Running AC while driving

MNawman wrote:
Hey guys, I have a 2014 Entegra Aspire and was wondering if I can run one of the roof AC units while I'm driving without the gen set. It would be solely on the inverter and or alternator. I looked thru my owners manual, but couldn't find anything on it. Thanks for any assistance.

Short answer NO:

Long answer:

Let's assume you have a 200 amp alternator (That's a big sucker, most are smaller) that, is roughly 2,000 watts, My roof air's draw 13.5 amps at 120 volts that's 1620 watts, This leaves you less than 400 watts to run dash air, ignition, lights, turn signals, engine control computer, and so on.. Add to that the fact that alternators are NOT designed to put out full power full time and the alternator will swiftly fail. This would be a very expensive alternative.

That said.. I know folks who do it, but they have upgraded the alternator seriously.

Better to use Mr' Onan's contribution to your comfort. Plus, you really should run said Generator 1/2 hour (or more) under 1/2 (or more) load every month.. This is a good time to do it.

Side note:

Doing 55 down the freeway, Generator powers A/C nicely and no problems
Doing 0.00 (parked) I had a problem with the CO alarm doing it's thing (Alarming) after 2 hours of generator run time.

Added Gen-turi (I stow it when doing 55, actually anything more than 5.5) I have run over 24 hours on occasion with no alarm.. I see people yammer things like "But with the Gen-turi this bad or that bad thign can happen" fact is.. it can not, impossible is the word that applies.. One such example: YOur exhaust fans can suck in fumes from up by the roof.. .. Now think about this folks EXHAUST blows OUT.

And the fumes they warn about are released ABOVE the roof, and the nature of warm (not hot) exhaust gasses is they continue to go UP UP AND AWAY, not down and into your rig.. It's that up up and into the rig they used to go before the Gen-Turi took them up to where the problem is no more.