Houghton Belaire HB3400 Reverse Cycle Roof Top Air Conditioner with LED Light

Specifications

SKU HB3400A

Brand Houghton Belaire

Product Category RV Air Conditioners

Best for Vehicle Length Up to 6.5m

Dimensions 850 x 223 x 1122 mm (WxHxL)

Weight (kg) 46

Cooling Capacity (W) 3400

Roof Opening 360 x 360 mm (WxD)

NOTE: see full product specifications & further product info in the Description section on this page.

Q & A

• I intend to run my Caravan Air Conditioner from a Generator as we will be staying in unpowered locations and my battery bank is not big enough to run the AC for very long. What size Generator do you recommend running my Caravan AC?

  The answer is quite simple, and it just depends on the Caravan Aircon model you have. If you have one of the newer Caravan Aircon models that include inverter technology within the compressor (such as the Dometic Harrier or Dometic Ibis4 Aircon models), then a 2000w inverter generator will be fine.

  If you have an Aircon model that does not include inverter technology within the compressor (of which there are many new and old Aircon models on the market that do not have inverter tech), then we would recommend a minimum 2200-2400w inverter generator. This is because the Aircon models without inverter technology in the compressor require a bit more power on start up.

  Please note that the above sizing advice does not take into consideration any other appliances running and drawing power from the generator at the same time as the Aircon is running.

  As a general rule, depending on the above criteria of Aircon compressor type, most of our Caravan customers will opt for a generator of around 2000 to 3500 watts in size. There are other larger inverter generator models available from 4000 to 6500 watts in size, but these are less commonly used by caravan/RV owners.

  Popular Caravan Generator models include:

  • Dometic PGE121 2100w
  • Cromtech Outback 2400w
  • Briggs & Stratton P2400w
  • Yamaha EF220IS 2200w
  • Briggs & Stratton P3400w
  • Engel R3000IE 3500w
• Can I run my Caravan Air Conditioner from my Caravan Battery Bank?

  The short answer is yes, it is possible. However, there are a few extra important things to consider.

  The main thing is how long you will be able to run your Aircon for. Let us take one of the more popular and energy efficient Caravan Aircon models on the market: the Dometic Ibis4 Rooftop Aircon: The peak power draw is around 1400w to 1500w. So, you could use a quality 2000w+ inverter (note that Caravan Aircons are 240V) with say a 200ah lithium battery and you will get around 1-2 hours Aircon run time, before you must recharge the batteries again. Depending on how you recharge your batteries (DC to DC charger, solar, mains power etc.), this charging will take time.

  So once again; you can do it with certain batteries & inverters if you are aware of how that will affect your battery storage and charge loss... and knowing how to manage that system.

  You can get a larger lithium battery system to run your Aircon for longer, but obviously this will cost more, so that needs to be considered. It is certainly a big recent trend that our RV customers are installing quality lithium battery systems to run their Caravans/Motorhomes etc. However, running an Aircon unit can be one of the larger power drawing appliances in your van, so it pays to consider your power system's capabilities and how long you want to run the Aircon.

  If you are just pulling up for short stops (1-2hrs) and you are doing a lot of driving, you can run your Caravan Aircon from your lithium batteries for this short time. Many RV owners do this, and as new Caravan Aircon models become increasingly energy efficient and lithium battery advancements evolve to be cheaper, more powerful, and even lighter, then we will certainly see this trend increase. However, currently the popular and often cost-effective choice to run your Aircon if you do not have access to mains power (i.e., free camping) is to use a small inverter generator. You can get a quality 2000-2400w sized inverter generator from around $1,000-$1,500 and these will run many RV Aircon units for 7+ hours before having to refuel.

  So once again, you can use a battery system, but it is not always the most practical option. For more advice on Power Systems to run your Caravan/RV, feel free to give us a call on: 1800 787 278.

• I'm looking at buying one of your Caravan Air Conditioner models for my 20ft Caravan. What do I need to know about installation and set once I get the AC unit delivered?

  Hi there, fitting and Install instructions come with each Aircon unit, but it is advised a qualified installer (electrical contractor) undertakes the installation.

• What are the noise levels of your Caravan Air Conditioner units? I'm looking for a quiet model.

  This is a commonly asked question by Caravan/RV owners; however, it is unfortunate that Caravan Aircon manufacturers do not provide dBA ratings in their product model specifications. 

  We can say that we only sell high quality Air Conditioners from premium brands in the RV industry. The only time we have encountered an issue with noise is when the install was not undertaken correctly which can cause a rattle. However, if you ensure the install is done properly, there will be no issues with any of our RV Aircon units being too noisy. 

  One other piece of feedback we can provide, is that the two latest Dometic Aircon models (Harrier and Ibis4) have inverter technology within the compressor, meaning any vibration is minimised. Our customers and our internal testing suggest that when these models are operating at high cooling mode, the noise level is very, very low, making them arguably the quietest Aircon models in the market.

• Does the Aircon unit come pre gassed ready to go or does it need to be charged?

  Hi There,

  Yes, the Aircon is pre gassed from factory and is ready to install.

• Why the difference in price between this brand and the Dometic?

  The Dometic have a 3 year warranty, whereas the Houghton only have 2. The Dometic also have the option of an inverter air conditioner, which is a newer design.

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Warranty

Warranty Period: 2 Years

Warranty Details: Please CLICK HERE for Warranty Information on this product

Delivery

• We ship Australia-wide with national road express freight companies such as Star Track, TNT and Toll.
• Small Items are sent with Australia Post via regular post.
• Delivery times are generally 3-5 days from day of dispatch for major cities (sometimes quicker). Please allow longer for regional and remote areas.
• Once your item(s) have been dispatched, we will provide you freight tracking information so you can track your delivery to your door.
• Items are fully insured during the freight process.
• Unfortunately we cannot deliver to PO Boxes.
• For further details on our Delivery Process you can visit our Delivery Page HERE.