It’s that time of year – Dog Days of summer. Where high humidity and outdoor temperatures make van life difficult. Not to mention deadly if leaving pets inside camper vans while taking restroom breaks. Luckily, my 2021 Chrysler Pacifica passenger van with keyless entry allows me to keep the van running with doors locked and my toy poodle inside with A/C turned on. Many states only allow service animals inside their rest stop buildings or “Welcome Centers” with vending machines and toilets in the United States.
Tilly inside Chrysler Pacifica van
My 2020 Ram Promaster City camper van is a Tradesman model with no keyless entry. It will not lock with ignition key turned on using a second key.
Today I purchased a portable A/C unit that runs on 110 power made specifically for tents and vehicles. It comes equipped with a quick release hose for venting outside on high humidity days. No drainage required. It weighs 32 pounds and uses 356-400 watts per hour. Great for camp sites equipped with electrical outlets.
My Ecoflow Delta battery power station can run the Outohome A/C unit for 6 hours on a full charge, off grid use. I can also simultaneously use & charge my Ecoflow battery station with a portable solar panel made specifically for the Ecoflow during daytime hours.
Now restroom stops and overnight stays at the Cracker Barrel will be more enjoyable for me and safer for my poodle to be left inside a few minutes alone when I need a restroom stop. The Outohome portable A/C unit weighs only 32 pounds. And its lightweight, plastic hose can easily vent outside through my van window. I’m going to use a piece of heavy foam backboard and cut out a circle shape for the hose to go through. Place the backboard inside my partially rolled down passenger window for outside A/C venting on hot, humid days.
My portable A/C unit (resale item) cost $350 on Amazon. I can place it on the van floor. And use my Ecoflow power station to run it off-grid. A woman named June who cools her 24 foot diameter Yurt (tent) has used a 5000 BTU window A/C unit and a portable A/C unit powered by a Jackery 3000. She wrote a very informative review on Amazon in 2025 that convinced me to buy a portable Outohome A/C unit like the one she currently uses to cool her Yurt.
A few van lifers have purchased compact 3300-5000 BTU window A/C units for their vans for under $200 that also use 110 outlets. The main problem with this cooling solution is these units are specifically designed for home window use; weighing 50-65 pounds! That’s a lot of weight to rest on top van windows!
Please leave helpful comments on how you cool off your parked camper vans & tents!
Micro Van Life 