Europe without AC

[aless]

Hi. Planning first ever RV trip, for 9 months around Europe with our two kids. I notice that pretty much all the RV's we might rent, in the 20 to 24 foot range, do not come with AC in the rear. Will this not be intolerable come the summer months when we will be in southern France and Italy? Or am I missing something? Perhaps the AC from the front is enough to keep us all cool. Or maybe people find windows open are sufficient.

Also, does the lack of rear AC also mean they mostly don't have rear heating? Or is heating a separate thing? We will start out trip in December, so the cold will be an issue too. I appreciate any info on the subject. Thanks.

[DriVer]

Originally Posted by aless

I appreciate any info on the subject. Thanks.

aless, We have several international members who pop in here form time to time and I hope that one of them will see your question and will choose to respond.

Here is one resource that you might find helpful:

ROTI European Travel Blog


Please come back and visit often.

[aless]

Thanks for the link. I'll wait and hope to hear from people used to traveling around Europe.

[Gary RVRoamer]

The furnace/heating is usually separate from the a/c system. Some a/c's may be heat pumps or have electric heat strips, but the main furnace will still be a separate LP system.

From what I understand of European campgrounds and their electrical hook-ups, you will be lucky to have enough power to run one a/c. Two would be out of the question. I'm told 20A or less is typical.

[frankdamp]

Because electricity is so expensive in Europe (about 5 or 6 times the price per KWh than Americans are used to) Europeans don't use it at home, until recently it wans't common in cars and they've learned how to perspire politely.

Most of Europe doesn't get as hot as, say Florida or the South East coastal regions, and has lower humidity. Since rentals are usually less than 26', having just one a/c unit probably shouldn't be a problem.

Touring Europe by RV is enough of an adventure that I wouldn't cancel because of only one a/c.

[aless]

Thanks for the responses. No, I wouldn't consider changing my plans over it...I was just curious if I was missing something about the RV's with no AC in the rear. But from the two previous responses it seems the heating is separate, so we can presumably run it at night while we sleep during winter in cold places? And with regard to the AC, do you mean that the AC in the driving cabin is sufficient to cool the whole vehicle? And, if we are plugged in at night can it, or the heating, be left on? Or does the engine need to be on to run it?

Thanks again, and sorry for the noobishness of the questions.

[faye]

Originally Posted by aless

Hi. Planning first ever RV trip, for 9 months around Europe with our two kids. I notice that pretty much all the RV's we might rent, in the 20 to 24 foot range, do not come with AC in the rear. Will this not be intolerable come the summer months when we will be in southern France and Italy? Or am I missing something? Perhaps the AC from the front is enough to keep us all cool. Or maybe people find windows open are sufficient.

Also, does the lack of rear AC also mean they mostly don't have rear heating? Or is heating a separate thing? We will start out trip in December, so the cold will be an issue too. I appreciate any info on the subject. Thanks.

in a unit that size, one a/c unit will usually be enough.

[Gary RVRoamer]

The dashboard a/c in the driving area is separate from a roof top a/c., which is what normally cools the RV when driving. I don't know if European Rvs have roof a/c's or not - you better ask. Air conditioning is not as common in Europe as in the USA. But the climate is much cooler as well. 75 is a typical summer day in Paris or London. Madrid may see 85-90 in August - that's a hot spot..

[Gary - K7GLD]

The single AC in our 24 foot KIT 5er has been entirely adequate in Florida heat - and the furnace enough for cold temps well below freezing - you should be OK - and hopefully, the European RV's are built to handle whatever temps you might expect to encounter.

[RVhauler]

While it has been a number of years since I RV;d in Europe (I had an american class B -lived in Germany 10 years) I never seen a european unit w/AC. Heating units consisted of a propane Cat heater. Electric is for the most part 220 volt tho in italy you would find 160-220 volt and some times in the same campgroup. I have found amperage as low as two anps with the most around 10-20 amp. Used to cary handful of spare fuses as CG charged you for blown fuses (most fuze boxes are locked). Fuel is extremely high priced. Note that you are starting in December and state will be in the south in the summer. Would appear to me that you are starting out in the wrong countries. Some english is spoken about every where but should have a working knowledge of at least one major foreign language. European weather can getquite cold in winter

[aless]

Thanks again for the info. I am indeed starting in December but will be doing the smart thing and following the weather, staying south in the winter. But we will have looped around by the time summer comes, back down to the south as we have family that live there who we will be visiting. Also I'm fluent in French which should help out while we're there.

[RedneckExpress]

Other than its fuel consumption rate and likely needing to adapt the power supply to handle non-us standard connections, sounds like my rig would work fairly decently round those parts. Its smaller to an extent and can run on 15amp power with the A/C going if need be.