Air conditioner running on battery

[Florida Ranger]

I think I will be keeping Mr. Onan running my A/C ‘s here in Florida. So far 655 hrs he has not let me down. I keep him happy with fresh oil and filters.

 

[Allen_C]

Those batteries are $1000 each, one could run the A/C for an hour continuously, four could make it through the night with ease. But four LifePo4 batteries cost $4,000. Plus $1,250 for the inventor and another $1000 for panels and smart solar charger is still not an affordable way of doing this yet. I can run my $700 inventor generator all night for less than $5.

You could spend that much, but why? I bought good used residential 24v panels for $250, Epever 40A mppt charge controller for $125, 400Ah battery direct from the Asian manufacturer for $1500, open box Renogy 2000w pure sine wave inverter for $200 and sold my oem Xantrex for $125, so my net cost for primary components was $1,950. I still had to get wires, connectors and other small stuff that cost about $200 too. Still a fair amount to spend but a fraction of what it could have been, as you stated. I did all of this party to see if I could but also to have ultimate flexibility.

 

[CAG-JAY]

You could spend that much, but why? I bought good used residential 24v panels for $250, Epever 40A mppt charge controller for $125, 400Ah battery direct from the Asian manufacturer for $1500, open box Renogy 2000w pure sine wave inverter for $200 and sold my oem Xantrex for $125, so my net cost for primary components was $1,950. I still had to get wires, connectors and other small stuff that cost about $200 too. Still a fair amount to spend but a fraction of what it could have been, as you stated. I did all of this party to see if I could but also to have ultimate flexibility.

Fact is none of this is cost effective yet. It is fun to see how much you can drop into solar for an RV but for what? To impress others with your solar setup? So, you are off the grid, at a cost so high that it would be cheaper to stay on the grid. If you boondock, a generator is cheaper (as some mentioned).



Sorry, but this just strikes me as mine is bigger than yours.



Ok, let the flaming begin

 

[Allen_C]

Fact is none of this is cost effective yet. It is fun to see how much you can drop into solar for an RV but for what? To impress others with your solar setup? So, you are off the grid, at a cost so high that it would be cheaper to stay on the grid. If you boondock, a generator is cheaper (as some mentioned).



Sorry, but this just strikes me as mine is bigger than yours.



Ok, let the flaming begin

Lol. I prefer to have all options and if I can do something to not use the generator and burn thru gas and create pollution, I'll spend the money to do it. I also drive a hybrid and a motorcycle in addition to the RV. To have an RV requires me to use gas. My other vehicles get 42-47 mpg to do my part.

 

[madmaxmutt]

Lol. I prefer to have all options and if I can do something to not use the generator and burn thru gas and create pollution, I'll spend the money to do it. I also drive a hybrid and a motorcycle in addition to the RV. To have an RV requires me to use gas. My other vehicles get 42-47 mpg to do my part.

Yup, that green lithium mining operation along with the green solar panel manufacturing process will save the planet. Oh yeah, that's in China so, no issue . . . .

 

[Allen_C]

Yup, that green lithium mining operation along with the green solar panel manufacturing process will save the planet. Oh yeah, that's in China so, no issue . . . .

I just knew that would come up! That's why I bought a used hybrid car and solar panels. They were already produced so I'm helping continue their life to make the expenditure to make them worth while. I know you won't agree or understand but that's ok.

 

[JimD-JAY]

Running a 120 volt air conditioner off of 12 volts is just plain not efficient. My power center shows about 12 amps continuous when running one of my small 11000 btu air conditioners. 12 amps x 120 volts is 1440 watts.

To get 1440 watts from 12 volts would equal about 120 amps (1440/12). Pulling 120 amps from a battery bank continuously would create a lot of heat at the inverter plus the 12 volt wiring would probably get a bit warm.

If you were getting your full 30 amps solar charge you would still be short 90 amps. After you deplete your batteries, in however long they would last, you would have a bank of dead batteries and no ability to run an air conditioner. It would take a number of hours to recharge all batteries. Hopefully you still have full sun but if you did it would probably still be hot enough to want to run an air conditioner, something you could no longer do.

Yes generators can be a bit noisey but so is the air conditioner. I gladly accept the noise in order to be comfortable.

What you are trying to do is basically an experiment. I highly recommend you carry a small generator with you while you experiment with battery ac. You will then not be dead in the water when the batteries get low.

 

[Charlie G-JAY]

How much does solar cost?

Don't get me wrong, i love the solar idea but I'm not ready to spend that kind of money on it yet.

The Telsa brings up a good point. If an automotive A/C produces 50,000-60,000 BTUs the equivalent of four large RV A/C's. What does Telsa A/C produce and consume and how can we borrow from it?

I have a 2020 Jay Lite 28RLS. Is is labeled as solar ready (whatever that means) so what do I need and ballpark cost figure?

 

[Allen_C]

Running a 120 volt air conditioner off of 12 volts is just plain not efficient. My power center shows about 12 amps continuous when running one of my small 11000 btu air conditioners. 12 amps x 120 volts is 1440 watts.

To get 1440 watts from 12 volts would equal about 120 amps (1440/12). Pulling 120 amps from a battery bank continuously would create a lot of heat at the inverter plus the 12 volt wiring would probably get a bit warm.

If you were getting your full 30 amps solar charge you would still be short 90 amps. After you deplete your batteries, in however long they would last, you would have a bank of dead batteries and no ability to run an air conditioner. It would take a number of hours to recharge all batteries. Hopefully you still have full sun but if you did it would probably still be hot enough to want to run an air conditioner, something you could no longer do.

Yes generators can be a bit noisey but so is the air conditioner. I gladly accept the noise in order to be comfortable.

What you are trying to do is basically an experiment. I highly recommend you carry a small generator with you while you experiment with battery ac. You will then not be dead in the water when the batteries get low.

The AC was drawing 100A from my battery. I have a battery monitor to see what is happening. My 0/2 wires from the battery to the inverter are only 18" long. I also have a 4000w generator from the factory.

This was a test to see if it could be done and how the system would react. The Soft Start is also to reduce the wear on the AC compressor and reduce the power dip (as seen by flickering of lights) when the air kicks on. I feel comfortable running the AC of the battery if I need to for an hour or so. I also have the genny if needed.

 

[Allen_C]

Camp at higher elevations, no need for AC, problem solved.



I can run mine on 300Ah of Battleborn LiFePO4's with my 3000W Victron Inverter and the Easy Start. If you really want to do this properly, you need more than 1000Ah of LiFePO4 and 1000+ Watts of solar for extended periods of AC use. That said, I do like having the ability to run AC for 30-60 minutes in the afternoon to cool things off.

No high elevations here in Indiana (or anywhere in the Midwest!)

 

[madmaxmutt]

I just knew that would come up! That's why I bought a used hybrid car and solar panels. They were already produced so I'm helping continue their life to make the expenditure to make them worth while. I know you won't agree or understand but that's ok.

No real disagreement with new technology or solar, just don't want people to believe it will bring world peace.

 

[SloPoke-TC]

That's why I bought a used hybrid car and solar panels. They were already produced so I'm helping continue their life to make the expenditure to make them worth while. I know you won't agree or understand but that's ok.

Our company is still in litigation with a solar company... Solar panels are degrading at 2-5.6% per year. That is reducing the output capacity of the panel and is a permanent degradation. These are the "Industry Best" panels and are not meeting the power delivery (KvA/hours) that was sold.

Beware of buying used solar panels... Thousands are being replaced across the nation.

 

[Allen_C]

Our company is still in litigation with a solar company... Solar panels are degrading at 2-5.6% per year. That is reducing the output capacity of the panel and is a permanent degradation. These are the "Industry Best" panels and are not meeting the power delivery (KvA/hours) that was sold.

Beware of buying used solar panels... Thousands are being replaced across the nation.

Yikes! I'm getting 85-90% of the rated output, which is about where I've read it should be. Sounds like that manufacturer has a big probable in their hands.

 

[madmaxmutt]

Our company is still in litigation with a solar company... Solar panels are degrading at 2-5.6% per year. That is reducing the output capacity of the panel and is a permanent degradation. These are the "Industry Best" panels and are not meeting the power delivery (KvA/hours) that was sold.



Beware of buying used solar panels... Thousands are being replaced across the nation.

We watched them install thousands of panels near here. The first hail storm took them all out.

 

[gymracer]

PPOS, think you are right, he won't run that AC long charging 30 amps with that load

 

[Packerbacker_TX]

Just added the final component to my solar and LiFePo4 battery system upgrade, an Easy Start. I can now run my air conditioner for several hours from the battery and inverter. The Easy Start reduces the locked-roter amps required to start the compressor. It now draws about 100A at 12v to start and operate the air conditioner. This will be handy boondocking when it's over 90° outside in the sun since the solar panels provide about 30A charging at their peak.

Congratulations! Always nice to have options if you're dry camping/boondocking somewhere. We added the Micro Air Easy Start to our dual 15K AC units and can run a small honda 2200 generator for one or use both in tandem for both AC's. Pretty awesome when it's 100'F outside.



I wanted to do a solar option but not sure I want to invest in better batteries, inverter and solar panels across the roof.

 

[Attleboro1]

I get it all but you do not want the weight of those batteries on your TV

 

[Allen_C]

I get it all but you do not want the weight of those batteries on your TV

There is no TV, this is a class a. And, these batteries are light, my 400ah weighs less than 2 lead acid batteries.

 

[IamSpartacus]

It's your RV and money, do whatever the hell you want.

Congrats on getting used stuff too. That soft start is awesome. The same company that makes that soft start also sells a thermostat that can control the speed of the compressor and fan so that your aircon is even more efficient, that may be a consideration for you.

How are the residential panels holding up? You also mentioned they are 24v, how does that work on a 12v system - the mppt controller converts? Plus youd have less voltage drop at 24.... interesting, please let me know.

For me, I went lithium first (200ah), and set my system up so that I only would need to install panels and mppt controller but I tell you, running my system normally, I easily get 4 days, that's running fans and lights and stuff, before a recharge and then i only have to run the gen for 4 hrs (3.2hrs if I dont want cell equalization time) to go full charge. I realized that at that schedule maybe I didnt need solar. My real limit is my grey water tank which needs dumping every 2 - 4 days, depending upon how many outdoor showers I take.

Now I dont use AC as the power cost of 100a/h just doesnt work for 200ah of batt -for me. I also dont run an inverter.

I am looking to solar, inverter, and increased batt storage but really, since my limfac is gray, until I get that sorted, I cant justify--right now.

If I do go with a larger setup, what are your thoughts about going to 24v or even 48v for the whole trailer? I'll lose way less on voltage drop, but rewiring will probably require me to rebuild my own electrical panel...thinking out loud a little. Anyways, nice setup, well done and please, I'd like to know your thoughts on the 24v question.

Best of luck,
-Bull

 

[billcf7]

There are a lot of good videos on utube giving the advantages to a 24v system