I love the split systems that I have in my home.Now that I have the roof on my 2000 Bounder 34T cleared for recovering I'm wondering if anybody makes an inverter system unit for RV's.Searched around the net but came up empty.

If you mean one that runs on 12V DC inverted to 120V AC that would be rather inefficient vs a DC motor or just a AC motor.A 120V 10A AC draw for a air conditioner would draw about 110A DC which would among other things require very large wires to the roof.

CA Traveler wrote:If you mean one that runs on 12V DC inverted to 120V AC that would be rather inefficient vs a DC motor or just a AC motor.A 120V 10A AC draw for a air conditioner would draw about 110A DC which would among other things require very large wires to the roof.No - one with an inverter compressor as used in a ductless split system. They are much more efficient. Rather than the compressor running on a start/stop basis - with the startups drawing the most current of the entire operation - they're a DC system that throttles the speed of the compressor to match the load. My residential units could run on the smallest Harbor Freight generator they offer.

Some talk of running AC off a generator. Most suggest engine rotation spin coils to make 120V which spins coils to pump refrigerant. Others engine rotation spin coils to make 12V which spins coils to pump refrigerant. Why does nobody in the RV world even think about engine rotation pump refrigerant?

Peter_Crowl wrote:No - one with an inverter compressor as used in a ductless split system. They are much more efficient. Rather than the compressor running on a start/stop basis - with the startups drawing the most current of the entire operation - they're a DC system that throttles the speed of the compressor to match the load. My residential units could run on the smallest Harbor Freight generator they offer.I've not seen an RV specific unit but in Kuwait, I've seen residential units mounted on the rear bumper. If you have room, you could put it on the A-frame at the front of the trailer.I assume the trick would be finding a wall with no obstructions to mount the interior part of the unit. Running the lines between should be fairly straight forward.I do like the idea of one less hole in the roof.

You lost me at ductless. Mini splits are great for rooms or garages but when trying to cool an entire RV with different rooms I think they lose some appeal - at least for me. If I were doing a Sprinter conversion I would definitely consider it.

Is there an Air Conditioner using Inverter Compressor

valhalla360
Navigator
May 13, 2022
TurnThePage wrote:
I've been looking at the mini-splits too. But the OP (and me too) is asking about a roof mounted unit that has similar characteristics to the typical mini-split. It doesn't seem that difficult from a manufacturing stand point. Maybe just not enough market to justify the upfront costs. Too bad.

The ones I've seen are mounted on the rear bumper. Probably best to beef up the support (vs the 4inch sheet metal bumper) but should be easy with a little welding.

General thoughts:
- This is not about battery powered air/con running on DC. These are 120v-AC units.
- On a larger RV, you can get a multi-zone with an interior unit in 2 or 3 units fed off one exterior unit.

Avoiding the roof mount is one of the big advantages in my mind.
magicbus
Explorer II
May 13, 2022
Peter_Crowl wrote:
magicbus wrote:
The guy who installed my house inverters explained that to operate properly an inverter requires a certain minimum length run between the inverter and the heat exchanger to operate properly. Something like 20’. He has done 3 installations for me so I tend to accept what he says.

Dave

Interesting. I have three in my house. None are that far apart. The line runs are - IIRC - 12 and 16' with the excess line coiled up behind the outside unit.
As I said, something like 20’, it was a couple of years ago. And he said he would have to coil any excess near the inverter. He preferred to bury it which is what started the discussion. Our shortest run was just long enough that there was no excess.

Dave
pianotuna
Nomad III
May 13, 2022
LittleBill wrote:
https://www.hotspotenergy.com/solar-air-conditioner/

Hi,

The link works--but trying to download the PDF of air conditioners doesn't. I'm on a fiber optic connection at 410 mbps; latency of 3 ms; loaded latency of 150 ms; and upload of 150 mbps.

The page is now behaving. Odd.
Peter_Crowl
Explorer
May 13, 2022
TurnThePage wrote:
I've been looking at the mini-splits too. But the OP (and me too) is asking about a roof mounted unit that has similar characteristics to the typical mini-split. It doesn't seem that difficult from a manufacturing stand point. Maybe just not enough market to justify the upfront costs. Too bad.

I wonder if it's possible to kludge one together?
TurnThePage
Explorer
May 13, 2022
I've been looking at the mini-splits too. But the OP (and me too) is asking about a roof mounted unit that has similar characteristics to the typical mini-split. It doesn't seem that difficult from a manufacturing stand point. Maybe just not enough market to justify the upfront costs. Too bad.
LittleBill
Explorer
May 12, 2022
https://www.hotspotenergy.com/solar-air-conditioner/
Matt_Colie
Explorer II
May 12, 2022
There are 40~48VDC Mini splits available for the solar crowd. More than that, I cannot say. They are supposed to have really good SEER numbers.
Matt
Peter_Crowl
Explorer
May 12, 2022
magicbus wrote:
The guy who installed my house inverters explained that to operate properly an inverter requires a certain minimum length run between the inverter and the heat exchanger to operate properly. Something like 20’. He has done 3 installations for me so I tend to accept what he says.

Dave

Interesting. I have three in my house. None are that far apart. The line runs are - IIRC - 12 and 16' with the excess line coiled up behind the outside unit.
magicbus
Explorer II
May 12, 2022
The guy who installed my house inverters explained that to operate properly an inverter requires a certain minimum length run between the inverter and the heat exchanger to operate properly. Something like 20’. He has done 3 installations for me so I tend to accept what he says.

Dave
Slownsy
Explorer
May 12, 2022
Many people in Australia has installed the household inverter type revers cycle 240V air conditioning in there FW, and also now’s of one using the roof type cassette, not heard of any failure for several years. I and many others have also installed household 240V inverter refrigerator which runs of a 350-375W inverter.
Frank.