Air conditioning / heating in VW T5 and T6

Hello,

I came across a Dometic Freshwell 3000 air conditioning unit while searching for an electric heater for a T6 camper van.
The beauty of this system is that it can also be used for heating. Therefore, it would be ideal for cooling the T6 bus in the sun and preventing it from getting too cold in cold weather.

Are there any experiences with such systems? I'm thinking about installing this part in the furniture unit, but the question is how I can create a connection for the waste heat of the module, and whether it will even fit in terms of space.

Best regards, Rainer.

Hi Rainer,

"This unit (or its sister models) is installed in many caravans. It is designed for the camping sector and is a simple air conditioning system. Depending on the model, it is available with an electric heating element (efficiency = 1), or with a reversing cycle (efficiency depending on the temperature difference)." Realistically probable: 0.7-3.

This device is intended for stationary use. If you want to use it in a self-sufficient manner, forget about it. The battery will be empty after about 1 hour.

In terms of noise, this kind of device is louder than a decent electric fan. In terms of price, it is also significantly higher.

In terms of comfort, both an electric fan and a plenum air conditioning system can create drafts, and it's likely that corners will remain cold.

Depending on your priorities, my recommendations would be:
1) Energy-efficient: Stand heater.
2) Optimized for purchase price: Electric fans or infrared heaters, or conventional halogen heaters.
3) With cooling function: Climate control for storage compartments.

I would recommend using a heating pad for that. As long as the legs stay warm, many people find that temperatures about 5 degrees cooler are comfortable, and some even rate the overall feeling of comfort as more positive.

Depending on the level of DIY enthusiasm, 1-2 conventional headlights (approximately 100W) placed about 50-100cm from the body can significantly increase the perceived temperature in the legs (perhaps recessed lights in the storage compartment?). Radiant heat directed at the body has significantly less loss than heating the entire space/vehicle. However, it's best to experiment with the placement of the heat sources beforehand. Too close creates a localized heat, while too far away remains too cold. A uniform distribution is recommended. It might be sufficient for the transition period and could increase comfort.

For all devices: Always pay attention to a good range of heating/fan power levels. A climate/heating system that can only operate at 3kW with an ON/OFF function is likely to be very noisy and start and stop very frequently. 500W in a small space may already be sufficient to create a significant temperature difference. As a general guideline: Caravans up to approximately 5.5 meters in length (around 7 meters total) are usually equipped with a 3kW Truma system. This is sufficient for a temperature difference of about 40-50 degrees between the inside and outside. The bus is less well insulated, but much smaller. Therefore, your problem is probably not the maximum power of the heater, but rather the minimum power, so that the device does not constantly switch on and off. At low temperatures, you will also encounter a problem with condensation forming in the colder areas.

Greetings.
Guste.

Hello Guste,

Thank you for your detailed assessment! Initially, we were considering either a heated blanket or a ceramic fan heater for the vehicle. However, given the heat/sun, an air conditioning system with cooling and heating functions would be very comfortable, but unfortunately, due to the electricity consumption, it would only be feasible for campsites with a power connection.

The Dometic Freshwell 3000 is quite large, and in my opinion, it's a bit oversized for the T5/T6. I'll see if I can find something smaller that can be hidden within the furniture. I thought there was/is a smaller version from Freshwell, but I can't find it for sale currently.
Because the furniture arrangement in the bus is not as spacious as a storage compartment in a caravan.

Best regards, Rainer.

dieselschrauber wrote:

I thought there was/is a smaller version from Freshwell, but I can't find it for sale currently. Because the seating area on the bus is not as spacious as a storage compartment in a caravan.

Roof climate?

Alternative:
I'm not familiar with the T6. Does the T6 already have ventilation and an evaporator installed in the rear from the factory, like the T4 + Sharan 7M? Or does it only have a preparation for it? Do you know of any refrigeration companies near me?

My idea: The biggest space-hog in the already cramped T6 interior is the climate control air ducting. If we could redesign this (perhaps by utilizing existing components and supplementing them with a compressor and condenser), it could potentially save a significant amount of space. However, it's definitely a specialized DIY solution that, while it might be clever, is something you also need to actively want.

Greetings.
Guste.

Hi,

Unfortunately, the roof-mounted climate control system will have to be removed due to the sunroof.

Quote:

Does the T6 already have ventilation and an evaporator installed in the rear from the factory

There's a heater installed, I should check what's possible. I also considered using a Peltier element in the airflow, like in coolers, but the achievable cooling effect is far too low here.

Best regards, Rainer.

It's not just that the Peltier elements provide insufficient cooling power. They are also extremely inefficient.

dieselschrauber wrote:

There's a heater installed, I should check what's possible there. I also considered using a Peltier element in the airflow, like in coolers, but the achievable cooling effect is far too low here. Best regards, Rainer

I see some large hoses going there. Are those coolant hoses? Or perhaps climate control hoses?
Is this actually a supplementary heater (recognizable by the fuel supply and exhaust system), or is it just a fan with a water and/or refrigerant heat exchanger?

The Peltier element wasn't quite what I was looking for (it had significantly too little power). I need something more like a compressor, evaporator, and condenser. Just a custom-made air conditioning system designed for the specific installation.

Hi,

The hoses are coolant hoses. I had previously assumed that the auxiliary heater is located under the visible fan housing (blower with heat exchanger) in the picture. Anyway, those were the only audible sounds coming from there.

The auxiliary heater (pre-heater) might be located somewhere else; does anyone know for sure where? I couldn't find any corresponding exhaust pipe anywhere under the car. He apparently wasn't forgotten, because the driver's door says: "Webasto Thermo Top Evo," and it's also present in the VCDS Autoscan. It's supposedly located in the floor panel under the driver's seat.

I'm currently wondering where the air is being drawn into the ventilation box; perhaps a heat exchanger could be installed there.
The T6 is also available with air conditioning and a second evaporator at the rear; it's possible that this particular ventilation unit contains one of those evaporators.

Best regards, Rainer.

dieselschrauber wrote:

The T6 is also available with air conditioning and a second A/C evaporator in the rear, so it's possible that this particular unit is installed in this ventilation box.

At least in our Galaxy (which is the same as the Sharan 7M), it's like that. In my opinion, it would only make sense to keep it that way (it saves a fan motor...). Is the question whether it's the same ventilation unit, just missing the evaporator (and possibly requiring the removal of a piece of plastic), or whether the units actually have different dimensions.

If the air distribution system etc. is already in place, and only a vaporizer needs to be added, then it might be worth considering more seriously.

For now, you wanted to clarify the heating issue .
Here, I would consider utilizing the existing air ducting (if appropriately positioned) and simply adding another heating element, either in the airflow or in the cooling water. However, it's crucial to incorporate a second safety level in this setup! It shouldn't immediately catch fire if the fan or water pump fails...

I hope I'm not too late:

The one on the far right is the second one. The climate control system (heating and evaporator) is responsible solely for circulating air within the rear compartment.
Inside the Multivan, featuring the climate control ceiling.

The heater is located underneath the bus.

The rear part remains on when you activate the standby heating.
The auxiliary heater (in my case, a hot water auxiliary heater) only works through the front system.

Greetings.
m;

Hello Martin,

Thank you for the information!

Best regards, Rainer.

I'm not entirely sure, but it seems like you only have one heating system.
I miss the vaporizer and its distinctive hump where it sits.

EDIT:
Disinfection is greatly improved by increasing the resistance of the fan (leave the fan motor in place!).