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Which type of RV Air conditioner is suitable for me?

Roof or under-bench air conditioner – either version has its own advantages but won’t suit every application. Check the system comparison benefits below to make a well informed decision. After all, you are going to use your air conditioner for many years to come …

Installation on the roof or in a storage compartment


Recreational vehicles offer only two places where the installation of an air conditioner makes sense from a technical and practical point of view: on the roof or in the storage compartment. Roof air conditioners use the physical principle that cold air sinks. The cold air streams can be directed into the vehicle’s living area in an energy-saving manner and without performance loss. Formerly, air conditioners replaced the roof window, but now our engineers have found a way to integrate a window into the roof air conditioner. The result is known as Dometic FreshLight – it is the first of its kind worldwide.

Air conditioners fitted in the storage compartment distribute the air through air outlets, which can be placed in the room as required to get a tailor-made climate control solution.

Benefits of a roof air conditioner
  • Simple and fast installation on the roof
  • No (air distribution) accessories required
  • Easy change-over to another vehicle
  • No performance loss (system effectively uses the physical principle that cold air sinks)
  • No need to sacrifice the storage compartment
  • Option to install two units for two separate climate zones
  • The roof window is retained (models with integrated window)

Benefits of an under-bench air conditioner
  • The vehicle’s centre of gravity and outside dimensions remain unaffected
  • You can keep the roof window
  • Air outlets can be placed as required
  • Air conditioning can be provided for several rooms

Do you want daylight from the roof window?


Although roof-mounted A/C systems are installed above the vehicle roof window, you need not go without daylight inside your mobile home. If daylight is important to you, you will appreciate the innovative roof-mounted FreshLight A/C system with integrated window.

Dometic adapter frames for roof air conditioners


Most roof air conditioners from Dometic are designed for roof openings of 400 x 400 mm. What do you do if you have a wider cut-out, e.g. 430 x 430 mm? Simply use an adapter frame to adjust the air conditioner to the wider roof opening and enjoy perfect installation results. We also offer an adapter frame for corrugated roofs with a roof cut-out of 400 x 400 mm – the recessed areas are closed off.