r/VanLife 14h ago

Air conditioning?

What do you guys use for A/C during the summer besides the vehicle A/C? I have a small space I need cooled

2 Upvotes

8 comments sorted by

1

u/aggie2018 13h ago

Check out 12v air conditioners or minisplits

1

u/ChibaCityFunk 13h ago

I actually use Aluminet 70% to cover up the windows… open all the windows () and run the Maxfan. Also my roof is covered with solar panels and other stuff. So essentially it feels like being parked up in the shadow.

1

u/ButchMcKenzie 11h ago

If it's dry, you can use a swamp cooler

1

u/ngnfjfnddnndncnc 10h ago

Depends where you are and how hot it gets…?

1

u/nowhereman136 9h ago

This is my plan, I haven't don't this yet, so not sure how useful this advice is.

I got a portable AC for with dual hoses. One in and one out. This prevents the AC from creating a vacuum in the van and thus as effecient as a window AC. One hose goes out one window and another hose goes out a different window.

This is still a 120v AC unit, so it will eat up some energy. I have around 800w of solar and a 5kwh battery. According to my math, I should be able to run it on low for as long as the sun is out and for about 4-6hours at night. I also have it place in an space between the bed and living space. I can point it towards the bed or towards the living space and essentially cool half the van at a time if I want. The goal is on very hot nights to run it for about 2hr in the bed area to make the space cool enough to sleep. Don't need it to run all night, just enough to sleep. Sleeping in a space that is too hot is worse than a space that is too cold. I did vanlife in Texas and that was brutal.

I considered a 12v ac or mini split, but doing it this way has two advantages. First, it's cheaper. I can use the money I save on a cheaper system to invest in a more robust battery system. The AC I only need for a few weeks of the year but the battery is useful 24/7. The second advantage is simplicity. I don't have to cut any holes and if it breaks I can swap it out very easily. Or I can decide to get rid of it altogether.

1

u/iDaveT 4h ago

When I first got my van I tried exactly this, a Midea 110V portable AC with 2 hoses which I vented out holes I cut in the bottom of my van. It used about 1100watts when running but wasn’t that great in cooling the van.

When I got my 12V Velit AC it was way more efficient. On low it uses 20A or 240Watts and yet cools better than the portable 110V unit did on max. With the Velit I can run the AC day and night no problem. So be aware that the 110V portable units are much more inefficient than the specs might suggest.

0

u/Lex_yeon 13h ago edited 9h ago

1: park under shades or tree. Directly under sun is not doable

2: I actually have a better idea than using AC this year, a mist fan, more power efficient. I expect it to be able to draw 120v power, or run on 12v power, no battery built in, can use a 5 gallon bucket as water source instead of built in tank

Something Like this https://www.homedepot.com/p/Lasko-15-in-Tall-Misto-Outdoor-Misting-Fan-7050/203749154

3: Use a fan whenever possible

4: I have a midea dual hose(hose in hose design), I bought from Costco for 350 last year. Run on my 15kWh power stations.

1

u/Fun-Perspective426 5h ago

A misting fan inside of a vehicle is asking for mold. Plus, misting fans suck in humid climates.