FANS & AC
STEP 6
CHOOSING YOUR AIRFLOW
Airflow in your van is key. Installing a vent fan in our van has been one of the best decisions we could have ever made. It’s shocking how powerful they can be and how you can get by without an AC. We have ours CONSTANTLY running. It helps on hot days to get hot air out and keep the van cool, in the evenings to bring cool air in so we sleep better at night, and to keep moisture and smoke out of the van when cooking. Things to consider when deciding on your source of airflow.
ENERGY: How much energy can you reasonably use with your vent fan or ac? We have our vent fan constantly running primarily off of 400 watts of solar. However we wouldn’t be able to run an AC for long off of that. This is the most important factor to calculate when making your choice so be sure to confirm how much energy each fan claims to use.
COST: How much have you budgeted for this? There are options for all types of price ranges. Keep in mind that after talking to a ton of other nomads, this feature is one that you won’t want to skimp out on.
PLACEMENT: Be sure to plan out where this will be placed in your ceiling, factoring in placement of solar (if you have), structure of the van and how close you’d like it to your sleeping area, kitchen or bathroom.
WINDOWS: Where are your windows placed throughout the van and do they allow for airflow to flow through the entire van in accordance to the ceiling placement?
LIFESTYLE: Is an AC an absolute must for you or can you get by with just a vent fan? If you won’t be living in 90+ degree weather you should be fine without an AC and we would recommend simply having a vent fan.
We’ve curated a list of common camper van vent fans and AC options to help you get started.
FAN-TASTIC VENT FAN - 1250 SERIES
The ‘Fan-Tastic’ vent fans are a common name brand you’ll hear within the van life community. However there are mixed reviews. If you are on a budget you can start here. We would recommend buying the 1250 series if on a tight budget, running you around $180-$190. There is one fan slightly cheaper, being the 1200 series for roughly $160. But for only about a $20-$25 increase, the 1250 series has the coveted ‘reversible airflow’ feature, which allows you to bring airflow inside the van as well as outside. If living on the road full time, you WILL want this feature.
*Keep in mind, when shopping Fan-Tastic fans, they do not come with a rain cover causing rain to get inside your home when open during rainy weather. To avoid this problem, you’d have to buy a Fan-Tastic vent cover separately.
FAN-TASTIC VENT FAN - 7350 SERIES
If you want to stay within the Fan-Tastic brand the 7350 series is the most popular option as it has all the bells and whistles and it better be for the price increase. Priced around $400, this fan does it all with reversible airflow features, automated temperature control, rain sensor all at the control of a handheld remote.
*Keep in mind, when shopping Fan-Tastic fans, they do not come with a rain cover making it unable to stay open during rainy weather. You’d have to buy a Fan-Tastic vent cover separately.
MAXX AIR VENT FAN
We went with the 00-05100K model Maxxair fan and LOVE it! It has a built in rain shield so you never have to worry about changing weather and we like to keep it open when rainy to get that fresh rain scent inside the van. It is manually controlled but we haven’t ever felt like the need for a remote as we live in a 6x12 space, essentially within arms reach of it at all times. It’s powerful, quiet and has the reversible airflow feature which we use and love all the time. It also comes with a built in thermostat to control room temperature. This will run you around $370. If a remote control is a must for you, we’d recommend an upgrade being the 00-07500K model at around $400, which also comes with a smoke tint lid.
DOMETIC BRISK II POLAR AIR CONDITIONING
Most full time van lifers who don't live in super hot climates do not install an AC and we wouldn’t recommend it either. That being said, if an AC is a must for you, be sure to have a strong source of energy to support the use of it. We’d recommend having a generator to keep it running as you won’t be able to rely on solar for it.
This Dometic AC unit is a great way to keep your conversion van cool. It’s strong and efficient with 13,500 and 15,000 BTU sizes, running off 115 volts and between 1,500 and 1,800 watts. This will cost you anywhere between $700 to $1,000+.
TURBOKOOL SWAMP AIR CONDITIONING COOLER
There is a work around to installing an AC that doesn’t use a ton of energy, leading us to the TurboKool Swamp Cooler. This baby will run you around $600. With it being a “swamp cooler” it’s designed to run on either solar or from a 12 volt power supply, while only drawing 4.6 amps and cooling a space down 20-30 degrees. Effective and easy to clean, this system runs off of a 3 galloon water supply and uses around 1- 1.5 gallons per hour of running.
EVAPOLAR PORTABLE AIR COOLER
We ended up purchasing one of these EvaPolar mini swamp coolers which costs around $180. We plan our van life route to follow ideal weather so we don’t need this often, but on hotter days it is nice to have. It doesn’t fill the entire space with cool air and is in NO WAY an AC replacement. Rather, it cools you nicely if you place it directly in front of where you’re sitting. Plug it in to an electrical outlet and it simply cools using the water filled in it. This 3-in-1 cooling product humidifies, purifies and chills the air using evaporative technology. It’s easy to use, has low energy consumption and is a small and lightweight option if you’d like something to take the edge off on hotter days.
AIRFLOW FROM WINDOWS
One of the biggest reasons why the vent fans work so well is in accordance with window placement. To maximize airflow you’ll want a window in the back of the van that has an opening feature along with one in the middle to front of the van. If the vent fan is placed near the middle of the van then it will create a nice cross breeze throughout the van.