Elite caravans keep their cool

Elite Caravans likes to keep its customers happy. So much so, the Melbourne manufacturer has fitted a number of domestic appliances including a 60inch LED TV, Bose surround sound system, and 8.5kg washer dryer, into some of its apartment-style caravans.

Now Elite is offering perhaps the ultimate holiday indulgence by installing home-style, split system air-conditioners into some of its biggest custom-built vans.

Elite Caravans’ Peter Smith said demand is greatest from those travelling through Australia’s hottest regions who want something with more cooling efficiency than a compact RV air-conditioner.

The latest example off the Elite production line is a custom-built, twin-axle Murray Series 4 model (pictured) fitted with a Mitsubishi reverse cycle, inverter split-system. Separate head units are located in the bedroom and living areas, which run off the compressor unit mounted on the drawbar.

“Because our vans are so big, the standard Ibis (roof-mounted air-con) won’t cool into the bedroom, so what we’ve done is put a normal home split system, 2.5kW in the bedroom, and 2.5kW in the living area,” Smith said.

“Even in 50 degree temperatures you can get it down to 18 degrees.”

To protect it from vibrations and Outback dust, the large 15kg compressor unit sits on rubber mounts and has a cover for when travelling.

Smith said the split system packages are “professional fitted” and come with AAA electrical certification.

“We can fit them to any van, but we normally fit them to 23 to 30ft vans,” he said.

Smith said the home-style units cost more to fit and require more energy to run than the smaller RV air-conditioners. The owners of the Murray Series 4 van, Trevor and Michelle Nobbs from Kununurra, Western Australia, plan to stay in caravan parks and use 240V mains electricity, but a petrol generator would also do the job.

Set up for some serious touring, the ‘dream’ van has also been optioned up with a Waeco slide-out fridge, Al-Ko Electronic Stability Control and Cruisemaster off-road suspension.

So far Elite has fitted three of its caravans with the domestic-style units, and has “several more orders in the system”. While not unusual as an 'aftermarket' or DIY fitment, it's believed Elite is the first Aussie caravan manufacturer to offer the home-style systems as a factory option.

Smith said visitors to the Elite Caravans display at next month’s Queensland Caravan, Camping & Touring Holiday Show can expect some more surprises...