Mini Split Air Conditioner / Heat pump
Has anybody boondocking adopted this techno to there RV to have cold air in summer and heat in winter 24/7 while using solar?
Forum Discussion
Just as a reminder, from reading deep into the Earthroamer site one can learn that their design principles include not having propane on board or a generator on board. (Their cooking and coach heating are via diesel fuel from their main engine fuel tank.)
Since their design principles include that their vehicles be capable of camping for weeks just about anywhere, anytime, in any combination of sun availabilities, temperatures, and humidities ... their vehicles must of course include air conditioning being available anywhere, anytime. This air conditioning must be useable for as long as necessary, even with days and days of being in the shade, under clouded skies, or even all night.
They do this air conditioning of course via massive battery banks and as much solar as they can fit ... but they also do this regardless of how much sun is available day-in and day-out. When camping anywhere, anytime, without sacrificing comfort - the battery bank will have to be kept charged whatever way available without use of propane or an onboard generator. Hence they make use of all of their vehicles' capabilities, which includes when and if necessary ... idling of the main engine equipped with dual alternators to keep the battery bank charged during the times with little or no input from the solar panels. During these special times, they are not concerned with a large engine being idled to spin a couple of alternators. They are concerned with getting the comfort job done anywhere, anytime, all the time.
I guess that not all motorhome main engines should be idled very long for special-situation battery charging. We do this kind of battery bank charging an hour here and there, but it is a fairly modern V10 engine spinning only a medium size 130 amp alternator. I've read that it consumes about 0.7 gallons of gas per hour when used this way.
Since their design principles include that their vehicles be capable of camping for weeks just about anywhere, anytime, in any combination of sun availabilities, temperatures, and humidities ... their vehicles must of course include air conditioning being available anywhere, anytime. This air conditioning must be useable for as long as necessary, even with days and days of being in the shade, under clouded skies, or even all night.
They do this air conditioning of course via massive battery banks and as much solar as they can fit ... but they also do this regardless of how much sun is available day-in and day-out. When camping anywhere, anytime, without sacrificing comfort - the battery bank will have to be kept charged whatever way available without use of propane or an onboard generator. Hence they make use of all of their vehicles' capabilities, which includes when and if necessary ... idling of the main engine equipped with dual alternators to keep the battery bank charged during the times with little or no input from the solar panels. During these special times, they are not concerned with a large engine being idled to spin a couple of alternators. They are concerned with getting the comfort job done anywhere, anytime, all the time.
I guess that not all motorhome main engines should be idled very long for special-situation battery charging. We do this kind of battery bank charging an hour here and there, but it is a fairly modern V10 engine spinning only a medium size 130 amp alternator. I've read that it consumes about 0.7 gallons of gas per hour when used this way.
