Best Caravan Air Conditioner in Australia: Rooftop, Under-Bunk, 12V and Portable
The best caravan air conditioner for most full-size vans is a 240V inverter rooftop unit. Pop tops suit under-bunk units, and off-grid vans need 48V or big batteries. Here's how to match caravan air conditioners to your setup.
If you've got a full-size caravan and you mostly stay on powered sites, that's your answer. If you tow a pop top, camp off-grid or want to hear about brands we don't sell, read on.
Caravan Air Conditioner Types and Which Van Each Suits
Caravan air conditioners come in two installed types, rooftop and under-bunk. Battery portables sit alongside them for small spaces. Your storage and your power setup decide which one suits your caravan.
Rooftop Units for Full-Size Vans
It's 4pm on day three of a heatwave up north. You're on park power, and your caravan still feels like the inside of a ute left in the sun.
Most owners start with one on the roof. It drops into a standard roof hatch opening, 362 x 362 mm or 400 x 400 mm on the Cool-J 12,500 inverter, so you keep every cupboard. The cooling comes straight down into your living space.
The trade is weight up high. The Truma Aventa comfort weighs about 33 kg with its air distributor, and the two Cool-J models are 42 kg each.
Every model in the table further down heats as well as cools, so the same box gives you heating on a frosty morning. Have a look at the Truma range, and you'll be sleeping comfortably before the next heatwave rolls in.
Under-Bunk Units for Pop Tops and Smaller Vans
Got a pop top? Go under the bunk. A roof unit adds weight your pop top roof has to lift every time you set up camp. An under-bunk system keeps your roof clear.
The Truma Saphir comfort RC weighs about 23.5 kg and sits in a storage box. Ducts carry the cold air through your caravan. You give up some storage space, and the ducting needs planning so the far end gets air too.
Pop top owners seem happy with that trade. On Caravaners Forum, one owner fitted a 2.4 kW Saphir to their 17-foot pop top and says it cools the van very well.
Portable Battery Units for Swags, Tents and Camper Vans
A battery aircon cools a swag, a tent, a camper van or the bed end of your caravan. It won't cool a whole full-size caravan.
The EcoFlow WAVE 3 gives you 1,800W of cooling (6,100 BTU), weighs 15.3 kg and runs up to 8 hours on its add-on battery, by EcoFlow's figures. The Zero Breeze Mark 3 gives you 5,280 BTU from 150 to 500W. Zero Breeze quotes 2 to 3 hours per battery flat out in Rocket mode.
Owners back up the size limit. In the comments on one portable air conditioner review, a Spain-based owner of a 5.5 m motorhome says their unit couldn't bring the cabin temperature down at all. It did keep the curtained-off bed cool.
For camping in a swag or tent, that's plenty. If you're choosing between EcoFlow models, the WAVE 2 vs WAVE 3 comparison lays out the differences. The Zero Breeze range covers the other option, and either way you'll sleep cooler tonight.
Choosing by Van Size, Roof Weight, Noise and Install Cost
Before you order, check four things. You want enough cooling for your caravan, a roof that can carry the weight, a noise level you can sleep with, and someone licensed to fit it.
Cooling Capacity in kW and BTU by Van Length
Bigger caravans need more cooling capacity. The kW or BTU on the box is only part of the story, though.
Stocked models for the top of your caravan run from 2,400W of cooling on the Truma Aventa comfort to the Cool-J 12,500. That one ramps between 7,500 and 12,500 BTU to hold your set temperature. Neither manufacturer's spec page gives a length rating for your caravan, so be wary of anyone quoting one as gospel.
Owners say your caravan matters as much as the aircon. In that Caravaners Forum thread, one owner's 3.6 kW system wouldn't cool their van properly. The 2.4 kW Saphir did the job in a 17-foot pop top. Another member pointed to roof and wall insulation, sun on the roof and the heat already inside when you switch on.
Truma is upfront about the limits. Its system can produce a maximum temperature difference of 10°C in ideal conditions. So park in shade and air your caravan out before you start it, and you'll get the most from whichever size you pick.
Roof Weight and Caravan Height
A rooftop air conditioner adds roughly 33 to 42 kg to your roof, going by the manufacturer figures above. That's payload you can't spend on water or gear, and it sits at the highest point of your caravan.
It adds height too. The Cool-J models stand 253 mm tall, so check your carport or shed clearance before you order. An under-bunk system keeps your height and weight where they are.
Noise Levels and Inverter Compressors
An inverter compressor ramps up and down to hold your temperature, instead of slamming on and off all night. That's quieter at 2am, and gentler on your power at start-up.
Published noise figures are rare on caravan air conditioners. Truma says its Aventa systems are built to run especially quietly, but gives no decibel figure. The battery models do publish one: 44 dB on low for the WAVE 3, and 46 dB(A) for the Zero Breeze Mark 3.
If you sleep light, put the inverter models at the top of your list.
Installation Cost and Licensed Installers
Budget from about $2,800 to have an air conditioning system supplied and fitted. That figure comes from one business, a mobile installer called Caravan Air Conditioning Services. Its Sydney page advertises supply and installation from $2,800, with cleaning and maintenance from $260. It's a single installer's advertised price as at September 2026, so get your own quote.
Fixed systems need a licensed electrician. Cool-J's 48V air conditioner page says the unit must be connected by a licensed electrician to Australian standards AS/NZS 3000 and AS/NZS 3001. Truma's under-bunk models are fitted by an authorised dealer.
True Gear doesn't install, but you can still ring the store on 03 7056 6732. A real person will talk it through with you and point you in the right direction.
Powering a Caravan Air Conditioner on 240V, 12V, 48V and Batteries
On a powered site, any stocked 240V system will run. Off-grid, it comes down to start-up current, battery capacity and how you recharge.
Power Draw and Start-Up Current in Watts and Amps
Most stocked 240V models draw roughly 750 to 1,500W while cooling. A Truma Aventa comfort draws 4.2A cooling, about 1,000W.
Start-up is the catch. Truma lists a start-up current of 28A for 150 milliseconds on the Aventa comfort, and 20A on the Saphir. That's several times the running draw. The RAC's caravan electrics guide warns that an air conditioner can spike over 2,000 watts.
On site power, Truma says the Saphir works on campsites with a fuse rating of six amps or more. UK owners on the Practical Caravan forum back that up. One used their aircon on 6 amp pitches in Spain with no issues, switching it off while the kettle boiled.
So will a 2,000W inverter run one? It'll carry the running load. Whether it starts the compressor depends on your inverter's peak rating and whether your aircon has soft start, so check both spec sheets before you buy.
Inverter, Lithium Battery and Solar Sizing
You can run an aircon off a 12V battery, through an inverter. It's a big ask, though. A 1,000W air conditioner pulls about 83A from your 12V battery.
Owners who do it for more than short stints run serious systems. One member of The Grey Nomads Forum says the people they know running aircon off solar and batteries have at least 600Ah of lithium. They also run 1,000 to 1,200W of solar, with engine charging on top.
Start with a quality portable lithium battery, or try the Power Station Finder to see what suits your setup.
Battery Runtime Once the Van Is Cool
Most guides do the maths at full draw. A 200Ah battery at 12V holds about 2,400Wh, so a 1,000W system would flatten it in about 2.4 hours, before inverter losses.
Owners of inverter-style aircons report longer runs, because the draw drops once your caravan reaches the set temperature. 4WDing Australia ran an inverter-style aircon from 340Ah of lithium. They saw a brief spike at start-up, then a climb to about 60A over five minutes. Peaks sat in the 80A range, and they estimated 4 to 6 hours with no solar.
Others go further. A commenter on a caravan aircon review reports their aircon uses about 300W once the caravan is at temperature. They get 14 hours off-grid in eco mode, on 300Ah of batteries with solar. On a second Grey Nomads thread, a member reports stints of up to 6 hours on 400Ah of lithium, with 900W of fixed panels and a 300W portable panel.
On a scorching day, or in a caravan that's already hot, expect something closer to the full-draw number. Plan for that, and every extra hour you get is a bonus.
Solar Panels for Caravan Aircon
Solar tops your batteries up during the day. At 2am, when you most want the aircon, it adds nothing.
RAC says a caravan using 2kWh a day needs about 600W of solar panels. Its rule of thumb is solar watts at twice your usable battery amp-hours. Three hours of a 1,000W aircon uses about 3kWh on its own, half as much again as RAC's example day, before your fridge and lights.
12V and 48V DC Air Conditioners
Do 12 volt air conditioners work? A true DC unit skips the inverter losses, but you still need a big battery bank. True 12V rooftop models are also thin on the ground, and the ones owners mention come from brands True Gear doesn't carry.
The stocked DC option is the Cool-J 48V off-grid model. It runs straight off your 48V system, drawing 583 to 1,752W (12 to 32.8A) while cooling. RAC notes that higher-voltage systems run at lower current. It also says Jayco's 48V off-grid caravan runs an aircon and induction cooktop from its battery bank, though you'll probably still need a 12V circuit for everything else.
For a camper van, a battery aircon is usually the simpler answer. If you're building a 48V system, the Cool-J range is the place to start.
Power Stations and Generators
A big power station can run a small aircon for a while. The guide on whether a Bluetti can run an air conditioner works through the numbers, and the portable power stations range is the place to compare.
RAC says more caravans now run the aircon from the inverter and batteries, with a smaller generator of around 2kW keeping the batteries up. For which genny will start your aircon, see the caravan generator guide.
Best Caravan Air Conditioner for Your Setup
For a full-size caravan on powered sites, pick a 240V inverter rooftop air conditioner. For a pop top or smaller caravan, go under-bunk. Off-grid, you'll need 48V or a big lithium battery bank. For a swag, tent or camper van, a battery aircon does the job.
Stocked Units Compared by Price, Power and Weight
Here are all the air conditioners in the True Gear range, with price, cooling output, rated cooling draw and weight as listed on 12 September 2026.
| Model | Type | Price | Cooling | Cooling draw | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Truma Aventa comfort | Rooftop, 240V | $1,959 | 2,400W | 4.2A, about 1,000W | about 33 kg |
| Cool-J 12,500 | Rooftop, 240V | $2,296 | 7,500-12,500 BTU | 750-1,500W | 42 kg |
| Cool-J 48V off-grid | Rooftop, 48V DC | $2,526 | 5,100-13,800 BTU | 583-1,752W | 42 kg |
| Truma Saphir | Under-bunk, 240V | $1,829-$1,875 | 2,400W | 4.2A, about 1,000W | about 23.5 kg |
| Cool-J iHider220 | Under-bunk, 240V | $1,690 | 10,000 BTU | 872-1,002W | about 26 kg |
| Cool-J HB9000 Plus | Under-bunk, 240V | $1,349 | 2,600W | 870W | 27.8 kg |
| Freucamp Sanjo | Under-bunk, 240V | $1,069 | 2,200W | 820W | 28 kg |
| EcoFlow WAVE 3 | Battery aircon | $1,099 | 1,800W | 690W on AC | 15.3 kg |
| Zero Breeze Mark 3 | Battery aircon | $2,099, battery $1,199 extra | 5,280 BTU | 150-500W | 10 kg main unit |
Which one is the most reliable? Independent failure data for caravan aircons is hard to find, so compare warranties and service instead. The 48V off-grid model carries 2 years on the compressor and 1 year on other parts. It's also worth asking whether there's a service agent along the roads you actually travel.
Brands and Alternatives True Gear Doesn't Stock
We don't sell every brand you'll see in Australian buying guides, so there's no sale riding on this bit. Dometic (no longer in the True Gear range) and GREE lead a lot of those guides. The review commenter above swears by their Houghton, and true 12V integrated models come from brands like KickAss.
If one of those suits your caravan better, it's a fair choice. Some owners on Caravaners Forum and The Grey Nomads Forum fit a household split system or window unit instead, to save money. That's a job for licensed trades, and the weight and water sealing are yours to sort out.
Still weighing it up? Ring the store on 03 7056 6732 or text 0476 330 590 with your caravan length and power setup. A real person will help you pick, even when the right answer is a brand we don't sell.
Keep reading: running an air conditioner on a generator, what size generator you need, best inverter generators in Australia, portable power station vs battery and the solar compatibility guide.
