Solar Air Conditioner
Okay for all boondockers needing to run air conditioning, gotta love ingenuity! :B Solar Air Conditioner
Forum Discussion
Sushidog, 2,000W solar on 30ft trailer is just a math.
In reality, 30ft trailer - meaning 30ft box - will have room for 6*250W solar, not 2,000W. There should be clearance from roof structures, sides, front cap, and enough space to walk between all this if you need to inspect the roof and/or service the panels. Unless you cover the side walls with folding panels that you would have to fold/unfold every time, getting 2,000W on a 30ft box is going to be difficult.
Also, there are many 20ft and 24ft rigs out there, and those will only have room for 700W or 1000W.
Also, the retailer's estimates of solar harvest are a bit optimistic. I couldn't find any data on the A/C current on their website, but from what they say about 5 hours of run from 4*6V batts, it comes to 45AH per hour @12V. Harvesting 500-600 AH a day required to run the 1,200 BTU A/C for 10 hours and other loads - with 1,000W solar panel I wouldn't count on that. (Or - 1.5 times that much with 1,500W panel). There will be days when there will be hot but not sunny enough to harvest even 400 AH. Not to mention that harvesting is one thing and putting it into battery is another.
Also, I feel a bit of sales pitch here. They say - A/C 10 hours in daytime (with their smallest system), and 5 hours from battery after dark. Wait a minute - 10 hours A/C plus other loads is ALREADY what the solar can harvest under perfect conditions, so where those extra 5 hours will come from? You need to put that 5 hours worth of energy back in battery next day, but the solar is already taxed up to the limit.
Also, 4*6V batts is a lot of batteries for some RVs, and RV-oriented lithiums in infant stage yet.
Also, running 48V system for 48V A/C and battery charging won't let you use the excess of solar energy without it going into battery first, when you have such an excess. Technically possible, with some 48V inverter to run 110V devices, and some DC-DC converters to run the remaining 12V devices. A bit of pain and losses. IMO, this retailer didn't think that far.
In reality, 30ft trailer - meaning 30ft box - will have room for 6*250W solar, not 2,000W. There should be clearance from roof structures, sides, front cap, and enough space to walk between all this if you need to inspect the roof and/or service the panels. Unless you cover the side walls with folding panels that you would have to fold/unfold every time, getting 2,000W on a 30ft box is going to be difficult.
Also, there are many 20ft and 24ft rigs out there, and those will only have room for 700W or 1000W.
Also, the retailer's estimates of solar harvest are a bit optimistic. I couldn't find any data on the A/C current on their website, but from what they say about 5 hours of run from 4*6V batts, it comes to 45AH per hour @12V. Harvesting 500-600 AH a day required to run the 1,200 BTU A/C for 10 hours and other loads - with 1,000W solar panel I wouldn't count on that. (Or - 1.5 times that much with 1,500W panel). There will be days when there will be hot but not sunny enough to harvest even 400 AH. Not to mention that harvesting is one thing and putting it into battery is another.
Also, I feel a bit of sales pitch here. They say - A/C 10 hours in daytime (with their smallest system), and 5 hours from battery after dark. Wait a minute - 10 hours A/C plus other loads is ALREADY what the solar can harvest under perfect conditions, so where those extra 5 hours will come from? You need to put that 5 hours worth of energy back in battery next day, but the solar is already taxed up to the limit.
Also, 4*6V batts is a lot of batteries for some RVs, and RV-oriented lithiums in infant stage yet.
Also, running 48V system for 48V A/C and battery charging won't let you use the excess of solar energy without it going into battery first, when you have such an excess. Technically possible, with some 48V inverter to run 110V devices, and some DC-DC converters to run the remaining 12V devices. A bit of pain and losses. IMO, this retailer didn't think that far.
