Comfort on the road, comfort at home
UK summers have changed. Rooms that used to need a window open now need real cooling, and the caravan and campervan fleet has grown with every heatwave. At the same time, the cost and complexity of fixed installations — roof-mounted AC, permanent water heaters, F-Gas certified pipework — is pushing buyers toward portable, plug-and-play climate control that works in a house, a holiday lodge or a Transit conversion alike.
This guide pulls together five products that cover the practical middle ground between a desk fan and a building-integrated HVAC system: three Portable cooling air conditioners (one compact split for caravans, one family-room Class-A unit, one powerful 18,000 BTU heat-and-cool), a tilt-and-turn and skylight window outlet that solves a common UK venting problem, and a 12V DC caravan water heater for proper hot water off the mains.
"The portable air conditioner market grew because UK homes, caravans and motorhomes were never designed with cooling in mind. Every summer since 2022 has made the case for flexible, movable units that you can buy once and use in two or three places across the year."
Why portable climate control makes sense in the UK
No permanent installation
Modern portable AC plugs into a standard UK 3-pin socket, vents through a window, and moves between rooms or vehicles. No F-Gas engineer, no structural work, no landlord permission needed.
Year-round value
Many portable units now provide cooling and heat-pump heating, plus dehumidification. One appliance handles heatwaves, damp shoulder seasons and supplementary winter heat in a conservatory or outbuilding.
Compliant refrigerants
Current Eurom portables use R290 — a low-GWP refrigerant that sidesteps the ongoing tightening of F-Gas regulations and doesn't require specialist handling at end of life.
Dual-use across home and leisure
One unit can cool a bedroom in July, dehumidify a caravan in winter storage, and heat a garden office in spring. The per-use cost drops sharply when a single appliance earns its keep across several settings.
Who this guide is written for
Five distinct UK audiences are converging on the same shortlist of portable climate and off-grid hot water products. Each has a different set of constraints — 12V-only power, window geometry, room size, or simply how often the kit gets used.
Caravan & Motorhome Owners
Touring across the UK and Europe, looking for cooling that doesn't require rooftop surgery and power that works on a 6A continental hook-up or off a leisure battery.
Campervan & Self-Build Converters
Fitting out smaller vans where every kilogram, every centimetre of wall space and every amp off the battery bank counts. Split systems and 12V appliances win here.
UK Homeowners
Targeting one or two rooms — bedroom, home office, conservatory — without the cost of a fixed Mitsubishi or Daikin split. Often with tilt-and-turn or skylight windows that don't suit standard AC exhaust kits.
Narrow Boat & Off-Grid Cabin Users
Running on solar, leisure batteries and occasional shore-power. Need 12V-compatible appliances and compact footprints — static caravans, shepherd's huts and canal boats fall into the same bracket.
How to choose between the five
The five products compared
Each of these solves a specific problem that generic AC catalogues don't address well. Product cards below summarise the job each one is built for — full specs are on the individual product pages.
Quality Heating
30 Litre QH 12V DC Caravan Horizontal Water Heater
The only product here that runs on 12V DC directly from a leisure battery — no mains, no gas. 30 litres of stored hot water at up to 70°C, copper element, zirconium-enamel tank, 40 mm insulation. Built for caravans, motorhomes, narrow boats, off-grid cabins and static holiday lodges where no mains cylinder is installed.
£295.00 inc. VAT
Eurom
Window Outlet for Tilt-and-Turn and Skylights
The missing piece for anyone with modern UK tilt-and-turn windows or Velux-style skylights — neither of which accept a standard flat AC hose kit. Fits any portable AC up to 18,000 BTU with a 150 mm exhaust hose, includes three foam seals to block warm-air ingress, and lets you keep the window locked in a secure tilt or vent position.
£60.00 inc. VAT
Eurom
PAC 12000 BTU Portable AC, Dehumidifier & Heater (Wi-Fi, Class A)
A well-judged domestic all-rounder: 12,000 BTU cooling, 11,000 BTU heating, dehumidifier and fan in one wheeled unit for rooms up to 38 m². Controlled via the Eurom Smart App, an included remote, or the onboard panel. Class A energy rating, IP24 splash-resistant, washable filter — and a 24-hour programmable timer so you can pre-cool before you get home.
£350.00 inc. VAT · was £370.00
Eurom
AC3201-E Split Portable AC for Caravans & Camper Vans
A proper split system for small caravans and campervans — indoor and outdoor units connected by a short 1.2 m umbilical, noisy compressor outside (51.6 dBA indoors). 3,200 BTU covers spaces up to 21 m³. R290 eco-refrigerant, pre-assembled spacer for simple window installation with no F-Gas certification required. UK 3-pin plug.
£495.00 inc. VAT
Eurom
18,000 BTU Mobile Air Conditioner & Heater (CoolPerfect 180 Wi-Fi)
The heavyweight of portable climate control in this lineup. 18,000 BTU (5,200 W) cooling plus 16,000 BTU heating covers open-plan rooms up to 58 m² / 160 m³. Dehumidifies at 2.2 L/hour, Class A rating, R290 refrigerant, Wi-Fi via the Eurom Smart App, 24-hour timer, IP24 housing, washable filter, integrated wheels.
£770.00 inc. VAT
Specification comparison
| Product | Capacity | Coverage | Power | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QH 30L 12V Water Heater | 30 L, 400 W, 30–70°C | 1–2 person hot water | 12V DC (leisure battery) | Caravans, narrow boats, off-grid cabins | £295.00 |
| Eurom Window Outlet | 150 mm hose, fits AC ≤ 18,000 BTU | n/a (accessory) | n/a | Tilt-and-turn windows, skylights | £60.00 |
| Eurom PAC 12000 | 12,000 BTU cool / 11,000 BTU heat | Up to 38 m² / 105 m³ | 230V mains, Class A | UK bedrooms, living rooms, home offices | £350.00 |
| Eurom AC3201-E Split | 3,200 BTU cool (split) | Up to 8 m² / 21 m³ | 230V mains, Class B, R290 | Caravans, campervans, small motorhomes | £495.00 |
| Eurom 18,000 BTU CoolPerfect 180 | 18,000 BTU cool / 16,000 BTU heat | Up to 58 m² / 160 m³ | 230V mains, Class A, R290 | Open-plan living rooms, large kitchens, garden studios | £770.00 |
Where each one fits in a real UK setup
The 30-litre 12V water heater is the outlier in the range because it solves a hot-water problem, not a cooling problem — but it shares the same philosophy: purpose-built for mobile and off-grid environments. A 200Ah lithium leisure battery will take the 30 L tank from cold to 60°C in roughly 1.75 kWh, which is perfectly achievable on a 400 W solar array over a sunny day. For touring caravanners who've been making do with kettle-boiled washing water, it's a significant upgrade in living standards — and for narrow boat owners it's often a more straightforward route than retrofitting a calorifier.
The AC3201-E split is the caravan and campervan specialist. The split design matters because it puts the compressor — the noisy, hot part — outside the living space, which a single-box portable AC cannot do. At 22 kg and with the umbilical already charged and sealed, there's no F-Gas work needed; the pre-assembled spacer fits through a standard caravan window opening. For small to mid-size tourers (up to about 21 m³ interior volume), it punches above its £495 price.
The PAC 12000 sits where most UK homeowners actually need a portable AC: a decent-size bedroom, a home office, a conservatory, or a small open-plan living space. 38 m² is more than a typical UK semi-detached bedroom and meaningfully more than the cheaper 7,000–9,000 BTU units that dominate supermarket shelves each summer. The Class A rating and R290 refrigerant make it a sensible long-term purchase rather than a summer-of-2026 throwaway; the heating mode and Wi-Fi scheduling quietly extend its working year.
The 18,000 BTU CoolPerfect 180 is for bigger rooms — knock-through kitchen-diners, open-plan new builds, garden offices, and any of those hotter south-facing rooms where a smaller unit genuinely can't keep up on a 32°C day. The 500 m³/hour airflow and 65 dB(A) maximum noise level are at the upper end of what's comfortable in a living room, so it's best specified to the right size of room rather than bought as "more is more".
The window outlet becomes essential the moment you try to vent a portable AC through a modern UK tilt-and-turn window or a loft Velux. Neither of those opens flat, which is what almost every AC manufacturer's hose kit assumes. Buying the right adapter up front saves the alternative: a poorly-sealed gap where hot outside air pours back into the room and the AC runs continuously trying to compensate.
Frequently asked questions
Can I run the QH 12V water heater from a solar panel system?
Yes. It's compatible with any 12V DC supply, including solar-charged leisure battery systems. The usual approach is to charge during daylight hours via solar, then draw from the battery to heat the water at a convenient time — typically evening before use. A 200Ah lithium leisure battery is comfortable; lead-acid works but derate for 50% depth of discharge. More on this in the off-grid solar guide.
Do any of the Eurom AC units need F-Gas certification to install?
No. All three AC units here use R290, a hydrocarbon refrigerant exempt from F-Gas. The AC3201-E split comes pre-charged with the indoor and outdoor units sealed together — you don't open the refrigerant circuit at any point in installation. The two single-box portables (PAC 12000 and the 18,000 BTU unit) are fully self-contained and simply vent through a window.
Will a portable AC work in my tilt-and-turn window without the Eurom outlet?
Not well. Tilt-and-turn windows have no flat opening — they tilt inward from the top or swing open fully. Most portable AC hose kits assume a sliding sash. Trying to vent a hose through a tilted window leaves a large gap at the bottom, undermining cooling and letting warm outside air straight in. The Eurom Window Outlet bridges that gap and lets the window stay locked in tilt position.
What size BTU do I actually need?
A rough rule: around 100 BTU per square foot, or roughly 1,000 BTU per cubic metre for well-insulated UK interiors — add 20–30% for south-facing rooms, conservatories, or spaces with a lot of glass. A small caravan at 16–20 m³ is the AC3201-E's 3,200 BTU brief. A 25 m² UK bedroom sits comfortably inside the PAC 12000's envelope. Open-plan living over 40 m² is 18,000 BTU territory. The BTU calculator sizes this more precisely for your room.
Can the 18,000 BTU unit heat as well as cool?
Yes — 16,000 BTU of heat-pump heating, which is meaningful output for a shoulder-season living room or a larger garden office. Because it's a heat pump rather than a resistive heater, running cost per kWh of delivered warmth is lower than a fan heater or a conventional electric panel. In cooling mode the exhaust hose routes hot air outside; in heating mode the unit recirculates indoor air.
Is the AC3201-E split really quiet enough to sleep with on?
The indoor unit runs at around 51.6 dBA and the compressor outside at 59.8 dBA. That's quieter than the typical single-box portable AC — you can hold a conversation and watch TV comfortably. At night, most caravanners run it on the lowest fan speed to trade a little cooling for a little more quiet; for hot pitches in southern Europe, the compressor being outside is the single biggest factor in sleep quality compared with a conventional portable unit.
Related resources
- Shop all portable air conditioners — the full Quality Heating portable AC range, including smaller and larger capacities than the three featured here.
- Air conditioners collection — both portable and fixed split systems for comparison.
- Portable Air Conditioners FAQ — detailed answers on venting, BTU sizing, dehumidifier use and installation.
- BTU calculator — size the right unit to your exact room dimensions, glazing and insulation.
- Water heaters collection — mains-pressure alternatives to the 12V caravan heater for homes, holiday lets and outbuildings.
- How to set up an off-grid solar system in the UK — companion guide if you're pairing the 12V water heater with solar.
- Off-grid solar kits — charge controllers, inverter chargers and panel kits for caravans, cabins and narrow boats.
- Shop the Eurom brand — full Eurom catalogue including infrared panels, patio heaters and the wider AC range.
Need help sizing or choosing?
Our UK-based team can recommend the right combination of portable AC, venting kit and off-grid hot water for your caravan, campervan, motorhome or home. Custom quotes and trade pricing available.