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Tribute_650

Just picked up the Tribute at long last from the dealer after having cab Air-conditioning retro-fitted. They used a firm in Lincolnshire who had it 9 days! I have had the commercial Fiat van kit fitted ( runs off the engine like a car) so it has some chance of cooling the habitation area but my primary objective was just to stop us cooking behind the large Ducato front windscreen whilst travelling. The delay was down to Fiat, apparently mine was the first new shape Ducato they had retro-fitted with air con and it comes pre-wired for it. The problem was that no one could find the wiring till Fiat managed to obtain a technical info sheet on it.

I tested it yesterday as it was very sunny and it was fantastic. It will keep on top of the habitation area aswell if the sun roof blind is drawn. Shame Trigano thought that the cruise control was more important that having Air con as it would have been £1k cheaper if factory fitted. All I can say is if you are thinking of air con then you will not be disappointed with this. I intend to use a B&Q evaporator cooler which cost £70 whilst parked up, especially on a night. I have tested one for a month now and works great (we have not had a lot of sun though !) and as it is low power will work from the 12v battery through an inverter (would not run it over night in that config though)

Hope this helps anyone who is thinking of air con!

Pic of cool switch Cool

Cheers
Paul

teemyob

Hellon Paul,

Was it the company I recomended ?

Trev

Tribute_650

Hi, I do not know, my dealer Danum organised it and transported my van to and from the company, all I know is they are in Lincolnshire ! I will ask their name next time I talk to them.
P

Autoquest

A few questions of paramount importance as I to have been looking for a retro fit deal.

How Much?????

Name and telephone No of the fitter or failing that, your dealer???

Tribute_650

Hi,
From the 5 year guarantee it looks like it was Coolair in Lincoln that fitted it - £1700 inc vat.

Autoquest

Thanks for the info - £1700 Shocked

Guess I'm back to the Waeco coolair system

Tribute_650

Trouble with them is you can only really use them on 240v hookup and not while travelling so you may as well use a £200 B&Q mobile air con or the less cooling £70 evaporator cooler.

The 12v version will flatten the battery in 1 hour, They can be run whilst travelling but will still flatten the battery as they take far more than the charge rate (85 - 100 amps) They are not all that effective at cooling the cab area whist moving also. After having in the past a 240v & 12v roof mounted aircon system which cost £2k. I think the engine driven version is the best option, but thats purely my view but how many factory fitted air con units from any of the vehicle manufactures do you see fixed to car roofs using power inverters ?

thieawin

I had a retro fit on a Fiat Doblo van in February with Reader Air in Surrey.

They had the van 4 days and charged 1225 + VAT

Autoquest

I will take your advice Tribute650 and investigate further cab aircon and give the roof mounted stuff a miss - the wife wasn't to keen on the roof kit any...

Have emailed Reader Air for a quote.

Tribute_650

Only one more consideration which may not effect you.

As my van is brand new and the retro-fitting involves a considerable amount of taking to bits and disruption to the van I asked my dealer to organise. That way any future van related warrantee claims that may be directly or indirectly due to the fitting of the A/C can still be dealt by the dealer and non of this "ooo it's nowt to do with us you need to take up with who ever"
if you see what I mean !