Airchamber or Carcoon Veloce?
Discussion
Ok, so 2 fans should be enough.
Everybody seems satisfied with his system. The 3 systems should be good.
Price of the 3 systems is almost the same.
I think i will go for the carcoon. The sizing is a little better for me and the filter system
might be better. I hope there will be no condensation unter the car.
Everybody seems satisfied with his system. The 3 systems should be good.
Price of the 3 systems is almost the same.
I think i will go for the carcoon. The sizing is a little better for me and the filter system
might be better. I hope there will be no condensation unter the car.
golf fahrer said:
I hope there will be no condensation under the car.
probably not if you read, understand and follow the instructions that come with the Carcoon- we have a saying over here, RT(f)M, "when all else fails Read The (f**king) Manual"
good luck, let us know how you get on and if you have problems, remember these units are very good but they can't overcome extremes
Edited by na on Sunday 10th February 19:56
Some review about the carcoon.
It took a little bit longer to recieve the small version
of the carcoon because it was out of stock here.
I now have it almost 2 months. Set up was easy! The car fits well.
It is more than width enough, i dont need to open the side walls of the
carcoon to get in and out the car. The length is good, I have 30cm at each side I think.
Driving over the zip seems to make no problem. I think i just will spray some silicon oil
on the zips so they open a bit easier.
Car is always clean and seems well ventilated. I did not did the test to put
my car wet in the carcoon.
So far so good.
It took a little bit longer to recieve the small version
of the carcoon because it was out of stock here.
I now have it almost 2 months. Set up was easy! The car fits well.
It is more than width enough, i dont need to open the side walls of the
carcoon to get in and out the car. The length is good, I have 30cm at each side I think.
Driving over the zip seems to make no problem. I think i just will spray some silicon oil
on the zips so they open a bit easier.
Car is always clean and seems well ventilated. I did not did the test to put
my car wet in the carcoon.
So far so good.
good stuff
thanks for reporting back
good idea to lubricate the zip very, very occasionally but don't use grease or oil as obviously it could then hold grit and debris making it worse rather than better, if you use spray wipe off the excess
I think you might be too worried about it's use, other uses don't give it the attention you do and have no problems, it's good that you think about matters but you don't need to over think about these things
a chap reported the other day that he had used the outdoor version for four winters with not even rust on the brake discs and he left the carpeting, only issue he had was a little mould on the leather steering wheel once when he forgot to clean it before hibernating the car (and heavy snow deformed the the top but it re-inflated fully when the snow melted or was knocked off)
thanks for reporting back
good idea to lubricate the zip very, very occasionally but don't use grease or oil as obviously it could then hold grit and debris making it worse rather than better, if you use spray wipe off the excess
I think you might be too worried about it's use, other uses don't give it the attention you do and have no problems, it's good that you think about matters but you don't need to over think about these things
a chap reported the other day that he had used the outdoor version for four winters with not even rust on the brake discs and he left the carpeting, only issue he had was a little mould on the leather steering wheel once when he forgot to clean it before hibernating the car (and heavy snow deformed the the top but it re-inflated fully when the snow melted or was knocked off)
May as well update on my Cair-O-Port whilst the thread's live again.
I have now had it 6 months. As we have just endured the coldest, longest winter in living memory, I think my timing was spot on. The Cair-O-Port has kept the car looking like new throughout, with no sign of any condensation. As suggested in my last post back in December I have now finally switched off the fans, since the weather is now above freezing throughout, at long last. Hopefully this will help preserve the fans and shave a couple of pennies off the electricity bill. I have left the chamber closed to keep the dust off.
The only negatives:
1) I managed to rip off the two lower hooks which fasten the fabric to the framework. Strangely the manufacturers decided to locate these exactly where the tyres pass over the frame, so a little chirp of wheel-spin from the fat 265/40 rear tyres on entering the chamber one day was enough to tear the hooks from the fabric. Not a big deal since they provide no major purpose, but certainly something that could be improved.
2) Trying to justify to others having the thing at all! I think all my family and neighbours think I'm nuts.
I have now had it 6 months. As we have just endured the coldest, longest winter in living memory, I think my timing was spot on. The Cair-O-Port has kept the car looking like new throughout, with no sign of any condensation. As suggested in my last post back in December I have now finally switched off the fans, since the weather is now above freezing throughout, at long last. Hopefully this will help preserve the fans and shave a couple of pennies off the electricity bill. I have left the chamber closed to keep the dust off.
The only negatives:
1) I managed to rip off the two lower hooks which fasten the fabric to the framework. Strangely the manufacturers decided to locate these exactly where the tyres pass over the frame, so a little chirp of wheel-spin from the fat 265/40 rear tyres on entering the chamber one day was enough to tear the hooks from the fabric. Not a big deal since they provide no major purpose, but certainly something that could be improved.
2) Trying to justify to others having the thing at all! I think all my family and neighbours think I'm nuts.
I've also just retrieved my Sunbeam Lotus from its airchamber and its absolutely moisture free and as clean as when it went in. the rigid frame makes it easy to drive in and out of, so i've just turned the fans off and opened up the access panels for the summer.
expensive but a very good heavy duty unit that looks unlikely to rip or wear
chris
expensive but a very good heavy duty unit that looks unlikely to rip or wear
chris
I have just sold my carcoon which was excellent.
The reason for a sale is I want to upgrade to a rigid one so I actually use the car more.
I was going to get a air chamber but have since realised that Carcoon do a framed one too.
Does anyone have an opinion on if the much more substantial carbon filters the Carcoon runs over the gauze the Airchamber uses makes a difference. My garage is concrete and can get a bit sweaty so I want the best filtration possible.
Cheers,
Joe
The reason for a sale is I want to upgrade to a rigid one so I actually use the car more.
I was going to get a air chamber but have since realised that Carcoon do a framed one too.
Does anyone have an opinion on if the much more substantial carbon filters the Carcoon runs over the gauze the Airchamber uses makes a difference. My garage is concrete and can get a bit sweaty so I want the best filtration possible.
Cheers,
Joe
Joe,
having used a Carcoon in a concrete garage even though the Carcoon doesn't need it for the concrete garage I'd still suggest installing permanently open air vents, front and rear or side to side or diagonal and have the plastic vent covers inside and outside to prevent a gale or heavy rain blowing through
also don't have anything in the garage like carpeting that will hold moisture and water
having used a Carcoon in a concrete garage even though the Carcoon doesn't need it for the concrete garage I'd still suggest installing permanently open air vents, front and rear or side to side or diagonal and have the plastic vent covers inside and outside to prevent a gale or heavy rain blowing through
also don't have anything in the garage like carpeting that will hold moisture and water
Edited by nta16 on Sunday 12th October 12:11
I have a Carcoon Veloce and an Airchamber. I got the Carcoon first and got the Airchamber as a comparison.
The Carcoon seals better but is a much thinner grade of polythene (or whatever it is) compared to the Airchamber. It is much easier to nick a puncture because of this. However the Carcoon is a much sturdier structure, made out of steel tubing.
The Airchamber has a much thicker grade of plastic that would stand up to a lot but sealing is achieved with Velcro at the bottom of each opening which is impossible to get as perfect as the all-zip sealing of the Veloce.
The big disappointment for me is the frame. It is made of the bendy elastic connected poles that are used in tents. These seem barely strong enough to support the structure giving a flimsy feeling and intrude into the internal space.
On the plus side the Airchamber is almost all clear plastic and looks better IMHO.
I can't really go into detail on the relative filtering abilities. All I can say is that garage is dusty but there really isn't any tiny particulates in the atmosphere from constant engines nearby. Both cars stay clean for me.
The Carcoon seals better but is a much thinner grade of polythene (or whatever it is) compared to the Airchamber. It is much easier to nick a puncture because of this. However the Carcoon is a much sturdier structure, made out of steel tubing.
The Airchamber has a much thicker grade of plastic that would stand up to a lot but sealing is achieved with Velcro at the bottom of each opening which is impossible to get as perfect as the all-zip sealing of the Veloce.
The big disappointment for me is the frame. It is made of the bendy elastic connected poles that are used in tents. These seem barely strong enough to support the structure giving a flimsy feeling and intrude into the internal space.
On the plus side the Airchamber is almost all clear plastic and looks better IMHO.
I can't really go into detail on the relative filtering abilities. All I can say is that garage is dusty but there really isn't any tiny particulates in the atmosphere from constant engines nearby. Both cars stay clean for me.
Thank you.
Sadly, I can't really install vents as my garage is underground. This does have its positives though which are it stays very warm relative to the outside temperature, and it only has one access point so is secure.
By what you have said, although my garage is rammed with stuff I think I can avoid snagging it so I will go with the carcoon and its beefier filtration system.
Sadly, I can't really install vents as my garage is underground. This does have its positives though which are it stays very warm relative to the outside temperature, and it only has one access point so is secure.
By what you have said, although my garage is rammed with stuff I think I can avoid snagging it so I will go with the carcoon and its beefier filtration system.
madda said:
Thank you.
Sadly, I can't really install vents as my garage is underground. This does have its positives though which are it stays very warm relative to the outside temperature, and it only has one access point so is secure.
By what you have said, although my garage is rammed with stuff I think I can avoid snagging it so I will go with the carcoon and its beefier filtration system.
Have you thought about getting the garage insulated and a dehumidifier fitted. It will keep everything dry and safe and be much easier to get at the car. Sadly, I can't really install vents as my garage is underground. This does have its positives though which are it stays very warm relative to the outside temperature, and it only has one access point so is secure.
By what you have said, although my garage is rammed with stuff I think I can avoid snagging it so I will go with the carcoon and its beefier filtration system.
Also bear in mind that the air chamber can only circulate the air that is in the garage and if that air is moist then all you are doing is changing the moist air!
Paul
Storer said:
Have you thought about getting the garage insulated and a dehumidifier fitted. It will keep everything dry and safe and be much easier to get at the car.
Also bear in mind that the air chamber can only circulate the air that is in the garage and if that air is moist then all you are doing is changing the moist air!
Paul
I don't fancy the running costs of a dehumidifier but if it's the only option it's the way I'll have to go. For now, I have bought a gauge to see what it actually reads in the carcoon as I don't think it's actually that damp in there. Also bear in mind that the air chamber can only circulate the air that is in the garage and if that air is moist then all you are doing is changing the moist air!
Paul
Can anyone help confirming what percentage is acceptable?
from page 1 of this thread -
200Plus Club said:
i have a rotary deisscant de-humidifier in my other garage which works far better in cold weather than any refrigerant based ones. it still removes water and keeps the room dry. not cheap though and its taking 600-700w when in drying mode and about 70w in fan only mode when the humidity is spot on, so it will bump up the leccy bill over a yr. my garage is manitained between 40-60% rh all year round though. i have recently put it on a timer for 12 hrs a day to see how it copes rather than 24/7, so far so good.
if you are going this route i think its better to try and seal the garage off more to keep the air within maintained, rather than having it continually trying to dry out new incoming air.
if you are going this route i think its better to try and seal the garage off more to keep the air within maintained, rather than having it continually trying to dry out new incoming air.
I bought two Caroon Veloces and stopped using them after a year.
Mine were set up in a relatively large semi-public underground garage with temperatures from 8°C in winter to 22°C in summer. Condensation was never an issue, i was more concerned with the humidity and protection from fine brake dust, exhaust particles and potentially even salt that the other cars bring into the garage in winter.
The Veloces worked reasonably well but the filters didn't manage to get 100% of the dust out of the air. There was always a layer of extremely fine black dust on the car after a few weeks, only visible by running the finger over the paint. I washed the filters every 3 months but that didn't help.
The Carcoon didn't magically lower humidity inside the bubble either, so when there was 90% humidity in the garage on an extremely warm and rainy summer day, the reading inside the carcoon was more or less the same (+- 5%).
I then set up a small dehumidifier inside each of the two Carcoons as suggested by the company but soon realised that this kind of defeats the point.
So I had my area of the garage walled off and put a large dehumidifier into it. The total cost was not that much more than what I paid for the Carcoons.
Now I have 50% humidity all year long and no more dust on any of my cars. The electricity costs for the dehumidifer are ~150€ per year but I can live with that.
Carcoons work and the Veloces are very convenient but don't expect miracles.
If you can get somehow your garage insulated and dehumidified instead then I'd definitely recommend that option.
Mine were set up in a relatively large semi-public underground garage with temperatures from 8°C in winter to 22°C in summer. Condensation was never an issue, i was more concerned with the humidity and protection from fine brake dust, exhaust particles and potentially even salt that the other cars bring into the garage in winter.
The Veloces worked reasonably well but the filters didn't manage to get 100% of the dust out of the air. There was always a layer of extremely fine black dust on the car after a few weeks, only visible by running the finger over the paint. I washed the filters every 3 months but that didn't help.
The Carcoon didn't magically lower humidity inside the bubble either, so when there was 90% humidity in the garage on an extremely warm and rainy summer day, the reading inside the carcoon was more or less the same (+- 5%).
I then set up a small dehumidifier inside each of the two Carcoons as suggested by the company but soon realised that this kind of defeats the point.
So I had my area of the garage walled off and put a large dehumidifier into it. The total cost was not that much more than what I paid for the Carcoons.
Now I have 50% humidity all year long and no more dust on any of my cars. The electricity costs for the dehumidifer are ~150€ per year but I can live with that.
Carcoons work and the Veloces are very convenient but don't expect miracles.
If you can get somehow your garage insulated and dehumidified instead then I'd definitely recommend that option.
EricE said:
I bought two Caroon Veloces and stopped using them after a year.
Mine were set up in a relatively large semi-public underground garage with temperatures from 8°C in winter to 22°C in summer. Condensation was never an issue, i was more concerned with the humidity and protection from fine brake dust, exhaust particles and potentially even salt that the other cars bring into the garage in winter.
The Veloces worked reasonably well but the filters didn't manage to get 100% of the dust out of the air. There was always a layer of extremely fine black dust on the car after a few weeks, only visible by running the finger over the paint. I washed the filters every 3 months but that didn't help.
The Carcoon didn't magically lower humidity inside the bubble either, so when there was 90% humidity in the garage on an extremely warm and rainy summer day, the reading inside the carcoon was more or less the same (+- 5%).
I then set up a small dehumidifier inside each of the two Carcoons as suggested by the company but soon realised that this kind of defeats the point.
So I had my area of the garage walled off and put a large dehumidifier into it. The total cost was not that much more than what I paid for the Carcoons.
Now I have 50% humidity all year long and no more dust on any of my cars. The electricity costs for the dehumidifer are ~150€ per year but I can live with that.
Carcoons work and the Veloces are very convenient but don't expect miracles.
If you can get somehow your garage insulated and dehumidified instead then I'd definitely recommend that option.
That is really good advice and working it out based on a 500 watt dehumidifier, on for 12 hours a day (at full wack all the time which is unrealistic) it would cost £250 a year to run. Maybe keeping that inside the air chamber or veloce will give it less air to treat therefore may be cheaper, but then its always pumping in new air so who knows. I'm such a tight arse when it comes to things like this that it will be interesting to track the costs.Mine were set up in a relatively large semi-public underground garage with temperatures from 8°C in winter to 22°C in summer. Condensation was never an issue, i was more concerned with the humidity and protection from fine brake dust, exhaust particles and potentially even salt that the other cars bring into the garage in winter.
The Veloces worked reasonably well but the filters didn't manage to get 100% of the dust out of the air. There was always a layer of extremely fine black dust on the car after a few weeks, only visible by running the finger over the paint. I washed the filters every 3 months but that didn't help.
The Carcoon didn't magically lower humidity inside the bubble either, so when there was 90% humidity in the garage on an extremely warm and rainy summer day, the reading inside the carcoon was more or less the same (+- 5%).
I then set up a small dehumidifier inside each of the two Carcoons as suggested by the company but soon realised that this kind of defeats the point.
So I had my area of the garage walled off and put a large dehumidifier into it. The total cost was not that much more than what I paid for the Carcoons.
Now I have 50% humidity all year long and no more dust on any of my cars. The electricity costs for the dehumidifer are ~150€ per year but I can live with that.
Carcoons work and the Veloces are very convenient but don't expect miracles.
If you can get somehow your garage insulated and dehumidified instead then I'd definitely recommend that option.
Here is my electric usage for the last two years (blue is this year, white line is last year). Sad, but I love s
t like this 
Over the next few days my gauge will arrive so I can check the garage in relation to outside, should be interesting if nothing else.
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