BAD IDEA? Running RV Air Conditioner on SOLAR and INVERTER
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- čas přidán 2. 08. 2024
- Why running an RV Air Conditioner on solar is NOT a practical solution. This experiment will show you what it takes to run an air conditioner on a 2000 watt inverter, four lithium batteries and solar panels.
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MORE ABOUT THIS VIDEO
1. Micro Air Installation - While installing the Micro Air Easy Start I also removed the motor start capacitor that was no longer needed. That step was also mentioned in this video from Micro Air ( • Micro-Air EasyStart So... ). I found this video especially useful since he was working on an A/C unit very similar to mine. The only difference was that mine is a heat pump. Because of that, one of the wires from the compressor went through a reversing relay before heading to the run capacitors. So it was a different color. It was all spelled out in the instructions downloaded from Micro Air's website.
2. A note about inverters - You may have thought "why not just get a bigger inverter?" There are two reasons. (1) Our 2000 watt pure sine inverter serves our needs perfectly. We can run our microwave, coffee pot, hair dryer, refrigerator, etc. (2) A larger inverter is less efficient and draws more energy. Our 2K inverter draws between 2 amps - 2.5 amps while running. Some hybrid inverters like a 3000W victron multiplus can draw about 6 amps.
3. There Are Some Who Can Run A/C - This video demonstrates why it's not practical to run air conditioners with a small to moderately sized off-grid system like mine. However, there are others with systems much larger than mine (2000 watts of solar, 800-1000 Ah of Lithium Batteries, and a 3000-5000 Watt inverter) who have no problem running their A/C during the day on solar. These systems are the ultimate setup with a price tag of $18K to $20K just for the components. I've also seen folks with smaller systems that have installed a small A/C like a 800 btu window unit on a small RV that are also able to run it on a medium to large system. Most of us aren't going to stick with the A/C that comes with the RV though.
4. Biggest Take-a-way from the solar experiment - My air conditioner used less power that I expected with the soft start installed. I expected it to still draw about 1700 - 1900 watts and was surprised to see that it was more like 1300 watts. That means that I can use my small 1600 watt generator if needed to power the A/C all day on a gallon of gas. Right now we typically don't carry the generator with us. In the future I may also consider adding a few more high efficiency solar panels to offset the load of the A/C if I were to run it. Should my air conditioner fail at some point, I plan to buy and install a low profile Houghton A/C from RecPro (see links above).
#rvwithtito #offthegrid #boondocking
Other topics addressed in this video: Run air conditioner on inverter, Run air conditioner off solar panels, run air conditioner on solar panels, Solar air conditioner rv, rv solar air conditioner, solar air conditioner, micro air easy start, rv soft start, rv soft start ac, rv solar panels, air conditioner soft start, how to run air conditioner using solar power, inverter can run air conditioner, rv lithium batteries, battle born batteries, battleborn lithium rv batteries, coleman air conditioner rv
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Extremely informative & presentation, as always, well thought out. You are such a great instructor. Thank you again Brian. Titofied production! 😇🤩💜
My pleasure! I appreciate that. Hmmmm "a Titofied Production". I like that :)
A lot of these inverters nowadays have soft start built into them I just test it out my AC unit on my solar 200 amp hour batteries with a 25 amp input coming in from the sun it took my battery is down to 12.4 9hundred watts and was able to stay on. at that point as long as you have 900 watts coming in from the solar should work I would imagine. I'm still testing
Very neat video here what I did pick was having a small inverter type generator can be used to run the AC as long as I install a soft start unit on the AC is that correct? If so that would safe hours on my main generator. I'm going to have a solar system like yours installed. I would like to here what your solar components include.
*I use this solar **Generater.Systems** at work. The building is 80 years old so there’s not a lot of electrical outlets. I use it for lights, fans, charge phones etc. works great !*
You'll need a generator or DC-DC charger. It's good to have multiple options since the sun doesn't always shine.
*Works great **Fastly.Cool** compact and Easy to install*
Hello, I have 1360 watts of solar, 5 100amp lithium battle born batteries and a 3000 watt pure sine victron inverter. Currently I am running a coleman mach Roof A/C with the easy start I installed. As long as I am in a state that is sunny most of the time I do not have an issue!
Thanks for your video! ~ Lisa
Very nice! Thanks for sharing your setup.
1350 Watts of solar? No wonder you have no problem running the AC.
What panels are you using and how many?
How do you have 5 batteries? Are you running that with 12v? What sort of charge controller do you have for that?
@@RVwithTito when will the person give the person who asked questions answer? What type of controller and brand names. I'm trying to figure out how to keep my milk cold without buying ice or standing around making my own ice all day. Able to make enough ice to keep my cooler will last all day and night that my friend gave me. He had gotten as a volunteer for the Red Cross many years ago and he passed it on to me since he didn't need it and I did.
Hay I so appreciate your videos! As a 30 year Advanced Auto tech and business owner I am happy to answer any questions that you encounter with a shop or mechanic. As new empty nesters we are back on the RV field and I am a tech but for solar, batteries and such. You have helped me so much in understanding the new tech of the industry. Batteries, solar, inverter and soft start. Keep it up!! Thanks you!!!
1) Your Class C is far better insulated than our Class A! We have to run 2 AC units on a summer day to keep the temperature down to 85 degrees. We’ll run the AC off the generator only. I have 1200W of solar on the roof with a Victorn 150/85 controller. We use a Magnum 2800W inverter. And have 6 Lifeline 6V 220Amp hour AGMs. Next batter switch will be to LiFeSO4.
2) Thanks for your videos. We enjoy your projects and can’t wait to get a house with a work shop to do some work on our 2008 motorhome. Storage and weight limitations prevent me from projects.
Thanks for the info. Much appreciate the tips, do & don'ts. Sometimes it's difficult to get the most efficient especially when you need the inverter to remain as cool as possible and not overheat.
Great video and info as always, thanks! Our current travel trailer doesn’t have an inverter or solar but it’s so poorly insulated that I wouldn’t bother! In this Texas heat the 13.5k AC has to run almost non-stop anyways (at least during the day)! We enjoy it but it’s not an ideal rig for boondocking unless it’s perfect weather!
Tito, first and foremost I love your videos. you give real info in the form of both data and components. This video, the one regarding running a/c on only your batts, struck me in a different way than probably most people. .. I lived in arizona for ten years so I know HEAT.... my question is about humidity.. when we had MONTHS of 100 plus degrees we switched to swamp cooling or evaporative cooling - remember az is a 'dry heat' lol. we would set the ac for 80 and use the evap until we hit than temp. worked great. not an ice rink but - well - no humidity is really great. my kids would beg for blankets when they got out of t he pool as the evap on their skin would bring goose bumps up really quick. I'm moving from a boat to bus conversion now so I can't do this comparison but hope you will explore it.~~ !!! really great vids. much appreciated.
I think this is really awesome for those of you that have this type of setup. Even if you have to run a little generator I think it's amazing. Great video! You have an awesome setup.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. Trying not to overdo the setup, but who knows...maybe a little more solar :)
I found the same thing Brian, Not only that but the hotter the ambient temperature the less efficient the solar panel is. Manufacturers rate their products’ susceptibility to temperature in the form of the temperature coefficient, which is expressed as a percentage per degree Celsius. It is standard practice to test solar panels for power output at 25 °C. So, if a panel is rated to have a temperature coefficient of -0.50% per °C, that panel’s output power will decrease by a half of a percent for every degree the temperature rises about 25 °C (77 °F).
You're 100% right solar panels need to sunlight but hate the Heat, that's why you must always over panel in preparation for that.
Also keep in mind in the winter time you would generate more power then the rating since the temperature it's lower than 77F.
Good for electric heaters instead of burning propane.
True. More reason to follow that 77 deg Standard Test Condition temp around :)
Great video and explanation. For inspiration you might check out the design of the Volta Pure3 systems that Winnebago is installing in some of the class B RVs (travato 59 G/K *L* for lithium). They use a system with off-the-shelf components comprised of a usable 8700 watt hours of lithium to supply an always 30A/120v invertor. They use minimal solar, but mainly charge with a 48 volt 6000 watt alternator run by the van engine that at 1500rpm will fully recharge the batteries in less than 2 hours, either when driving or using a smart controller that can automatically start the engine and run at 1500 rpm when needed. An expensive $25000 option but very well designed in my opinion for a small RV. I roughly priced out similar diy components at about $15000 for major components with about 700 watts of solar. There are a few videos out of folks doing your same test of the Volta (one in 100+ degrees heat!). I agree a $1000 generator is certainly more affordable, but in some situations generators are forbidden and always noisy and smelly.
Fantastic experiment, thanks for this video!
You're welcome! Glad you liked it.
Great test! Thanks.
Glad you liked it!
As always Brian, nice and informative.
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks!
Your experiment was great! I truly appreciate the content. 👍👍👍
Glad you enjoyed it!
Well done Tito, thanks for another well produced and very informative video.
We recently upgraded our Battery/Inverter system specifically with boondocking while running everything on our 37' DP much like being plugged in (at least like having 30A plugin) :)
In any case out set-up is as follows:
(8) Lion Energy 105Ah LifePO4 Batteries configured at 24V (420Ah)
(2) Victron 24/3000 Inverter/Chargers
1600W Solar W/ Victron 150/100 MPPT Controller
(2) 24-12V/70A Converters (to service 12V systems)
(2) 12-24/15A DC-DC Converters (To charge Batteries while traveling)
Victron Cerbo GX with GX Display and VRM interface
So when we installed this in July we configured the system to power every circuit in our Coach and did this in Split-Phase which allowed us to install a 240V circuit for future use (Dual Zone Mini-Split AC Heatpump).
As it is right now we can actually start and run both of our 13.5K rooftop AC units without a soft start, but I did order one to see how it works. When we finalize the installation of the mini-split in the future we'll remove the rooftop units and reconfigure for more solar :)
We can actually travel down the road now with one rooftop unit running and still put power back into the batteries as long as we can produce at least 1000W of the 1600W Available.
Running just a rooftop unit (with the rest of the coach stuff) while stationary we can run a single unit and only use about 20A tailing off to about 60A total with no solar (@24V) so we have a good 4 hours of AC after the sun goes down while still being able to run the coach overnight.
When we get the mini-split installed it will use approx. 50% of the power of the rooftop unit and hopefully we'll be all set, especially when we add some more solar.
So it can be done but it's not easy, I only post this to show people that I CAN be done, but to your point in the video a small generator will work just fine for most people if the rooftop units can keep up.
Happy travels!!
Thanks for the video, I have the same 600w solar, 4 100 amp hr. batteries, 3000 renogy inverter. I able to run my 15000 Coleman for about 2.5 hrs. When running the AC I'm showing 130 amp draw to the inverter. I thought that was way off, now that I seen the video makes me feel better. I thought something was wrong. I need to add more solar panels. Again thank you for the video
So glad you did this video. I am solar newbie and wondered if this was feasible..
It's definitely feasible but you need a bunch of solar. I've got friends who run 2 A/C units on solar.
Hey Brian,
Great video, and very timely! I appreciate the practical approach to your videos and you taking time to explain the “why”, makes it easy to apply to each individual situation.
We have a 50 amp rig with:
975 watts of solar
400 AH Lithium battery bank
3000 watt Inverter
4500 watt inverter\generator
The Air Conditioner tied to the battery bank has a soft start as well. Same as yours, it consumes about 100AHs (~1 battery per hour) when running.
We are in NE Pennsylvania this week and it has been blistering hot (mid 90’s). It has been a bit of a struggle to keep our rig comfortable during the heat of the day.
We are on a 30 amp pedestal, but with a full park (and lots of running ACs) the voltage on the pedestal has been averaging 105V-107V...BEFORE we take any juice. Our EMS shuts power down to the rig at anything under 105V. SO....it has been a balancing act for sure. Through trial and error, I was able to take ~ 7 amps off the pedestal during the highest load time with out tripping my BMS. That allowed my battery bank to last most of the day. I only had to run my generator for ~1.5hrs to get back to 50% charge.
The moral of the story.....where there is a will, there is a way.
Nice to have options so you can do the balancing thing. I appreciate you sharing your system setup and experiences.
4 x Battle borns and victron 3000 I get about same results with my softstart. When it's around 90 and above I just rely on starting my Honda 2200 to assist in powering my ac. I have 5 x 160 watt on roof but at direct light only get max 500 watts input. Renogy flat panels. Love your flat panel mount idea going to deploy on my panels!
Great. Thanks for sharing that. Cheers!
Thanks for the video!
Excellent video!
_I pulled all of my A/C units out and put one 12000 BTU 115v mini-split in my custom-built cargo trailer. I'm so glad I did. Can run it throughout the day on solar with no problems. Plus running a small Arctic king freezer, NewAir ice machine, lights, 55 inch TV, DVD player all at the same time. With a system that has a: Samlex EVO-2224 charger/ inverter ( 4 ) 320 watt solar making 1280 total watts ( 4 ) 370Ah 6v flooded batteries. I've seen it get down to 76%, but the average is 80% on the batteries during the day. At night I would run a generator to keep up the same consumption, but if I don't need the A/C to run, then I don't need to run any generator, the system can handle all my needs throughout the night; until sunlight again. The mini-split runs about 9Amp to 12 Amps when running when it goes into a so-call float. It runs about 3amps to 4 amp to maintain my temperature of 77 inside and a 109 outside. I also like to say: it's so quiet, it's incredible, NO MORE noisy jet engine sounding A/C units ever again! The unit is a Senville mini-split I paid just under $800.00 for everything. I installed it myself, and have never done any A/C work before. Take your time. It's a piece of cake. So, so happy! You can too, if you want peace and quiet, with temperature, controlled home/ RV/ Trailer_
That's impressive! Thanks for sharing you're numbers. I've been curious how much current a mini split draws. 👍👍
For those amp draws you must have 48 bolts
Ed Mor no, it’s 24 v not 48 bolts. I built the system, I know!
Your able to vacume to lines yourself?
@@Hoffmanpack yes, I was a little nervous though, because I have never done it, then on top of that, I also used an Appion mega flow vacuum rate valve core removal tool with the vac pump that was vacuuming out the lines. Then have to put the core back in the valve body. You don't have to use that tool to do the vacuum. Once it all done then you released the refrigerant into the system.
Thank you for you’re very thought out and informative video… I think I’ve watched just about everyone of them since I started down this RV path… What are your thoughts on replacing your current AC unit with a mini split ? Or just your thoughts on a mini split in general thanks again and looking forward to more videos
Very good explanation. Thank you so much.
You are welcome!
Thanks for this info- all good ..
Remember that new rv’s with all battery setups r using 12 volt ac units ,
Also - eliminating the inverter that uses at lot of energy to convert the power. Then also, the vehicles alternator is used a generator , kinda a sledge hammer , the vehicles alternator as an auxiliary power source...
Thanks again
Thanks for the info. I haven't done much research into 12V A/C units but I will.
Brian, I think in your past life you were a high school science teacher lol. Your videos are always instructive. Thanks for being so thorough - Hal
Thanks Hal. I appreciate that feedback. I believe we can all be teachers and pass on what we learn. In fact I learn the most through teaching. 👍
@@RVwithTito That's been my experience. If you think you know a subject, try teaching it. You'll find you don't know as much as you thought.
Nice videos, very well explained. Thanks!
I guess in this case it depends on tje usage of AC. For example if you only ise AC 1-2 hours noon and then again 2 hours on the evening (as the rest of the time one might be outside) then its more than enough.
And then having as backup the portable gas generator
Yes. You're right. I'd only use it in a pinch. When we were in Arizona, we were ready to leave once the outside temps reached the upper 80s. Thanks for the comment!
Consider setting t-stat to 78 instead of 74. Your ac unit will dehumidify your space and use less kwh and still be comfortable. I live in Florida and that's where I set it during the day. I'm a retired PE mech/elect. All the best.
That would be better. At home we usually keep it at 74 which is why I set it there for this test. 78 degF is probably a more reasonable comfortable temp while dry-camping. Thanks for the insight.
One thing to keep in mind is that these AC’s use more power when it’s 85 - 110 +
I installed the easy start - great product .My small generator will run when below 85 outside - but not over 85 .Fun video to watch.🥵🔥
Thank you!! Great video! Perfect for giving me a sense of how big a project (cost and effort) I would be considering if I wanted to go this route. The mrs loves her a/c and I love boondocking (and hate the noise of the generator). It would be so freeing to be able to boondock (quietly) and run A/C. But, did not have a good sense of how viable that wish might be or how big of an investment in time and energy I might be taking on to make it a reality.
It's definitely an investment in time and energy to get there. Most of us avoid areas/seasons that require A/C.
That was a great video, and I really enjoyed the data you provided. Did you not consider your extra alternator as part of the system? You could full charge the batteries back to 100% in a couple of hours to be ready for the net day of AC. Thank you for the time, expense, and sharing your test results with us. Looking forward to your next DIY video.
Very good advice
Very informative, thanks !
You're welcome! Glad you enjoyed it.
Thank you for that awesome information great video
Glad it was helpful! You're welcome.
Great video
Great video thanks Tito ❕
My pleasure!!
Great test Brian. Always wanted to see how that would work. It looks like you would need more panels and/or more batteries which would add considerable expense complexity and weight.. probably best to just run on shore power.. GOOD test though...
Yes. Always more, more, more :) We're pretty content with what we've got.
I use my 5,000 BTU 455 watt air conditioner every day that I am in my van (Texas panhandle). I installed an Easy Start. I also power a TV and microwave. I only have 3, 100 amp hour Battle Born batteries and a 790 watt Grape Solar system. I have 3 inverters; a 3,000 watt for the microwave and AC, a 1,500 watt for backup, and a 180 watt for the TV.
That is awesome! Thanks for sharing your system.
Great video! I always wanted to see a real time test like you did. Very informative. Thank you! I'm going to invest in a small generator, now....lol
Glad it was helpful!
I live off grid and run my AC unit strictly off of solar.. No generator.. I have a window unit with a built in soft start that cost 260 bucks.. It is a 6000btu Danby that I got from Home Depot.. When it starts it draws about 450 watts and then slowly increases until it gets up to about 550 watts.. It is only good for about 200+ sq ft but the fact that it came with a built in soft start with the AC for only 260 is what amazes me.. If a window unit is an option,, this is the way to go..
Sounds like a good solution for a small to medium space. Thanks for the info.
Great video production! Really enjoyed the comprehensive dialog and results. S+L
Thanks!
I totally agree ... it is more practical to have a quiet generator , I'm working on a ventilated box to put the propane generator in to make it around 40db
Excellent, informative video.
Glad you enjoyed it!
great video brian and well appreciated .
knowing the size of your set up is great -someday i’m probably going to have to do some math on weight and cubic inches needed to size out a coach. cost too of course ( all this is gentle suggestions for more info if y are so inclined😂).
your demeanor, humor and information are very high on my i’m impressed list.
be well😊
Thanks so much for the feedback Bruce. My setup is kind of in the middle of most boondocking setups out there so I though it might be a good benchmark.
RV with Tito DIY - yes indeed it certainly was a good episode
thank you
great job brother
Thanks 👍
Great Video, thank you! Something to think about while I was watching this, I just want to keep the inside moderately cooled. 74 degrees is pretty cool where we live (AZ). I would guess that if the AC was set at 82 or 84 the batteries would have more chance to recover. I really like the idea of the soft start unit and will consider it for when I finally install my solar system. Right now I am looking at assembling a 400W system (2 x 200W panels), a controller that will accommodate up to 600W of panels, 2 group 27 batteries, and a 2K or 3K inverter. I would like to get input on what I am getting ready to do as well if someone wants to comment.
Thanks for this interesting video! Roof-top RV air seems the all-time least efficient manner in which to obtain cool air. Therefor I use a split air system that draws just 600 watts. It has inverter circuitry which results in a soft start. I have found that with the 19 amps my solar controller offers mid day (tapering up or down from 3 amps morning and evening) my system can barely keep up SO...I turn the a/c (I run one or the other, not both) on about 1 pm and shut it off about 6 pm. I am adding two additional solar panels which may well turn the tide on this race for available current. I should add that the more windows I install, the less need I have for the a/c due to cross ventilation. I am finding after 30 years living on wheels, every day is still on on-going experiment with air conditioning. NOTE that I am in a converted cargo trailer with R-15 rockwool insulation. This has a huge effect helping me shoot for 74 degrees.
Thanks for sharing your insight. Cheers!
Great video, it helps answer a question that many people have. Clearly you can run A/C off grid from solar - maybe not all day every day, maybe you need more solar panels and/or more batteries and maybe a decent inverter - but it can be done. Of course you could increase the temperature setting on the A/C so it runs a bit less. If the camper was better insulated (maybe double glazing) then the A/C wouldn't have to work as hard.
It is good to see what happens with 600W of solar and 400Ah of batteries and 2,000W inverter, that provides a basis for working out what would be needed to run the A/C more often or less often.
Thanks for the feedback Mark. You picked up on my point in making the video which was to see what was possible with a moderate setup as a baseline. 👍
Really helpful thanks!
Great! Just ran it for a couple hours today actually.
Nice test sir.
Thanks 👍
Really good informative video 👍
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent share. I have watched several RV videos where the people are mounting panels all over the roof and building huge systems at a ridiculous cost, so they can try to run their AC. The problem is that they do not replenish or, they cannot do much else electrically if they hope to replenish power. All that said, at what cost? This is where green meets reality. I am all for solar on RVs to power inverters and have power for everything smaller but appliances like microwaves, induction cooktops and ACs generally require more than basic capabilities in the solar system and price negates such a choice realistically. Naturally, some are determined to try it anyway- those with money to waste.
Thanks. Actually small equipment like microwaves, hair dryers and small induction burners are no big deal. We use them all the time. They pull a lot of amps but only for a few minutes without any significant hit to the batteries. Air conditioners are a different story.
Morning Brian! Great video topic and I have been planning a similar one! We also have 400ah of BB's with a 3000 watt Multiplus and 300 watts of solar. It was interesting to see your A/C draws about 110 amps as my Penguin II 13,500 draws closer to 150 amps.
I have a soft start but don't have it installed yet. The A/C does start and run off the inverter and batteries without it, but I'm not sure the strain it is putting on them. I was thinking about running it down till the BMS shuts down to see how that actually works.
Your test results came out pretty good I thought and your extra 300 watts of solar, plus the more efficient A/C will no doubt produce a much longer run time than mine.
Hope you guys are doing well.
Thanks, Aaron
Hey Aaron! Yes we're doing well. Hope you are too back home. I'm wondering if your Penguin will run more efficiently with the soft start. Mine seems to be quieter. You'll probably be able to cool your rig down faster too since it's smaller. Looking forward to your video.
NICE VIDEO BRIAN ..!!Since i installed the 364 (2yrs) is nice to run the ac 13,500 btu Carrier in my class B + 22ft Holiday Rambler Augusta with The Honda 2000/2200..Never and issue $2 a day that is CHEAP ..!!!Instant Power..! In Florida that test will last about 5 min..! Maybe with a 5000 btu ac unit it will work longer..!! The test that you did is like filling a siwimming pool with a garden hose and in same time you draining the water with a 5 inch pipe..! Ja.ja..!! Unless you have a massive battery bank like 12.or more batteries.? If you downsize to a class b the results will be different ...The best friend of a solar is a Honda generator..!!!
Yes. You're right. If we were to use our A/C more, I'd probably be carrying our portable generator more. Thanks for sharing your setup.
I did the same experiment but on a smaller scale , I have a truck camper with 215 watts of solar and a 2000 watt pure sine wave inverter hard wired in the RV through a transfer switch. On a hot sunny day no clouds I set my AC on 75 degrees. I also have 2 group 27 ,new batteries. My camper was already cool as I keep it turned on and plugged into shore power. Unplugged the shore power, turned on inverter and watched the meters amp draw and voltage. The AC cycles off and on all day. While off the solar charged back some loss. While on the AC draws about 700 watts after settling down. I've got the smallest roof AC made I think. I ran the AC pretty much all day to experiment but like you said unless you have a way to recharge the batteries at night its not practical . After depleting the power out of the batteries to 50% late afternoon I shut it down plugged back up and turned the converter on to recharge the batteries over night. You can run a AC on solar just need more solar panels more amp hour of batteries and a more efficient AC. Just a thought.
If you have access to shore power then that'll work I suppose. Still...more solar seems to be the solution.
Thank you. I am interested installing a solar panel system but not sure where to begin.
exacrtly what I will do, at least during engine run - need 100Amps for the dometic freshjet 2200
I'd like to see you install an electric car receiver to fill your batteries from a refill station. Or how to make your RV alternator charge your batteries. Unless your RV already does that . I find both you and Love Your RV very helpful to someone like me with electrical learning challenges
Here's a video showing how I do the alternator charging czcams.com/video/TDxfRXgQT04/video.html.
Hi Brian. We’re in a Newmar 3609 with two Dometic 15k heat pump AC units. Had Arizona Wind and Sun install a solar system. 1400 watts, 3K Victron inverter, 4 100 amp Battle Born batteries. Currently can run one AC for a few hours without any solar. Not using Soft Start. Have not done a long term test with full solar but plan to. Panels typically pull in 1250-1350w on bright sunny day. Panels art flat mounted on roof. Great video.
Glad to hear a 3K inverter would do the trick. I tried it on my 2K and it overloaded it for sure. Based on my tests you'd probably get about 4 hours running both with no solar. So the more solar the better. Good luck!
RV with Tito DIY I think your numbers are spot on! The control panel indicated about 4 hours if we ran it on the solar 👍
I realise that this video is over 2 years old but I will still post my RV setup and running an AC...just in-case it is useful for someone.
2.25Kw of solar, 800AH of lithium batteries, split cycle AC.
And the result is....I have the same issue that you found, the solar was going into running the AC thereby putting the battery capacity at a lower percentage the next day, followed by the next until I have to plug into an external power source to fully recharge again.
It is a bit more complicated than that though as the solar is putting in 1900+ watts during the peak solar charging of the day with the AC only using 800-900 watts of that and the rest being wasted after the batteries are 100% by 11am - 12 noon, but as it moves into late afternoon (4pm onwards) and the solar charging drops off, that is when the AC is using up the battery capacity.
However I do live in a part of Australia that is over 40 degrees Celsius during the day and only reaches a low of 27degrees Celsius at night, (It is now 11pm and the outside temp is 30 degrees Celsius) therefore the AC has to run 24/7 and has no time to shut off...keeping in mind that your test did not take into account other activities that happen in the RV including going in and out of the door during the day which will affect the AC run time vs idle time.
My solution - I am upgrading to 1200 AH of lithium batteries so that I can store some more of that wasted potential during the peak of the day, and my calculations show that I should then be able to run an AC 24/7 and use the RV without compromising on other activities that use power.
Good info. Thanks for sharing!
While you’re kind of rooftop system is not really feasible unless you have a massive solar system with batteries it’s being done every day now with mini splits, yes you would have to change your system out but when you have a system that just draws 400 or 500 Watts And can easily runoff solar and house batteries it may be worth just ditching that junk on the roof but thanks again for this one to explain to people that this is a tricky option.
Great Video! I don't have a set up like yours yet, but my ultimate boondock setup is running my A/C on a 3,000 watt generator, powered by propane, 6 hours a day (3 in the morning, and 3 at night before bed) to keep the camper from getting to hot. Then the solar will help keep the batteries charged and only using low powered fans to circulate the air when the A/C is not running. With good insulation, covered and tinted windows, the A/C isn't working as hard, the draw on the batteries is well below my daily intake from the solar panels, and I am confident that I can will keep the battery level right around 80% during the dark hours.
Is this your current setup? Or by ultimate do you mean it's just hypothetical?
RV with Tito DIY I’m sorry, my comment was a little confusing. I currently RV part time and mostly on shore power. However, I do boondock on occasion to test what my needs are based on the power I normally use.
Next year I plan on RVing full time, Boondocking 5 days a week and on shore power the other two.
My above scenario is my “Power Plan” setup once I get everything upgraded the way I want it for full time RVing.
Your video helped me answer a bunch of questions that I don’t have the equipment to test for myself now. Thank You!
@@MrBklein31 Understood. Thanks.
I have 800Watts solar and LiFePo4 180AH battery, my AC unit is only 8000 BTU but 15 Seer rating. If the sun shines every day I can still run the AC and recharge the battery. Even I would need more solar to keep up with the demands of the AC if I was doing this every day. Thanks for the video.
You bet. With that solar to battery ratio your LiFePO4 batteries should recharge pretty quickly.
great info
Glad it was helpful!
Some good real world information here. Yes it's possible but there are a ton of variables involved. For 1 the size of your RV and the size of your AC unit along with its efficiency.. The bigger the conditioned space the more power you will need to cool it. So this same setup on let's say a 20ft or smaller RV would require a lot less cooling. Also how well insulated is your RV? Leaky windows? Ect. Most Rv's aren't really designed with peak energy efficiency in mind.
Another factor to consider is how much cooling are you looking to achieve? Running the AC all day and night requires a whole lot more power than just running it for a few hours during the hottest part of the day.
Great Video and great info. Thanks
Good information
Thanks. Glad you found it helpful!
I think this was one of the best real time demonstrations I have seen yet. Thank you. I've been planning, measuring, planning, calculating, planning, because we plan to travel to warmer climates during the winter where we live. I think overnight night Wal-Mart stops on the way to our next destination would be where something like this would be of benefit. As for multiple day boondocking, no, but we have a generator for that. You've given me some ideas... Other than the ones that keep pushing that $5k - $10k price tag!😱
Thanks for the comment. I appreciate it. Glad the experiment gave you some good ideas. Cheers!
Thanks
No problem
Our AC draws 500-700watts with the compressor running. We use a 1 farad capacitor on our 12v system for any major drawdowns and it helps. We need a larger solar aray to run it for hours however. Its fine to stop for lunch and use it.
I have that same Inverter, works great for my Kurieg coffee machine lol
i have a victron setup useing 8 12v 100ah batteries running in a 48v config with a 5kw inverter and about 3kw of solar and i can run my ac system without any issues and still make power during the day. for the 12v appliances in my rv i have a 70amp 48v to 12v converter. my rooftop system is a newer model and draws about 1100w and can cool down the area with no issues.
Nice video very well presented. It IS practical, it's just your current system was not designed with air con in mind. If you follow one rule: You need to run a big load for large parts of the day then you need to up your solar game to have at least as much solar power as the load i.e in your case 2000w of solar. You appear to have plenty of roof space so those 12v stick on panels could be replaced with proper ~300w 24v panels in series and a new charge controller and hey presto, air con all day. This isn't as expensive as you think as the flexible solar panels are hideously overpriced usually so you can actually buy proper big panels for approx the same price. It's an idea, worth a look!!
I have 570 watts of solar, 2000 watt inverter, soft start installed on the AC, 4 100 amp hour Battle Born batteries. your video kinda encouraged me to try the AC on inverter power...have to talk to Battle Born about warranty effects.
hey Mike , have you tried it ? curious how well that works. I have the same setup but only 1/2 the batteries, Im thinking of doubling our BB from 2 x 100 to 4 x 100, for the rare couple of days that we need to run the air conditioning.
Yes. Your setup is very close to mine. You should see similar results.
@@RVwithTito I have not had a chance to try it yet
You're a brave man for even trying it IMHO. You do have a huge van though. I think any system would struggle to run a decent sized AC unit. IMHO get the RV in the shade, put out awnings either side and run a separate 300W solar panel out in the sun and run fans... well that's how we got around it...
That's pretty much what we do until it gets too hot. Then we're moving on to cooler places.
@@RVwithTito My wife and I can handle the heat but when it's those few weeks that are unbearable, we have resorted to RV parks and just 'plug in' for a few weeks. At least we can run the AC all day everyday, charge all the batteries, bring on fresh water, dump the old, wash and service the van and just chill during those really humid weeks.
Tito, very good video as usual. If anyone is entertaining running a stock RV rooftop AC off of solar they are in for some major investment. A mini-split system is the best option and that still requires a decent amount of solar and batteries.
Seems to be the case. Thanks.
Not here to correct anything you've stated, but to learn & have subscribed! However, somewhere around 8:00 U stated the a/c is drawing more energy, the fact is, it's drawing the same, but the batteries are just being charged at a lesser rate!
Sorry to be confusing. Drawing more the from batteries is what I meant.
Lots of good info,more importantly,honest.....best solution run a small generator plus solar power,but a next day not gonna be full battery power,so it's not that easy🇺🇸☮️🗽✌️
Thanks!
good test and proving not a good match .
We have 520w Solar, GoPower IC3000 inverter (true 3000W inverter, the Victrons are 3000VA, (Volt/Amps) vs watts, there watt output is 2400w by the math). We have 4 BB Li batteries as well. My system powers the entire trailer, so the converter box acts as a sub panel. We have a heat pump, as a AC unit it will run in the 4 hr range, great for short runs, but have not used it long term. As a heat pump, it will run all night and only draw down 30%. We do have a generator, but have only used it once. The truck DC-DC controller (RedAcrc BCDC1240D) can act like a generator to top off the batteries mainly when driving, also because it is a MPPT controller, it is an input for portable solar panels. The other nice thing about Li batteries over Lead, is you can drain them nearly to 0%, I have my cutoff set to 10% though. I was curious how long theses might last, so thank you for doing this test.
Thanks for sharing your setup. Sounds like it's working. I also use a DC-to-DC from my alternator while driving as needed. When I tested the heat pump mode it drew a little more current than in cooling mode. Good info!
RV with Tito DIY , fortunately the heat pump only runs 10 min at a time to maintain, yes it draws more on heating than cooling when running , just doesn’t run as long😉
Excellent report. We're getting in the same situation as summer in Europe is getting hoter. I'd like to know more about your aux. generator suppling energie to the AC. Regards
I don't use a generator anymore. We do have that small one, but don't typically bring it along because then we'd have to carry fuel.
I think mini split is the way to go. Highly efficient with built in inverter. A guy here has a mini split running off solar.
Agreed. Based on the comments. Mini split seems to be the best solution if you can find a place to mount it.
Would love to have mini getting closer to plausible!
Great video. A bit off subject but can you do a video on replacing the air filter for the cab heater and air conditioner. I get mice in there and I want to be able to change it myself. I know I have to remove the battery. I have a Tioga class C. Thank you
I think this was a great video and it will work if you have enough wattage coming from your solar panel to run your air conditioner and simultaneously add a good little charge to your batteries, you should be able to run your air conditioner from 10 a.m. maybe to 5 pm then the air conditioner has turn off because the sun is getting too low.
But if is done right you should be able to end the day with a full battery with enough solar generation on your rooftop and sunlight of course.
I'm working on that it as i speak now, my roof regenerate me 1480 w of DC power from my solar panel.
So I should have plenty of power run my AC and keep my battery topped off throughout the whole sunlight hours.
Yeah if you had 1500 to 2KW of solar than it should work. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Hmmm, coupla thoughts, Brian. You have some deployable solar panels (ground & window awnings), which might create another 15 Amps when added together? Which would cut the draw in half. Also, your solar setup is partially older, and- there are some newer flexible panels with higher output, so- if you 'chose' to upgrade your roof set up, you could easily bump to 800 or 1,000 watts. Many of us have smaller campers with lower draw, more efficient units... I still think that running a small portable generator for an hour or two in the late afternoon, early evening could really make this a viable solution. You've lost 140+ Lbs by removing the the Onan, but, a 2,000w inverter/generator and a touch more solar...hmmmm. just sayin', Tito!
:) Yes I know. I've been contemplating replacing the old Unisolar panels with a few hundred watts more of flex. They've served me so well for the last 8 years and are still going strong especially in low light. I may just mount some new stuff over the top and avoid having to remove the adhesive.
FYI, the Airxcel (Coleman) Mach 10 NDQ has the same operating specs, noise and amperage draw as the Houghton unit. Same price range also. I have one and it works great and is QUIET.
Good to know. Thanks.
if it's just one person or one room, my Vornado 660 is more than adequate for the job, for multiple people, I recommend USB fans everywhere
if it's more than 10 degrees of "perceived cooling" you need to achieve, then yeah I guess AC is a must...
or very high humidity
Lots of things would be different if it were just one person :)
Great charging power!
My rooftop air conditioner on my truck camper will run continuously while the Sun is out. And the batteries stay at 100%. I also have 600 W like you, but they are wired in series which gives me more amps. I use Renogy everything, including the 3000 W inverter and 2 - 170ah Renogy lithiums
How much does your A/C draw?
@@RVwithTito
It's an 11,000 btu unit.
Thanks for the experiment. I was once curious if it was possible. I've a 3000 watt Inverter with 600 amp hrs (6 Battleborn). I've a 2020 Grand Design with 15,000 btu AC's and no soft start.
I've a Victron Battery Monitor so I am able to see amps and expected runtime. I turned on 1 AC and can't remember what kind of surge there was but the Battery Monitor said I had about 5 hrs of runtime. I then ended the experiment satisfied that I could run at least one in a pinch. I've 4 190 watt solar panels. At this time I can't justify a Soft Start.
Romeo
Yes. In a pinch for me as well. I have extra solar I can throw at the setup if need be.
Thanks Brian. Great presentation however I called that one from the start: if you want AC use a generator.
Nailed it 😀
I have 1400w and 964 amp h of Lithium And it runs my mini split day and night with no problem in 95 +
I have only electric appliances electric range hot water heater microwave convection oven TV xbox
@@williambrawner2618
That's like $10,000 in batteries!!!
@@mobileempire5522 No no not at all. I bought used Tesla batteries out of a 2016 model S I purchased 2 modules they were $950 apiece They weigh 60 pounds apiece So far I'm loving them
From my experience, if you want to run an AC reliably during the hot sunny days, get as much solar panels as possible, if your roof is full like mine, get flexible portable panels and lays them outside on the ground. If you want to run the AC also at night get more Lithium Ion batteries, at night obviously you will not get solar, but remember it is easier for the AC to cool the trailer when it is not being cooked by the sun. Also set the AC at the highest temperature you are comfortable with, which is 86 for me
Great advice. Thanks for sharing it with us!
Existe algún AA para motorhome que sea inverter? gracias
De nada!
I've been considering ground deployed solar and parking in the shade.
That's the best way to go. It's easy. You can expand, you can tract the sun manually, You can spread out the system to maximize power harvesting. I always park in the shade. I have a 500 watt ground system I can run up to 75 feet away from the trailer and spread out the panels up to 20 feet apart to avoid shade. It make me 30 amps of power.
I got 4000 watts GIANDEL runs Air conditioning from 15 amp plug. 13500 BTU ... Problem is 910 amps /hours T-105 battery banks go down fast at night
2000 watts solar pants will let You run during days...Nights are difficult . Drag your battery below 50 percent . So is expense ..Battery won't last long.
If You replace with lithium total cost of that is around 7000 thousands dollars ..No problem then ...
Same easy start, VictronConnect solar, 3000 watt power converter, battery monitoring and three 100ah battle born battery’s. Will run air about 100ah per hour. The generator Honda 2000 runs it as well. I think you run the generator but, if you are away and then the generator quits the battery takes over. With animals this could be a life saver.
Thanks for sharing that. Sounds very similar to what I have.
Another option came to mind is, instead of converting DC from solar panels to AC to run A/C unit which always some energy lost during that process to the inverter. There is a 12 v A/C system 20,000 BTU rating. It's a roof mount unit, not an undermount by ProAir. Maybe it will help.
Agreed! NOT PRACTICAL!
Part of the problem that not many discuss is the extreme heat the inverter generates when running an AC unit (or actually anything drawing 50-100% of the rated wattage). Also, lots of heat gets generated in the batteries when pulling (or charging) large amps from the batteries.
Yes, they say lithium batts can be used up to say 130F but they don't say how you are degrading the batts on that sort of temp.
I also notice the amps pulled from the AC depends on the outdoor temps and humidity.
I have 600 AH LiPo and 960 watts of solar
Thanks for chiming in and sharing your thoughts on this. I agree, that is a concern. We don't typically run into that since we haven't used the A/C in this mode. We typically only use high-draw loads for a few minutes at at time.
Tito informative as always; how about the lithium batteries getting charged by the actual coach motor as does the Alta Power System you find in Winnebago 59KL Class B. Yes larger alternator and larger radiator and engine automatically comes on and takes the place of an generator when batteries reach a certain level. The coach motor is quieter than these small generators. I have a new towable being delivered in Jan 2021. I will be using a small 2200 Generator. This model is only 19ft with a slide- out and comes with the Coleman Mach 10 15KBtu and 12V fridge. Living in South Florida and dry camping means A/C 98% of the time. Dry camping here also means neighbors in our state parks that have no electrical or sewer but some have water. And many are slotted as if a normal camp site. Meaning you have neighbors and no generator to run at night due to noise. So I'm thinking going full Lithium, with large inverter and capturing power source to reboot my charge through my tow vehicle "1500 Pickup" One side of this is easy. But getting power from my tow vehicle is the tricky part? Yes this will be pricey...lol I'm looking at 6 lithium's minimum and Hybrid inverter. And heat warmers for batteries since i plan to winter camp in Northern States. I have yet to see anyone do this with a Tow vehicle?