Running AC on inverter

[Lipets]

I'm installing a 2000 watt inverter, was wondering if it's can run an AC unit?

Anyone run one off 2000W

[Mr_Mark1]

holstein13 wrote:

Cbones wrote:
Newmar is doing it on new King Aires. It only requires SIXTEEN batteries:h

But "only" 8 of those batteries are dedicated to the task of running one AC and the fridge. The other 8 are for the house.

WOW, 16 batteries... I'm just thinking the weight. The 3 Lithium Ion batteries that we are getting must pack a punch. And, they can be rebuilt when the time comes for replacement.

It's all new to me so I'm learning.

Holsein13, when is your new coach arriving. You may have mentioned it before.

Safe travels,
MM.

[holstein13]

Cbones wrote:
Newmar is doing it on new King Aires. It only requires SIXTEEN batteries:h

But "only" 8 of those batteries are dedicated to the task of running one AC and the fridge. The other 8 are for the house.

[2oldman]

Mr.Mark wrote:
I know our new coach is 'not the norm'. I looked at our build sheet and we have four 3,500 24 volt OutBack Sine Wave Inverters with the 3 Lithium Ion 24 volt Mastervolt batteries.

Definitely not the norm! Wow.. what a setup!

[2oldman]

Lipets wrote:
Oh well, thought it would work for 3-4 hours, I should have mentioned I have 600 watts of solar & 4 6V trogen batteries.

Try it for 10 minutes, then go check your cables and batteries. I think you'll find things are getting hot.

[John_S_]

Foretravel has been doing it for a while. They put in 5 or 6 batteries and a bigger alternator. Works well.

[Cbones]

Newmar is doing it on new King Aires. It only requires SIXTEEN batteries:h

[Mr_Mark1]

I know our new coach is 'not the norm'. I looked at our build sheet and we have four 3,500 24 volt OutBack Sine Wave Inverters with the 3 Lithium Ion 24 volt Mastervolt batteries.

The engine compartment has 4 alternators. There certainly is some major belt-work going on back there when we looked at the show coach!

We can run all four roof airs while going down the road (not that I would). I think the genny would need to be exercised and that's a good time to do it.

MM.

[dougrainer]

Lipets wrote:
Oh well, thought it would work for 3-4 hours, I should have mentioned I have 600 watts of solar & 4 6V trogen batteries.

I'm just now installing a Magnum AGS so, the genny will be the way to go.

tks for the feedback

You brought up a good post. Everyone that reads this should remember, there is NO free power. Something has to give to utilize certain power sources
Using the Inverter to run an AC, ----
1. Rapidly depleting the Batteries and shortening their life cycle
2. Making the Inverter work extremely hard (shortening its life)
3. You HAVE to have either a Genset (APU) or shore power to recharge the battery bank which will take HOURS to get fully charged. So, you either buy fuel for the Genset or pay for electricity for Shore Power
4. If while in Transit, you will be making the Engine Alternator work much harder also and cause it to wear out quicker.
5. No matter what, running a RV AC is better on Genset or Shore Power. Doug

[pianotuna]

Hi,

You basically have 232 amp-hours that are useable. But the peukert effect will be to increase the load from 130 amps to perhaps 180 amps. That works out to 90 amps per cell, or over 3 times what they are tested at. The solar will help somewhat but I think you may find only an hour of run time before the voltage sags under the load and the inverter shuts down.

[Lipets]

Oh well, thought it would work for 3-4 hours, I should have mentioned I have 600 watts of solar & 4 6V trogen batteries.

I'm just now installing a Magnum AGS so, the genny will be the way to go.

tks for the feedback

[pianotuna]

Hi,

Depending on the air conditioner it might or might not start.

If your motor home has two extra large high output alternators (one dedicated to the "house") you might be able to run the air conditioner while driving at highway speeds. It most likely will burn out a standard alternator.

If you have a rather large solar system (1250 watts and up) you might be able to run the air conditioner when there are perfect solar conditions.

If you have a LI battery bank with 20 kwh hours of storage you may be able to run off the inverter--but there will need to be a way to replenish the battery bank.

It is likely cheaper to run the generator for running the roof air while driving down the road.

Step one would be to try it and see. If the inverter shuts down then you have your answer.

[Dog_Trainer]

I have a 3000 watt inverter powered by 6 batteries that gives me just over 400 amp hours at 1/2 full charge. With all of that I cannot run the air for any reasonable amount of time

[Sully2]

answer is NOPE!

[MrWizard]

If you are an engineer
If you have a truck load of batteries
If you have a small 5000BTU a/c
Then you can cool the closed off bedroom for a few hours at night
And run the generator all day the next day to recharge them

In 99.9% of the time....It just ain't practical