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--- hvac:solar_ac [2023/08/31 19:56]
princess_fluffypants [Running A/C off solar]
+++ hvac:solar_ac [2024/02/05 14:25] (current)
princess_fluffypants [12v/24v/48v DC Units]
@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 ====== Running A/C off solar ======
-**TL;DR - It is technically possible, but very expensive and complex. Be prepared to spend at //least// $10,000.**
+**TL;DR - It is technically possible, but very expensive and complex. Be prepared to spend at //least// $5,000, and probably closer to $10,000.**
 More expensive than the A/C system itself is everything you'll need to power it. A/C takes a //huge// amount of electricity; to operate successfully off grid you'll want at least 8-12KwHr of lithium batteries, 800-1200w of solar, and the required massive charge controllers to run it all. If you want to run the A/C //overnight//, be prepared to double that battery bank size.
@@ Line 37: / Line 37: @@
 This is very practical, and it's how RVs have been doing it for many years. The A/C systems run natively on 120v AC(Alternating Current) and are getting power from a [[electrical:generator|generator]] or [[electrical:shore_power|shore power]].
+v AC units are vastly more common, and much cheaper than the 12v or 24v DC units. These are usually roof-mounted, smaller ones can be had for as little as $500 and are very common in the rest of the R/V world. If you have a a big enough inverter, it's possible to run them off of a house battery bank as well (although you'll suffer some efficiency losses).
 See [[https://www.thervgeeks.com/rv-air-conditioner/|this article]] for a good overview on what may be needed.
@@ Line 77: / Line 79: @@
 ----
-===== AC vs DC =====
-The biggest decision to make is how you're going to power the A/C system.
-==== 120v AC (Alternating Current) systems ====
-These units are vastly more common, and much cheaper. These are usually roof-mounted units, smaller ones can be had for as little as $500 and are very common in the rest of the R/V world. So if you have a a big enough inverter anyway it can be cheaper to go that route. It also gives you the option of easily powering the unit off of [[electrical:shore_power|shore power]] or a generator during the times where you have access to such things.
-See [[https://www.thervgeeks.com/rv-air-conditioner/|this article]] for a good overview on what may be needed.
-==== 12v/24v/48v DC ====
+==== 12v/24v/48v DC Units ====
-Units that can operate directly on DC current off of your house batteries give some efficiency gains as you don't need to run them through an inverter, but they are very expensive.
+AC Units that can operate directly on DC current off of your house batteries give some efficiency gains as you don't need to run them through an inverter, but they are very expensive. Higher voltage systems allow you to use much thinner cables for power, which can be a significant cost savings over longer runs.
-**All-in-one roof units** offer a much simpler installation and are usually around $2,500; Dometic has their [[https://www.dometic.com/en-us/outdoor/rv-and-van/rv-air-conditioners/dometic-rtx-2000-262673|RTX 2000]] unit as a good start for most vans. The relative ease of install comes at the expense of taking up quite a bit of roof space (and consequently reducing your available space for solar panels).
+**All-in-one roof units** offer a much simpler installation and are usually around $2,500; Dometic has their [[https://www.dometic.com/en-us/outdoor/rv-and-van/rv-air-conditioners/dometic-rtx-2000-262673|RTX 2000]] unit as a good start for most vans. The relative ease of install comes at the expense of taking up quite a bit of roof space (and consequently reducing your available space for solar panels). They're heavy as well, and generally you'll need to reinforce the roof to hold the weight.
 **Split units** separate the evaporator/condenser/compressor into separate parts which have to be plumbed together. This can offer a lot more flexibility in terms of where to mount stuff, but also makes the installation much more complex. [[https://www.cruisencomfortusa.com/|Cruis-n-comfort]] and [[https://undermountac.com/|UnderMountAC]] are the two most common split options, and will generally run $4,000 for the units themselves.
-Beginning in about 2023, cheap Chinese 12v mini-split systems have started to come down to almost acceptable prices ($1k in the USA, or as little as $500 if you can wait the 1-2 months for shipping from China). Reports on them have been mixed; similar to the Chinese knock-off [[hvac:heating|diesel heaters]] they come with almost no instructions and often missing a few minor parts (most users report some fittings or couplings being missing, or needing to crimp their own lines). Warranty and installation support is non-existent, but if you can fiddle your way through the psudo-DIY installation some people have reported positive results.
+Beginning in about 2023, cheap Chinese 12v mini-split systems have started to come down to almost acceptable prices ($1k in the USA, or less if you can wait the 1-2 months for shipping from China). Reports on them have been mixed; similar to the Chinese knock-off [[hvac:heating|diesel heaters]] they come with almost no instructions and often missing a few minor parts (most users report some fittings or couplings being missing, or needing to crimp their own lines). Warranty and installation support is non-existent, but if you can fiddle your way through the psudo-DIY installation some people have reported positive results.

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