Choose a roof-mounted air conditioner or a bottom-mounted air conditioner?
First of all, we should know that the air conditioners in RVs are divided into driving air conditioners and parking air conditioners. Driving air conditioners are the air conditioners that come with the original car engine when it is started, and are used during the driving process of the vehicle. Parking air conditioners are car air conditioners used when the vehicle is parked. It is generally installed on the top of the vehicle, with the outdoor unit outside the vehicle and the indoor unit on the top of the vehicle. The parking roof air conditioner increases the height of the RV by 20-30cm. There are also some manufacturers whose parking air conditioners are installed under the seat because there is no need to change the appearance, which is more suitable for friends who modify it personally. Parking air conditioners are divided into heating and cooling air conditioners and single cooling air conditioners. Should we choose a roof-mounted air conditioner or a bottom-mounted air conditioner? Let's take a look at the structure of RV air conditioners first!
Roof-mounted air conditioners
Roof-mounted air conditioners are more common in domestic RVs. We can often see the protruding part of the top of the RV, and the protruding part is the outdoor unit. The working principle of the roof-mounted air conditioner is relatively simple. The compressor on the top of the RV is used for cooling, and the cold air is delivered to the indoor unit through the fan.
When we need to replace the air conditioner or modify it by ourselves, we should pay attention to the size of the opening frame on the top of the RV, which must be consistent with the size of the opening at the bottom of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner.
When modifying the top-mounted air conditioner, the top waterproofing must be done well to prevent water from entering from the gap on rainy days. Generally speaking, the top-mounted air conditioner is designed with a water guide groove, and the condensed water discharged from the outdoor compressor will not penetrate into the car. In addition, from the appearance structure, the top-mounted air conditioner is easier to replace and repair than the bottom-mounted air conditioner, but the indoor unit is on the top of the RV, which will bring corresponding noise.
Bottom-mounted air conditioner
As people's requirements for indoor noise increase, some RV manufacturers have begun to study the use of bottom-mounted air conditioners to provide cooling/heating in RVs. Bottom-mounted air conditioners are generally installed under the bed in the RV or at the bottom of the booth sofa. The bed board and the facing sofa can be opened for later maintenance. One of the advantages of bottom-mounted air conditioners is to reduce the noise emitted when the air conditioner is working.
Unlike the top-mounted air conditioner, this Truma Saphir Comfort RC bottom-mounted air conditioner adopts a square box-shaped appearance, and the hot air/cold air is transported to various areas of the RV through pipes from three circular outlets.
Whether the bottom-mounted air conditioner can work optimally will be determined by the correct installation position. First, try to install it as close to the axle as possible, generally opposite to the RV door. The installation of the air conditioner is very simple, but the vehicle floor needs openings for ventilation (inlet and outlet) and condensate drainage. If infrared remote control is required, the infrared transmission device needs to be installed near the air conditioner for remote control operation.
In the case of a comfort solution, the cold/hot air is transported upward through a duct, which can be laid in a closet, for example. In this way, the cold/warm air is evenly distributed, and there are no extra complicated procedures, which can solve the problem of heating and cooling inside the RV.
