Based in East Bendigo, Victoria, Trans Air & Electrics was started by Steve Bobin around 15 years ago, providing a large range of specialised services in auto electrical, air conditioning and off-road setups.
“We fit out new trucks and do a lot of custom work, custom fit-outs and fit air conditioning systems,” said Bobin, an auto-electrician by trade.
When asked how the business began, he explained, “I saw the need for a lot of this sort of stuff coming up, so I decided to take the ball and just run with it.”
Trans Air & Electrics has been fitting Webasto air conditioning units from day one. These days, Bobin says they install between 250-300 units from the manufacturer each year.
“Webasto supplies all different levels of coolers, with different levels of output. They’ve all got their purpose and are fairly popular with our customers.”
“The main Webasto coolers we fit are the Fresco 3000, and the Cool Top RTE 16, which is fitted to the rooftops. They are both a low power draw, battery powered air conditioning system. With the Cool Top RTE 16, they’re designed to go through the roof hatch, so we fit them mainly to European cab-over trucks.”
The Fresco 3000 is available in 12 or 24 volt options. It is a 950 Watt, DC powered split system air-conditioning unit comprising of a condenser which is mounted on the external rear wall of the cabin, and the evaporator which is installed on the interior cabin wall. Its design allows maximum flexibility in positioning the separate components. It also has a lightweight, low profile design, meaning it’s suitable for most applications without compromising fuel load or chassis space.
While the Cool Top RTE 16 is among Webasto’s newest offerings. It’s an effective, lightweight, 24 volt electric parking cooler. The powerful 1.6Kw rooftop air conditioning system is available with a wide choice of specific truck model mounting kits which allow easy installation via the vehicle’s roof hatch. The system is controlled using a digital display panel and/or a handy remote control unit and offers automatic temperature control and individual temperature and fan speed adjustments. It also provides an adjustable low battery voltage cut-off to ensure that the engine will always start.
Another popular unit from Webasto is the Cool Split 20. It’s available in 12 or 24 volt, with a cooling capacity of 2kW, with a rear or rooftop mounted condenser, and the evaporator installed on the interior cabin wall. The Cool Split 20 features a programmable control panel, multifunction infrared remote control, a four-speed fan with two adjustable/closable vents and safety features that include low pressure/thermal/tilt/HV earth leakage and low battery voltage protection. This system suits most applications without compressing the roof hatch.
When it comes to quality and durability across the Webasto range, Bobin added, “Webasto is renowned for building good quality stuff, they don’t cut corners with anything. They also provide really prompt service and are great with warranty back-up. We get great feedback from our customers and are installing more and more Webasto coolers each year.”