Options for Air conditioning an FFR

[Rosco8]

Slowly setting up the ol' girl for touring and just finished a 2 week trip to Fraser Island as a trial. Like what I have .. very capable girl with a good load on tackled everything with ease .. but I absolutely cooked in her on the highway .. travelling in high 30's with it hitting 40 makes for a very uncomfortable ride. Not a huge fan of canvas over my head flapping around at 100kph either. So just exploring options. Yeh I know .. I could just travel when its cooler and put up with the noise but .. saw some great custom setups on the Island .. started me thinking do something moderate, a cab off another landie and an aluminium custom frame with drawer system on the back .. budget around $20k. Spoke to a crowd in Brisbane and I think doable. I still have the 24v system onboard and using it to power fridges with 2x100A batteries. Have heaps of extra power available. Those truck units units look interesting, can rear mount or have a self contained units .. so has anyone else looked at this as an option ??

Examples I came across ..

RTK5 - Rencool Pty Ltd (http://www.rencool.com.au/product/rtk5/)

https://www.webasto.com/au/markets-products/truck/air-conditioning/products/fresco-3000/

https://www.webasto.com/au/markets-products/truck/air-conditioning/products/rooftop-ac-35-99-kw-fresco-rt/

[weeds]

I briefly looked at the 12V options but as I didn't have the need to use it when stationary I went with a red dot with compressor.......my setup need to go back to the installer as it's icing up therefore not cooling as good as it should.

Out of interest, who is the mob Brisbane you spoke too, PM me if you like.

I used Mr Cool as I struggled to find many places that would take the job on.

[Rosco8]

Mob I talked to was Custom MRV, Sumner Park .. do a lot of big Nissian mods, saw a very impressive beast they did on Fraser Island, like their work. They did some work on the mods for getting the seats in the back compliant for that mob that used to do the hire tours with Perenties, put some reinforcing in for the seat belt attachments. Were happy to tackle my needs, though weren't air con guys though the guys offs sider used to work for a caravan place and said that the caravan installed ones kill batteries .. I am only interested in when its running and if I maintain the 24v system then I think its easy. I would need to source that and make sure the frame they built suited.

[mick88]

We also have an FFR and we know what you mean about traveling in them on very hot days.. it's downright exhausting. We have done a few long trips on hot days of high thirties and even into the forties. For some reason the you just feel knackered for two or three days after. We keep the fluids up, so I don't think it's dehydration, more just fatigue from the diesel drone and the canvas flapping, plus there is a lot of radiant heat through the canvas roof.
Our Aussie Diggers must be tough buggers having driven these vehicles around in places like Iraq and Afghanistan.


Cheers, Mick.

[Rosco8]

more just fatigue from the diesel drone and the canvas flapping, plus there is a lot of radiant heat through the canvas roof.


Mick .. hell yeh .. tough diggers alright ...

I found a good solution for the noise level, its an efficient set of noise cancelling headphones .. got the new Bose bluetooth set .. used them on the highway/freeways but not in the towns or on secondary city roads .. found they made a HUGE difference, just enough background of the engine ticking over for any problems and voices, like the CB cut thru so can still be aware to take them off. Listened at normal levels to many albums up and back .. so for me it the extreme heat, radiated as you said from the canvas and through the floor .. like I was being cooked in an oven :D Once the temp dropped that was no issue .. though the canvas flapping is a real bugger and I am not patient or comfortable to be travelling at 80-85kph on a 110kph highway, she romps along happily at 100kph on my GPS.

[wpalmo]

Hi All,

I would totally endorse the Bose bluetooth noise cancelling headphones. I use them when travelling on country and back roads. Awesome kit and they do make a difference to overall fatigue when driving long days in the back blocks. They are not cheap but I have not regretted buying the set.

Regards Warrick.

[Landybitz]

Have look at this thread.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/military-land-rovers/244291-air-con-fitted-110-a.html

Very good install and OEM unit. You would be looking around the $5k mark plus install cost.

[Rosco8]

Have look at this thread.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/military-land-rovers/244291-air-con-fitted-110-a.html

Very good install and OEM unit. You would be looking around the $5k mark plus install cost.

Hi, yes I did see this .. hoping to do it for a lower cost with the electric units, see what I find. Thanks for your post .. cheers

[LandyAndy]

You could find some way of wetting the canvas and keeping it wet.Coolgardie safe:):):):):):):):):)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coolgardie_safe
PS,look up Red Dot.We have a self contained unit in a vibe roller,its the best aircon in any plant on the fleet,I have no trouble getting people to drive it on hot days.
Andrew

[Bearman]

Red Dot are good. I have one in my 6by and it has hardly even been on high fan speed even on days over 40 up here in banana land.