Truma Aventa Eco Air Conditioner
Update 2025-7-27:
Truma now offers a unit that includes heat in the same footprint.
Here’s a comparison of the available Aventa units:
Update 2025-2-14:
The system continues to operate as it did during the test the only issue we’ve had was when birds decided to build a nest in the Aventa. Beth made a winter cover that solved that problem.
Pleasure-Way is now installing Aventas in most of their new RV’s.
Truma is offering to install upgrades with a Soft Start unit that lowers the starting current needed allowing the units to start more easily from battery bank / inverter combinations or low amperage shore power connections.
Original Post 2022-10-17:
After two years of
testing beta units, a shiny black production model of Truma’s Aventa Eco air conditioner
is now installed on our roof. Lots of questions have been asked, so here is our take after three months with the production
model in our 2018 Pleasure-Way Lexor TS camper van.
“Is it quieter?” and “How quiet is it?” are questions we get
all the time, so let’s jump right to the noise levels. The first thing we
noticed, even with the beta units, was that the Aventa is noticeably
quieter than the Dometic Penguin II it replaced. While we were asked not
to share specific details during the beta test, now that we have a
production unit, we can share some quantitative measurements. Using the
sound pressure meter we use to calibrate home theater systems, here are
the measured results from the same place, with the same meter, in our van.
Note that the ambient noise levels were measured without the air
conditioner on to get a base level of the surrounding noise.
The take-away, for us, is a 9 decibel noise level difference with the fan
on low speed. Because sound pressure is measured on a logarithmic scale, a
difference of 9 dB shows that at low speed, the old Dometic was much
louder* than the new Truma. We can carry on a conversation, watch TV, and
talk on the phone with the Aventa running. Low speed is where we usually
have the fan set. We only run it on high or auto when we come back to a
hot van and want to cool it down quickly. Once cool, the low fan level has
kept us at a comfortable temperature.
Several people have asked: “How does the Truma compare to the Australian Houghton Belaire “quiet”
air conditioner currently available.” We did have one opportunity to measure a Belaire unit in a friend’s
Pleasure-Way Ascent. Although we used the same meter, it is a different
van, in a different location, so can’t be an exact comparison. The Belaire
seemed very quiet to my ears and measured 58.0 dBA on our meter. I’d like
to do measurements comparing two identical Lexors with the different air
conditioners. That might be a fun project for a future rally.
*Note: There is much more to understanding loudness and sound pressure
levels than I can wrap my head around. Here’s a link, courtesy of PW owner
Peter Tourin, that goes into interesting detail. www.sengpielaudio.com
The next question that comes up is usually:
How is the Aventa controlled? It comes with a wireless
infrared remote, much like those used to control a television.
Power, mode, fan speed, and up and down temperature controls are readily
accessible on the main panel of the remote control.
Less commonly used keys are hidden under a sliding panel.
The Aventa has more modes than the OEM Dometic. These modes are:
- Automatic Cooling
- Air Circulation
- Dehumidification
- Night
It also has three fan speeds, one more than the Dometic.
Additionally, the remote allows for setting a timer. We can
set a timer for the air conditioner to start or turn off, but not both
together.
Another control related question is: “Can the Aventa be controlled by the Spyder Panel in our existing van?”
While it can be integrated into multiplex system like the
Spyder Controls
system used by Pleasure-Way, the Aventa isn’t a 1:1 match for the old
Dometic air conditioner. Representatives from both Spyder Controls and
Truma said the existing system would need to have software modifications
to incorporate the Aventa. If future RV’s are built with the Aventa as
standard equipment, then it could be integrated as part of the system
design.
Manual controls include multiple settings on the air distributor.
Air flow can be directed by a set of seven physical sliders and dials. The
dark grey circle is the IR receiver for the signal from the remote
control.
bit more headroom than the old air conditioner.
Air is pulled into the Aventa through filters that run the full length of
the left and right sides of the air distributor.
adding it here.
A major question, is “What does it cost.” There isn’t a price for
aftermarket on their website yet, so I asked Brody Erb at Truma about cost
and installation options. Here are my questions and his responses in
italics.
What is the current price?
The is the Price is dependent on installation scenario (location of
service performance, materials required, eco vs comfort, etc.). Pricing
can be better determined after the installation details are discussed
with our technicians
2025-02-14 Update: The price is $2,499.99 including system, parts, and labor for a basic installation at a Truma Service Center. Current Pricing can be found at this link: Truma Retrofitting Services.
Where can the Aventa be installed?
- Truma Service Centers in Lakeland, Florida & Elkhart, Indiana.
- We are now rolling out to our Mobile locations. FL, TX are ready and
CO and AZ will be ready here very soon. - 2025-02-14 Update: Pheonix, Arizona and Austin, Texas Mobile Service Centers are now open.
Are dealers in the “authorized Truma dealer network” installing
Aventas?
Not at this time. For those interested in having Aventas installed,
they should reach out to Truma Customer Care and we can work to get them
taken care of.
One last question that comes up is color. You get twice as many options as
Ford gave original Model A buyers. You can get any color as long as it is
black or white. We had white beta units. When given a choice for the
production unit we choose black as it compliments the black trim on our
Lexor.
Here’s the unit with the white cover.
And in all black.
Minor Disappointments
- No backlighting on the remote
- No heat pump option
- Existing Spyder Controls and AGS don’t support the Aventa.
Pleasant Surprises
- There is an extra year of warranty for registering the unit (2 years
total) - An adapter conforms to the contours of the RAM ProMaster roof
- The Eco fits on a 2018 Lexor without moving any of the 3 solar panels
Truma installation crew in Elkhart, Indiana.
(L to R, Brody Erb, Nick Dunning, Tim Nye, Andrew Smith, and Michael
Schicker)
Final Thoughts
Modern materials and design that minimize noise and vibration have us very
happy with the Aventa. We really tried to avoid using the old air
conditioner because it was just too loud. The Aventa solves that problem
and comes from a company that has an active service organization in North
America.
The testing process was interesting. Truma marketing and engineering
groups were truly interested in our data and suggestions. Truma gave us
the option of having our original Dometic air conditioner reinstalled or
receiving the final production model. It wasn’t a hard decision.
Disclaimer
Truma provided us with a free production unit at the end of the test.
For more detailed information check out these links:
Truma Air Conditioning Systems
Additional Views
For those interested in the interior construction, here are some photos of
the cut-away unit on display at Truma’s Elkhart facility.
6 responses to “Three Months with the Truma Aventa”
Great review…
In reviewing your sound table, what would be even more interesting is if you had measurements of the actual CFM output at the various speed levels. For example, it was very interesting to see the Truma unit was louder on the high-speed in comparison to the Dometic Penguin unit.
Is a soft start system part of this unit. If not can one be installed?
Truma announced the inclusion of Soft Start in July 2024. You can also have it added to an existing Aventa. More info at:
https://www.truma.com/us/products/air-conditioning-systems-us/aventa-us/truma-aventa-eco-soft-start/
A soft start system is not included. I'd suggest contacting Truma directly about soft start requirements. They have been very responsive to questions.
Hi .how do you take the top cover of to clean the drain holes and service the truma aventa .. mines dripping water into the swift sienna accent .
There are 8 T5 Torx head screws that hold the cover on. We haven't had to locate the drain holes, so suggest calling Truma support for guidance. We did take our cover out to remove a bird's nest. You can see the photos here: https://www.svintuition.com/2023/06/air-conditioned-nest.html