A/C necessary?

[capncrunch]

Have begun looking for a Scamp 13, and not sure if we need A/C. We hope to travel all over -- South and West included. Is the 2-way fan enough for sleeping, if set up in a shady spot?

[Jon Vermilye]

While a Maxx Fan will do a lot to keep you cool by moving air, I found a couple of times the AC was practical, even necessary. When there is lots of dust in the air, sealing up the trailer & running the AC will keep most of it out of the trailer.

Second, when the temperature gets over 100°F or so, you will appreciate the AC. Of course you will need hookups or a generator. I don't carry a generator, but while traveling the southwest in late May & June, there were days that I stayed in commercial campgrounds just for the power pedestal.

[Robin G]

Welcome! Glad you joined us!


In my world it is, but some probably wouldn't think so. I personally don't like being miserable!

Shade? Not always a option!
You say you want to travel to the west. Do you think you can handle sleeping in a trailer that is been heating up all day long in 100 degree weather that only cools to say high 70's overnight (maybe, maybe not)


If your a boondocker A/C won't be an issue unless you carry a generator. Just my opinion, but a wise one in my world!

[Thomas G.]

If you search here, some have come up with a clever way to temporarily attach a small window air conditioner so that it blows through the open window, yet just sits on a removable shelf. That way in transport it is inside the tow vehicle or trailer.

Example: http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ner-26008.html

[floyd]

Originally Posted by capncrunch

Have begun looking for a Scamp 13, and not sure if we need A/C. We hope to travel all over -- South and West included. Is the 2-way fan enough for sleeping, if set up in a shady spot?

Does your TV have A/C?

[steve dunham]

We have a fantastic fan and A/C . We use the fan often, the A/C not so much . Last summer over the 4th of July we went camping and the temps were in the 100 Deg range in northern Wisconsin. A/C was a Godsend . We have a hard time sleeping in really hot weather and trying to have a good time camping with little sleep is hard. I think that having A/C is a wise investment

[Byron Kinnaman]

I don't have A/C or a ceiling fan. We camp all over the west and southwest. A/C is only good when you have an electric hookup. We stay mostly in federal campgrounds, National Parks, no hookups.
We do have a "Constant Breeze" 12 Volt fan. We've used it about 3 times in 7 1/2 years. The windows in the Scamp provide a lot of ventilation in the bed area. If it gets too hot we move to a cooler place.
To me it's just another not needed item to have problems with.
Others will tell you it's a must.

[ThomasE]

I have a rooftop AC unit but hardly ever use it, but we generally don't camp in places like RV parks that have hookups. Only one time in Las Vegas would I say we really needed it and would otherwise have not stayed there.

[capncrunch]

Good question -- yes. Are you suggesting that if TV has it, that indicates we'll want it?

[floyd]

Originally Posted by capncrunch

Good question -- yes. Are you suggesting that if TV has it, that indicates we'll want it?

Something like that! .Or judge by how often you use it in the TV.
I will say one thing... we boondock a lot more in cool weather, but when it gets hot out, we run for the comfort of hook-ups.

[Francesca Knowles]

I do a fair amount of hot (90's plus) weather camping and have never missed A/C....at least in part because I don't want to be tied to providing enough electricity to run it.

Also, though, I dislike the "shock" of passing from air-cooled rooms to the heat of outside...I much prefer to dwell in a narrower temperature range. There are few things more pleasurable on a hot summer day than finding a little patch of cool green grass in a spot of shade and sitting down to cool off in it!

Francesca

[fusedlight]

If you are going to be camping where it's humid... YES! My wife still reminds me of the time we camped last summer in Delaware on the way home from picking up the Scamp. No power, so no AC. She suffered mightily and reminds me of her suffering whenever I get a bit uppity!

[Jared J]

If I'm in a tent, it is what it is. If I'm in a camper, I'll be damned if I'm going to be miserable at night. I've been running the ac for 3 days while working on it in the driveway.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Some of us camp, some of us are RVers. With out little trailers the difference can often be seen by the large bump on top or lack of a bump.

Some of us which to commune with the outdoors and others like to look at the outdoors through a window.

So I guess A/C or no A/C depends on your world view. Not that either are good or bad, just different.

For me it's camp and commune with the outdoors. I'll view from the window when the rain is falling. Electricity, generators, are not for me.

FYI.. Most places are controlling hours generators can be used. Some have reduced those hours to 4 hours a day in 2 hour segments, at breakfast time and dinner time. There's a growing number of places where generators can't be used at all. Therefore it's getting to the point where you can only use your A/C in expensive RV resorts and some State Parks. The camping rate is much higher for electricity than without.

[Jared J]

I agree, I don't think I would ever bother with a generator to use it. Almost all the state parks I would hit have power, though. It's have AC at night, or not go out, for me. There's no way I'm sleeping in a camper after a 100-110* day without AC. Actually, even 90*, for that matter.