Van America Custom Van Build Details – Climate Control

Integrated heating and cooling appliances are definitely not a requirement in a camper van. Tents certainly do not come with built-in furnaces or air conditioners where you learn to creatively manage your comfort. The same can be done with a van.

However, depending on when and where you plan on taking your van, how often you camp or travel, and your climate tolerance, you’ll probably want to consider heating and cooling appliances for the best temperature control. Since we’re on the road full time, it’s not uncommon for us to see the extreme ends of the temperature scale. Plus, when you have pets, you’re responsible for their coziness and safety. It’s your responsibility to make sure they don’t freeze or overheat.

Here’s what we installed in our Van America (formerly All Advantures) custom van for climate control, and how we feel about the products we selected after 9 months.

Heating

Since we spend half of each year skiing and snowboarding, a heater is non-negotiable. Our 2019 Winnebago Revel had an Espar diesel hydronic heater that we loved. It didn’t produce noticeable excess moisture like the propane heater in our 2018 Winnebago Travato. And since it pulled diesel from our Sprinter’s fuel tank, it was one less fuel tank to monitor and one less tank to top off on fuel. Combined with the excellent insulation in the Revel, the Espar kept us toasty warm down to sub-freezing temperatures. It’s also easy to call Rixen’s Enterprises in Sandy, Oregon for any troubleshooting tips.

Because of our positive Espar experience with the Revel, we installed the Espar Airtronic S2 D2L Diesel Heater in our All Advantures custom van. It’s not the same model as our Revel’s, but it still uses our Sprinter’s diesel fuel tank, it should function reliably down to -51 degrees Fahrenheit, and is rated up to an altitude of 9,900 feet.

9-month review of the Espar Airtronic S2 D2L

The Espar Airtronic S2 D2L performed well during our 2022/23 ski season. Even with less insulation due to the increased number of windows we installed compared to our Revel, we still stayed comfortable down to about 0 degrees Fahrenheit with the thermostat typically set to about 70. No bundling up required.

At about -5 to -10, we start to feel the cold creep in, and our Espar will struggle to keep up with a 70-degree setting. To combat the cold, we throw up our VanEssential window covers, shove a blanket at the bottom of our slider door to block the draft, create a wall with a sheet between the driver and passenger seats and the rest of the house, and turn off our exhaust fan. With that, we could maintain a temperature of about 60-65. We probably could’ve brought the temperature up more by putting blankets at the bottom of the rear doors as we used to do in our Revel.

While the Airtronic S2 D2L is only rated up to an altitude of 9,900 feet, we took it to Loveland Ski Area for several half days. Loveland has a 10,800-foot base elevation, and we never encountered any issues.

Our only disappointment with the S2 D2L is the number of hours it can run before it needs service. We used it almost non-stop from December until the top of March when it began only functioning intermittently. After a couple of weeks, it stopped working all together. The exhaust pipe was spewing white smoke which is a sign of carbon buildup. White smoke can indicate other problems, but our heater had logged more than 2,000 hours when service is recommended. Fortunately, the service cost at Rixen’s is very reasonable and it’s easy to book a timely appointment. And since they are located at the base of Mount Hood, we’re happy to make turns at the 3 ski areas nearby. Rixen’s also sells kits so you can service the heater yourself.

When our Espar stopped working, we used a Portable Buddy Heater and tried to stay in locations that were at or above freezing. The 1-pound propane cylinder would last about 6 hours on the low heat setting to get us through the coldest parts of the night.

There is a newer Espar heater that will support up to 5,000 service hours that would technically be an appropriate replacement for our Airtronic. However, we were advised against upgrading. Apparently, there have been service issues related to electrical. So, we’re waiting for now.

Cooling

At the very least, it helps to install an exhaust or roof fan to keep air circulated and the van’s internal temperature cooler. It will also help prevent mold formation by sucking out excess moisture. We run our exhaust fan 24/7 for this reason, even in winter. If you combine the roof fan with appropriate wall and ceiling insulation, you can likely keep your van comfortable in mild heat along with some other common tactics like parking in the shade and window covers covered with Reflectix.

All Advantures put the Maxxair Maxxfan Deluxe in our custom build as its included with the Adventure Wagon kit that was installed. We like this roof fan because it has a shield for operating in rain and snow, and it is reversible for inward or outward flow. Our Maxxair can technically be on while driving. However, we broke the one in our Revel traveling between Las Vegas and Southern California during high winds, so we always turn our new one off before hitting the road. It’s also best to disable it when driving dirt roads to avoid accumulating a layer of dirt on everything inside.

We considered a couple of additional cooling options. One was to install a second Maxxair Maxxfan Deluxe. If you install two, one can be set to bring in fresh air, while the other pushes stale air out for enhanced air flow. But there are always a few weeks of the year when we’re miserable in the heat. We were so thankful to have an air conditioning unit in both our 2018 Travato and 2019 Revel for these occasions. There were two problems though. We had to be connected to shore power to use the AC and the units were too loud, which is mostly an issue when participating in work calls and online meetings.

While Kyle and I can survive without air conditioning, our biggest concern was our dog. We rarely left Bruce Leroy alone, but sometimes we would need to run a quick errand where dogs aren’t welcome. If shore power isn’t nearby, it means running the Sprinter’s engine and using its air conditioning. It’s not ideal, especially when parking lot signs have declared a clean air zone. Plus, Bruce loved AC. When we would set him on the bed, he would throw out high fives to inform us when he wanted it turned on. He was getting old and less tolerant to heat.

All Advantures first suggested the Fresair 12V Air Cooler since we spend most of our time in dry climates. It’s an evaporative cooler that uses an 18L reservoir (included with the S6 Van Conversion Kit) filled with tap water. Its power draw is not much different than a roof fan, which means no shore power required. And it has a lower profile, so your van gains overhead clearance when compared to the Coleman-Mach ACs installed on many Class B RVs.

We were able to test the Fresair in one of All Advantures’ completed van builds that was sitting at the Mercedes-Benz in St. George, Utah. It definitely made the van more comfortable in 90-degree heat, even without window covers. And we could talk to each other without yelling. It was significantly quieter than our previous Coleman-Machs. We figured the Fresair would be sufficient for our needs, so we agreed to have it installed.

In the middle of our van build, I learned about the Dometic RTX 2000 Air Conditioner. Like the Fresair, it was 12V and wouldn’t require shore power. However, the Dometic was a little more appealing because it would work in both dry and humid climates, whereas the Fresair only works in dry. At the time, I couldn’t find an extensive number of Dometic reviews, and I didn’t want to change requirements on All Advantures mid-build, so I let it go. But then Kent from All Advantures called. He exclaimed that the current summer was abnormally humid in generally drier places and that All Advantures recently became a Dometic partner. He was concerned that the Fresair wouldn’t be the right fit and offered to install the Dometic.

Before Kyle and I decided, we found helpful YouTube videos on the Fresair versus Dometic, as well as videos that reviewed the energy consumption of each. The Fresair was a strong contender, especially due to its price tag. On last check, the Dometic was roughly $3,000 and the Fresair $1,500 before install. However, we wanted a cooling system that could handle all climates, so we went with the Dometic. If we weren’t full-timing, I would’ve likely leaned toward the Fresair.

9-month review of the Dometic RTX 2000 Air Conditioner

I’m really bummed that Bruce only got to enjoy the Dometic air conditioner once. We sadly had to say goodbye to him in January when he was 17 years old. He would’ve loved the Dometic, and I think of him every time I turn it on. I miss seeing him sprawled out on the bed all cozy with the AC blasting on him.

Without the shore power requirement, we use the Dometic more frequently than the AC units in our Travato and Revel. My new favorite use is after picking up to-go food for eating comfortably in the restaurant parking lot. It’s also helpful on travel days when we make rest stops or when we’re running errands. Instead of keeping the Sprinter’s engine on to stay cool, we can turn it off and run the Dometic instead. We keep the atmosphere cleaner and nobody has to listen to our diesel engine.

The air the Dometic spits out is quick to cool after we turn it on, even when it’s over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. We’re not always in the best place to empty our van for cleaning and rearranging. But we recently stayed at an AirBnb and decided to take advantage of its clean gravel driveway and concrete patio space. The only downside was that it was over 100 degrees out. Without the Dometic AC, we would’ve never taken on the task. The unit kept the van cool inside and me from sweating profusely.

The Dometic can use a significant amount of energy, so we keep it in Eco mode. It’s really best for taking the edge off in shorter bursts, not for splurging in all day. This is very rough, but it seems to deplete our Goal Zero by 10% every 45 minutes when it’s set to Auto and 62 degrees (the default). If we’re on shore power and the Dometic is in Auto mode, the Goal Zero shows a power output that is greater than the input. Using Eco mode, there is an equal amount of output versus input. As we keep traveling, I’m sure we’ll see variations depending on conditions.

The Dometic is reasonably quiet no matter how fast the fan is blowing. Just like the Fresair, we can hold a conversation without raising our voices. Since the Dometic is installed above our bed in the rear of the van, it’s a little too loud for watching a movie on our iPad when the iPad is positioned near our feet, even in Eco mode. However, our L-track allows us to mount the iPad directly over our pillows in which case we can hear whatever is playing.

We go back and forth on where the air conditioner and roof fan are best installed. Our AC is installed toward the rear and the fan is toward the front. During the hottest and sunniest times of day, we aren’t usually in the rear bed area, and most heat enters through the windshield. Kyle works in the passenger-side seat flipped backward, and I typically hang out in our dinette area which is the midpoint of the van. Sometimes it seems like the AC should be closest to us in the front with the roof fan in the back. It’s nice to have the exhaust near the galley when cooking, but maybe I would enjoy the AC more when I’m standing over the stove on a hot day. I would actually really love it if the air conditioner could also serve as an exhaust fan. Not sure if a worthy product already exists.

So far, we’re happy with our choice to install the Dometic RTX 2000 Air Conditioner. We’ll see if we encounter any issues with it down the road.