Roof air conditioners - what's new?

If a summer vacation trip is to be really comfortable, we cannot ignore the topic of air conditioning. Fortunately, manufacturers such as Dometic have devices that will keep you cool even when the sun is shining ruthlessly outside.

Dometic is the world's largest manufacturer and supplier of motorhome equipment, and the brand's range of roof air conditioners now includes as many as 7 models in the "FreshJet" (without window) and "FreshLight" (with an integrated sunroof) model lines. In the 2018 season, the range of FreshJet air conditioners was expanded by the FreshJet 2700 model.

A novelty among air conditioners

This model is worth paying attention to for several reasons. Even the compact size and gentle lines make the model attractive. The design, however, is in line with the current look of other Dometic air conditioners. What is much more important are the technical parameters.

Roof air conditioner FreshJet 2700

The FreshJet 2700 air conditioner, thanks to its efficiency, can be successfully used in motorhomes up to 8 meters long . Importantly, it ensures reliable operation in the temperature range from 0 to 52 degrees Celsius .

The air conditioner has both a cooling mode (2500 W) and a heating mode (up to 3500 W). In addition, the FreshJet 2700 copes with moisture perfectly, drying the air inside the vehicle. The fact that this model has a heat pump makes it similar to the top model FreshJet 3200 .

There is something else in common with the current FreshJet 2200 and FreshJet 3200 models - it is the "soft start" function , which enables trouble-free starting even at campsites with poor mains protection or high voltage drops in the connection "pole".

A practical curiosity is the fact that you can connect the Dometic DC Kit to the air conditioner, which allows you to use the cooling function while driving!

A set that is better not to be forgotten

When deciding to install a roof air conditioner in a motorhome or caravan with a 12 V installation, you should also consider purchasing a supplementary kit, such as the DC Kit DSP-T 12 .

Accessory extension kit DC Kit DSP-T 12

The components of such a set include the ECL-102 charging current distributor with undervoltage protection. It regulates the current distribution between the starter battery, the supply battery and the alternator. The device prevents overloading the batteries and the electronic on-board network.

Depending on the state of charge of individual batteries, connection of an external 230 V power supply (or its absence), the distributor will not only power our device, but also automatically take care of the battery's state of charge .

Another element of the set is the DSP-1812T converter , which supplies the roof air-conditioner with the necessary 230 V input voltage. This voltage is generated from the 12-volt motorhome's on-board network.

An additional facilitation is the ability to control the inverter with a remote control . The extensive DSP-EM remote control also allows you to monitor the battery charge level, read the power consumption and supply of electricity to the on-board network and easily determine how long we have enough "own" energy.

DSP-RCT (left) and DSP-EM remote controls - basic and extended version of remote controls for the new Dometic line of inverters

In the DSP-T converters we also have an integrated priority switch , which allows to separate the voltage in vehicles that can use two power sources. If both DC voltage and the voltage generated by the inverter (vehicle battery) are available, the DC voltage will be used first.

Battery power will only be selected when the only available voltage is from inverter. In this way, we can be sure that the battery will not be unnecessarily discharged.

Electricity like home

DSP 3512T converter - the most powerful converter in the new Dometic range, providing 3500 W continuous power (peak power (6000 W)

Dometic also revamped the full line of inverters for the 2018 season. All new DSP and DSP-T models now supply 230 V from the so-called a pure sine wave where the coefficient of nonlinear distortion is less than 5%. In practice, this means that the quality of the power supply through the inverter is the same as in a home socket.

This, in turn, means greater safety for all electrical devices in the camping vehicle, including the air conditioning mentioned at the beginning.