cool you while the engine is running - 12v/240v roof air-con can cool while you're driving and when you're stationary. No contest, really.

Barry


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## vannin (May 13, 2005)

Thanks all for your comments and yes Barry and Sue it's for use on the continent - AC would be a waste in the British Isles. I have a quote from last year for the Waeco - which then was only available in 1500 watts 12/240v. I see from their web site that they have developed much higher watt versions in dual voltage this year. I think I'll go ahead next year and take advice from the installer as to the best version for a motorhome of my size


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## Bazbro (May 9, 2005)

Campswinger - another advantage of the new, larger output versions (2500w & 3000w) is that they have a remote control (a tv-type remote). This means that your passenger doesn't have to keep jumping up and down to switch the unit on/off (or if you're on your own, no need to keep stopping!). This is a tremendous advantage.

I have the 1500w version in my Rienza, and it is barely adequate. Given a choice now, I'd go for the 2500w version for an ordinary-sized coachbuilt. In my opinion, the 1500w is fine for a van, the 2000w for a large (long wheelbase, high top) van or very small coachbuilt, the 2500w for medium sized coachbuilts, and the 3000w for huge coachbuilts or A-class. American-sized motorhomes would probably fit two units.

If you have a HymerCamp (?guess?) then I'd go for the 2000w as a minimum. The 2500w will give you more leeway in very hot weather.

Barry


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## 88790 (May 9, 2005)

Sounds great all these habitation area A/C systems, but I seem to remember reading somewhere that the 'condensate' water could be a problem. I believe someone said it runs down the outside of the MH.

What happens also to the water in the heat exchanger that blows into the caravan, the bit that can get musty in some cars.

John


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## Bazbro (May 9, 2005)

The condensed water needs to be piped to where you want it to go, otherwise it just sloshes wherever. I'm disappointed that my installer never fitted a pipe, and I'm having to deal with that now.

Your point about the interior heat exchanger is also very valid. There are aerosol spray products that specifically deal with that potential problem (spray 'em in the car's air intake) so I'd recommend their regular use. Automotive air-con installers can also treat units that have become musty.

Barry


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## Bazbro (May 9, 2005)

Update on my air-con unit.

I've eventually returned to Waeco (the air-con manufacturer/importer) and without hesitation they have said that my unit isn't working as it should  , and they're going to replace it  ! Although it was pumping out cold air, it was totally inadequate, hence my visit to them in Dorset. I received an excellent reception by Waeco, incidentally - highly recommended.

Soooo... where this leaves my advice re the size of air-con unit for your motorhome, I'm not sure. I based my judgement on the 'coolth' produced my unit, which we now know is defective. I won't be able to test the new unit properly, in order to see how it copes with the interior size of my 'van, for some time to come. Waeco insist that this unit is more than adequate for my sized 'van (a coachbuilt luton A/S Rienza - on long-wheelbased Transit).

I apologize - to you all, and to Waeco - for my possibly-misleading opininion on size of air-con unit to use. The jury's still 'out' regarding mine (the new one's not fitted yet). I'll report back in due course.

Barry


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## MOTORHOMER (May 9, 2005)

*Re: Air con*



motorhomedan said:


> Hi you can have air con fitted at a company called auto aire in poole dorset, very good company i have had a few brand new motorhomes done there, cost is about £1600 PLUS VAT . I have just checked and factory air con for the cab is £1150 inc vat. Iff you had ordered a new van.
> 
> regards
> 
> daniel


Think thats what we paid for our new van when it comes

Motorhomer


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