![]() That also doesn’t count the 1,500 to 2,000 watts of solar panels on your roof, to replenish those batteries while running your air conditioning. That doesn’t count the expense of buying a 7,000+ watt power inverter, which can cost between $1,200.00 to $2,000.00. That means about $8,000.00 in batteries just to get you 8 hours of running two air conditioning units. You’d have to buy a toy hauler to get that much capacity, let alone the weight of your other stuff (clothes, appliances, tools, electronics, etc.) It’s an Extremely Expensive SystemĪ typical 12 volt, 100 AH lithium phosphate battery costs about $1,000.00 each. Most travel trailers, either bumper-pull or fifth-wheel models, don’t offer that much cargo carrying capacity. By comparison, you will need about 8 lithium batteries at 100 AH each, weighing 240 pounds total. That could end up weighing as much as 1,000 pounds, and take up a lot space. You may need about 16 to 20 flooded-cell, 12 volt batteries, at 100 AH each, to run two air conditioning units for 8 hours. A typical 12 volt lithium battery, delivering 100 AH, weighs about 30 pounds. A typical 12 volt flooded-cell battery, delivering 100 AH, weighs about 50 pounds. In order to get 8 hours of running an air conditioner on battery power, you will need a lot of batteries. Compare that to flooded-cell batteries, or even AGM batteries, which can only be drawn down to 50% state of charge. Lithium Phosphate batteries can be drawn down to zero state of charge without suffering damage. Read our other article, “ How Much Battery Power Will I Need for Boondocking?” Why Lithium Phosphate Batteries? Think about what it would take to run just one air conditioning unit for 8 hours. So, if that system will get you just 1 hour of running two air conditioning units, then think about what you will need to run that system for 8 hours. On top of that, it would have to be a sunny day in the middle of summer, when you get the best overhead sunshine. But that will also require you to have about 1,500 watts of solar panels on the roof, to help offset that electrical power draw. If you had three 100 AH (amp hour) Lithium Phosphate batteries, along with a 7,000 watt power inverter, you could run two 15,000 BTU air conditioning units for about 1 hour. ![]() No RV or motorhome comes equipped with that high of an inverter. Thus, in order to run all two or three air conditioning units, you will need a larger power inverter, perhaps as high as 7,000 watts. Most fifth-wheel trailers and Class A motorhomes come with two to three air conditioning units. These are usually larger fifth-wheel trailers, Class A motorhomes, and higher end Class B vans. Only the higher-end RVs come with equipped with a power inverter. Thus, a 15,000 BTU AC unit which would otherwise require 3,500 starting watts, may only need 1,500 to 2,000 watts if equipped with a soft-start. You can also add a “soft start device” ( see it on Amazon) to your air conditioning unit to lower the required starting wattage. ![]() Those that do, usually come with an inverter ranging from 1,000 watts to 2,000 watts. Most RVs do not even come equipped with an inverter of any kind. Most RVs do not come equipped with an inverter of that size. This means you will need at least a 4,000 watt DC-to-AC power inverter, to convert your battery power to usable AC electricity. It then takes about 1,500 watts to keep that unit running. Each of these units requires a minimum of 3,500 watts just to kick start a unit. RV with Air Conditioning Units and Solar Panels Can I Run My RV Air Conditioner on Battery Power?Ī 15,000 BTU air conditioning unit is what most RVs come equipped with these days. You just need a lot of battery power, along with a lot of solar panels, to help offset your battery draw. It is possible, however to run air conditioning on batteries. It also requires a lot just to run for an hour. An air conditioner requires a lot of electricity just to start up. No, for the most part you will not be able to run your RV air conditioner on battery power.
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