12v Roof mounted air-conditioner

I couldn't find the vid I mentioned earlier, if it does come round again I will grab it but no idea if its helpful or not.

From what I have seen you need massive amounts of power to keep aircon going in a van, not a problem if you have ehu but not really an option parked up for a spell off grid. I don't watch much of the aircon stuff though, more what I see folks posting. One yesterday saying how happy he was that his 1020Ah ran his 12v aircon overnight for 12 hours. That's fine but you need to put that back in plus get the other 1300Ah for the rest of the day.

That said I do see a lot of vids from yanks who are putting 'spliti' ac in, not 100% certain what they are but they look like small home units, 2 part type.
 
Nabsim said:
I couldn't find the vid I mentioned earlier, if it does come round again I will grab it but no idea if its helpful or not.

From what I have seen you need massive amounts of power to keep aircon going in a van, not a problem if you have ehu but not really an option parked up for a spell off grid. I don't watch much of the aircon stuff though, more what I see folks posting. One yesterday saying how happy he was that his 1020Ah ran his 12v aircon overnight for 12 hours. That's fine but you need to put that back in plus get the other 1300Ah for the rest of the day.

That said I do see a lot of vids from yanks who are putting 'spliti' ac in, not 100% certain what they are but they look like small home units, 2 part type.
Click to expand...
The splitties use an underfloor bay, so mostly useless here unless you cut a hole in the side of the van.
 
Nabsim said:
I couldn't find the vid I mentioned earlier, if it does come round again I will grab it but no idea if its helpful or not.

From what I have seen you need massive amounts of power to keep aircon going in a van, not a problem if you have ehu but not really an option parked up for a spell off grid. I don't watch much of the aircon stuff though, more what I see folks posting. One yesterday saying how happy he was that his 1020Ah ran his 12v aircon overnight for 12 hours. That's fine but you need to put that back in plus get the other 1300Ah for the rest of the day.

That said I do see a lot of vids from yanks who are putting 'spliti' ac in, not 100% certain what they are but they look like small home units, 2 part type.
Click to expand...
It was in post 12, but here is the link again.

I think the US coach type RVs have these Split units, similar to ones you find in Hotels. The one in the video I posted was the roof-mounted type, like you would see in a Euro Motorhome.
I think off-grid Air Con is certainly doable, but you do of course need a more than decent battery bank to start with as well as good solar, it is relatively semi-self-sustaining as those times you need Air Con is usually also those times when you will get good solar harvesting which will compensate partly the power draw.

Running A/C overnight is another matter and not sure how feasible that is unless it is turn fairly low?
 
A few thoughts.

With a mains air conditioner the energy used is at least 1,000 w.
To provide a similar level of cooling a 12v system will consume a similar level of power.

To provide AC from 10:00 to 18:00 therefore requires at least 8kwh per day.
a) Does your solar generate enough power to consistently replenish this level of power use?


To power a 1,000w device (either via an inverter or using a 12v cooler unit) from your 12v battery will involve a draw of 90 amps.
b) Is the relevant cabling up to this?


To run without solar input will use over 800ah per day.
c) Are your batteries up to the job?
 
I said about Brian (RV with Tito) having a bad experience with a 12V A/C? I think this was the one ... Here is the first of a multi-part video where he starts this install and from what I recall it did not go as well as he hoped - or at least the result was not what he hoped?
This was a split Air Con type unit
 
r4dent said:
A few thoughts.

With a mains air conditioner the energy used is at least 1,000 w.
To provide a similar level of cooling a 12v system will consume a similar level of power.

To provide AC from 10:00 to 18:00 therefore requires at least 8kwh per day.
a) Does your solar generate enough power to consistently replenish this level of power use?


To power a 1,000w device (either via an inverter or using a 12v cooler unit) from your 12v battery will involve a draw of 90 amps.
b) Is the relevant cabling up to this?


To run without solar input will use over 800ah per day.
c) Are your batteries up to the job?
Click to expand...
You are assuming the A/C will be running constantly at that power. That is a similar kind of assumption to saying the compressor in a fridge will be running constantly, which we know is not the case. Once the desired temperature has been acheived, the unit will cycle.
 
If you have cab AC and drive most of the days as we used to (too much moaning nowadays :D :D) then you only need to keep it fed when parked, a small genny might be handy or one of the many power packs thingybobs.
 
Pudsey Bear said:
Bus grease monkey channel had one not long ago, he rated highly, may have been sponsored
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I’m increasingly less reliant on any advertising as so much is fake these days, and that’s why I’d rather hear real world reviews from those that actually know.
 
I bought one of these to go in the van with us, but true to form, Evri delivered it 2 days late. Apart from it having to be plugged in (USB A) as it has no battery, it's quite good, and although I haven't tried it yet, it also has a humidity thing in it. it moves a good bit of air on speed 1, and reasonable quiet to sit next to me. Roughly 300mm tall.

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Dunno why, but there is no list 'Users who viewed this discussion' at the bottom of the page on this thread?

It was certainly there the other day.
 
Robmac said:
Dunno why, but there is no list 'Users who viewed this discussion' at the bottom of the page on this thread?

It was certainly there the other day.
Click to expand...

...looking around, not just this thread but a couple of others as well, weird!
 
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