12v Rooftop A/C – Dometic vs Mabru

When we decided to offer Mabru instead of Dometic, there were a few key attributes that led to that decision:

#1: Efficiency 
The units are like each other for power consumption ~ 20-55A at 12v, however the Mabru is rated 12,000 BTU while the Dometic is only 6,824 BTU, you get almost 2x the cooling for the same power.  So, in essence I can run the Mabru on ECO to achieve the same result as the Dometic on HIGH and consume half the power while also prolonging the life of my air conditioner (less wear at ECO modes).  This is also important in our area where going close to 100F temperatures in the desert can happen even in fall and spring, then you need a 12k BTU to cool an RV or trailer. 

#2: Noise 
This is a big deal to us, the ability to have a conversation with indoor voice near the air conditioner.  The Dometic is a typical 70dB, while the Mabru is only 33dB.  To expand on what that means, the Dometic is like being near a typical washing machine, while the Mabru is like being near a refrigerator. If you like it quieter for talking or sleeping, the Mabru unit wins again at half the noise level. 

#3: Value 
As costs are going up on most things, affordability is definitely an important factor.  The Dometic with install kit is over $3,000, while the Mabru unit is $2,600.  We know it’s just $400 less, but that can be used for other things, like buying more solar panels to off grid longer.  Or in our case, we can stop dreaming about it and finally buy that Nespresso machine!  The Mabru costs less, cools 2x more and is half the noise level (dB).  That’s the value people are searching for. 
 

Mabru 12V A/C installed on RKS toy hauler MOTIVE M19 - hot weather tested in Mojave desert

​At A Glance: