The smaller fridge is, well, smaller, and less convenient to access. 1. So, get the accurately sized generator even to help you find out the total energy you will need. We shot this video during one full day of activity at Winnebago’s 2019 Grand National Rally. I do wish Coachmen would have gone all-in and offered lithium batteries. Get your minds out of the gutter though, we’re talking solar. Thanks for the extra 100-points I got the joke theory question ( Weimers cat in a box ). Besides cleaning awnings, resealing roofs, and checking RV batteries and water heaters, it’s very easy to forget that air conditioners need maintenance on a regular basis too. This Enerdrive 12v Lithium Battery Setup will allow you to run your air conditioner and other heavy amp drawing 240v appliances without the need for a generator or mains power - making caravanning a lot more comfortable. That would at least provide enough power to spend a couple hours at the mall or a restaurant and not worry about the dog. Let's do the math: A typical 13,500 BTU RV air conditioner draws about 14 amps while running. Otherwise, we can just use Lance as intended. To find out more about how long they will last and how to extend their lives just keep reading. Many of the issues that can occur in your AC unit can easily be fixed without the aid of professionals, so long as you get informed on how to fix it. Awesome. With a device like this MicroAir Easy Start installed, you can now run an RV air conditioner just fine with a 2000 watt portable generator that runs quiet and uses less gas. Required fields are marked *. But in the end, I’m happy to report – everyone survived! Give or take a year or two. James is a former rocket scientist, a USA Cycling coach, and lifelong fitness buff. How long an RV air conditioner lasts is dependent upon 1) how often it is used, 2) how hot the weather is when the A/C is in use, and 3) how durable the unit your purchase is. You should be careful while selecting the generator for the RV air conditioner. Also, RVTrader.com is a good site for figuring out real prices. So you can utilize your battery bank to add battery amperage to your available 120-volt AC amperage. As coachmen has gone to a bigger A/C with more BTU as this will reduce overall cooling time and has made it possible to extend shore to Battery solo time from 8-hrs to 10-hours. The cat in this box is both alive and dead. At home, the picture quality is normally quite a bit better than what you see in the video. Its life expectancy may only last until the day after you purchase it. To effectively maintain the temperature in your home, your air conditioner should cycle two to three times every single hour. It also requires a lot just to run for an hour. You shouldn’t turn your air conditioner on if the minimum outside temperature is below that. That would make a huge difference as to how much you could cool your rig. Keep up the great work!!! Determining Cycles Per Hour. Though I can tell you that in Lance, we only need to take the trailer if we are bringing along BOTH nice road bikes and Mel. Sanity checking is kinda hard when you’re living in a different universe . I’ve seen people retrofitting theirs with that AC unit, and would like to see that in the other units instead of the old style manual control one. I think it’s safe to say that Winnebago will be going “all in” on the quiet air conditioner going forward. You may run into some very hot weather when you travel in your RV. - Obviously you don't want to run the engine all the time, and you're limited on space. The Temperature: We shot this video on July 23. Unlike camping decades ago, almost all RVs have at least one air conditioner. In a 12V system , that is 100 Amps. Mel’s Temperature Monitor: It’s from RV Pet Safety. The air conditioner, when it’s really cranking in the desert, pulls about 12 amps at 120 volts. Amp-hours only tells a part of the story. All it will take is a little regular maintenance, cleaning and practical use. If you do, the following can happen. Clrification appreciated. And the question in the title of this post is hands-down the number one thing we get asked. Then plug in the AC line in the generator. The State of Charge: The National Park Foundation Travato has 11,600 useable Watt-hours of battery power. Thanks for this great explanation. But the trouble is, it’s almost impossible to answer. To find out more about how long they will last and how to extend their lives just keep reading. Humidity: It was pretty humid when we started (80%), though the humidity dropped throughout the day. For a 10,000 BTU RV air conditioner, 2,000 watts is required to start up and 700 once running. Just do not have any unrealistic expectations about them. Air conditioners can be turned on their side for shipping and storage, but they should never be run or installed that way. It’s a peel-and-stick reposition-able frame that sticks great to glass. You bring up a good point! An inverter is one of the most important things in your RV. March 12, 2020. Keep up the great work. Especially considering that there’s no way to seriously lower high temps without burning a lot of watts. When that happens, your air conditioner won't be able to do its job. Mel took this task on with his usual level of enthusiasm (which means he slept). In this article, you will learn how to install portable air conditioner in an RV. So Exactly How Long CAN We Run the Air Conditioner on Battery Power? Is this a sustainable, cost-effective solution? If your home is getting stuffy in the winter, it’s better to open a window or two and bring the temperature to normal. ... Another benefit: drops in the voltage due to long improvised leads (cable drums) are generally tolerated. So you can utilize your battery bank to add battery amperage to your available 120-volt AC amperage. There are no guarantees that a used RV air conditioner will last a long time. Of course, the longevity of the AC will depend on how much you use it, the conditions you use it in and more. How long does it take to recharge the van at high idle? You can still power a 1,500 watt toaster or hair dryer. How much does it cost to replace an RV air conditioner? It’s also a lithium battery, so the voltage really isn’t 12 (or 48) volts. In Parky, we have to bring the trailer every time we want to bring our nice bikes. You can still power a 1,500 watt toaster or hair dryer. How long can you run an RV air conditioner? The life expectancy of your RV air conditioner will depend on the model, the construction materials and its use. But beyond that, nothing much was going on in the van other than the breakfast you see in the video. -If an air conditioner is operating properly there should be a 16 to 22 degree temperature difference between the ambient temperature and the conditioned air temperature. 2. The Van Itself: Though they may call the color “granite” or whatever, let’s face it. It’s not a formal experiment, but right now, I have Lance (yellow) and Parky (black) in the same driveway. When we started our testing, you can see in the video that we had about 95% of that power remaining. That test was done at full power and trying to cool a hot 86 degree F RV down to about 66 degrees F. The trouble is that Parky not only has the big power pack and the NDQ, but probably the new insulation as well, and so there’s nothing comparable to check against…yet. When the auto-start turns on, it will run for an hour. This is not that difficult to do and here are some tips to guide you as you think about doing this: RC air conditioners are very helpful when the vacation weather turns abnormally hot. It depends upon the type and location of the air conditioner. Air conditioners can be turned on their side for shipping and storage, but they should never be run or installed that way. Those just may have been faulty parts. After that, we set it to a more reasonable temperature. Honestly, this is the #1 question we get asked about Mel. The other air conditioning system in your RV is the rooftop air conditioner, which runs off of electricity. Often they have two—or even three. We’ve had Lithium-powered rigs exclusively for several years now. I live in Utah, I have been online trying to find the price on this class b. not the one that has the two beds but the other one with the bigger frig. As long as you have a large enough battery bank and an inverter, you can run your RV's air conditioner for at least a limited amount of time. This reduction in power allows RVers to start and run their air conditioner with a smaller generator like a 2,000 or 2,200, negating the need to haul around a bigger generator like a 3,000-watt or run two smaller generators in parallel. You will most likely need to set your RV up to be able to connect to the standard 3-prong household plug you use at home. High Idle isn’t the most efficient way to charge the van… It doesn’t charge at full capacity or very fast. • Now we can test the AC unit’s cooling performance. You mentioned that this thing has 11000 watt hrs of battery power? Nevertheless, that is dang impressive A/C run time. However, with no modifications, a portable generator won’t be able to run an RV air conditioner. Air conditioners in RV's work like a typical refrigerator does. Easy Start advertises it can reduce the current required to start your RV’s air conditioning by 65-75%. You can count on at least 3 to 5 years of use before you need to replace a unit. Give or take a year or two. Say the air conditioner draws an average of 1200W per hour. How Long Will an RV ac Run on Battery If you are using a 15,000 BTU producing air conditioner that requires about 1500 watts to run it, then the two lithium batteries can keep the air conditioner running for 90 minutes before needing recharging. (Sewer, Mold). For instance, if you know that your AC requires 150 amps every hour it runs, and you plan on running your AC for three hours each night after the sun goes down, you'll need to add 450 amp-hours to your battery bank in addition to the battery power it takes to run everything else on your RV (150 ah * … Ceiling temp is noticeably hotter in the black van. The 23% was shown *before* the auto-start was armed. (Plus, if Parky had old-school batteries – he’d need TWO thousand amp-hours to get one thousand amp hours of usable capacity…). We had a lot to do and wouldn’t be in the van much – but most of our activities were not “cat-friendly”. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Whether you have one A/C unit running on a portable generator, two units trying to run on 30-amps, or three air conditioners running on 50-amps, a soft starter will help you. Hi James. It is possible that your new air conditioner received a faulty part and that is all you have to replace over the years you own your RV. How to Use an RV Air Conditioner (With 5 tips for trouble-free use) ... Be aware as well of how much electricity your AC unit will need to run so that you can make sure you will have enough energy to support the feature. If you travel a lot, then you may not get 5 years out of it before you need to replace it. That way you have time to replace the parts before your summer vacation. With this, you can estimate what size generator to run an air conditioner you will need. They also shorten the life expectancy of the unit. Give or take a year or two. Solar panel kits like this one amazon are awesome and really reliable to use. That’s not a bad way to look at it. Do some weather protection- rain, wind, dirt, and even the sun’s UV rays can cause damage to the plastic housing protecting your air conditioner. Other items running in the van: Not much. However, when maintained correctly, your RV air conditioner should last for several years, and in many cases will last for a decade or more. Yes, you can definitely run your air conditioner in winter, but is it worth it? However, if you want to put your air conditioner to optimum use all year round, that’s possible too. At least, not for long. Seems like you went to a trailer for the bikes, anyway, with Lance, so maybe you aren’t missing the garage? Apart from saving you a fair amount of money, the air conditioner, once it’s back on, will run more efficiently than if you have allowed it to run continuously. One solution to keep you cool as you travel, is to add a second air conditioning unit. The inner coils in the unit will freeze; The lubricating oil will thicken and not assist the unit; This may ultimately damage the air conditioner. If you’re running an air conditioning unit, you still have another 2,000 watts of power for other appliances. James. You can eventually get your RV AC to run on the eu2000 but it's really stretching it all and may over heat the AC compressor and burn out the winding with all the attempted re starts until it finally runs. However, all electrical appliances have a starting surge that gets the motor running. You can power your air conditioner with solar panels. On an 80 degree day, you would absolutely NOT want to leave a pet inside this closed up van. All air conditioners are also dehumidifiers, and the dehumidification system relies on gravity to take water away from the unit and drain it from the bottom of the air conditioner's case. Find out how long should an air conditioner run and find out what to do if your system seems to be running more than you would like. So if you don’t have an AC unit or if it isn’t working and needs to be replaced, then just know that it is quite a simple task, one that you can do by yourself, without having to require professional assistance. An Air Conditioner Should Run for 15-20 Minutes at a Time In a perfect situation, an air conditioner should run for 15-20 minutes at a time in mild temperatures. I assume the app was reporting the temp inside the van. While you can hook your RV up to a home's electrical system, you won't be able to run every appliance or use the electricity 24/7. Then, it will shut off. Jim, enjoyed the run-time video. Your email address will not be published. You’ve actually lived in both a G and K floorplan for an extended period of time. Not really. -Turn the power going to the RV on, and make sure you are getting the proper 120-volt power supply to the RV. Shutting off the fan saves even more energy than just letting it run, so we did use that setting to maximize our run time. It is an interesting idea to run an RV air conditioner off propane and it may be cost effective. If the capacitor fails it may mean that you used a lower amp fuse than the 30 needed to make it run right. Interior temperatures are (depending on a lot of things) about 20 degrees cooler in the yellow van. A Portable Generator Won’t Normally Run an RV Air Conditioner. It will then take the heat from the RV and dispose of it outside. This delay can be confusing if you are not aware of it. Thanks love your camp notes, stories and over all reports. While it is true that you are able to use air conditioning while driving your RV, there are a few things you should know concerning your RV’s air conditioning. Mel is so used to it, he hardly even notices it any more. Hello, do you have the answers to any of these questions? If you can't live without your AC, invest in a good generator. Yes, you can run your RV air conditioner with a portable generator. An air conditioner requires a lot of electricity just to start up. If you have a 5-amp window air conditioner, you will need 55 amps of DC power to run the unit continuously. One of the biggest reasons to run the RV generator is to be able to run the rooftop A/C in addition to the dash AC. Get the latest posts from The Fit RV delivered right to your inbox every Monday night! Do you miss the garage? When they do, your RV air conditioner will not work as well. RV shore power is when you can plug your RV into an AC electrical grid. Best A/C for a Van: - If you're in a Sprinter, Transit, or Cargo Van, the on-board Air that came with the Rig is actually the most efficient. Find out … But in general it is safe to say that you can expect an RV air conditioner to last you between 3 to 5 years. But there are some maintenance tips you should follow just to make sure you extend the life of your RV air conditioner: Check the plastic housing- these plastic covers can get chipped, cracked or broken. But according to your remote monitoring app, the temp got up to 79.95 degrees. (Give yourself 100 Nerd Points if you got the joke!!). With Hondas 3000 minimum for the RV ac. When he's not driving the RV, or modifying the RV (or - that one time - doing both at once), you can find him racing bicycles, or building furniture, or making music. What role did the solar play in slowing the rate of depletion? It can heat up very fast inside an RV and in this edition of How We Roll in our RV, Jennifer and I answer a question from a reader named Danielle who asks: 'I'm thinking about taking my freelance writing business on the road in a small motorhome, and I have a question. This is especially true when driving a class A motorhome. I have a black Airstream Interstate and would love to compare inside temps and cooling times to a silver or white one. This Enerdrive 12v Lithium Battery Setup will allow you to run your air conditioner and other heavy amp drawing 240v appliances without the need for a generator or mains power - making caravanning a lot more comfortable. To optimize the performance of your roof air conditioner and help it run more efficiently, you need to understand: how the system works, what limitations it has, and how surrounding factors can affect your overall comfort. General RV in Draper (and Camping World, if you dare) are Winnebago dealers in Salt Lake City. That keeps things running, and will charge the battery somewhat. ***VIDEO INFORMATION UPDATE*** Our 13,500 BTU RV air conditioner actually pulls about 150 amps instead of 73 amps while running from a 12 volt source. As an Amazon Associate this site earns from qualifying purchases. Check for leaks- rubber seals and gaskets can get worn out, crack or break. But we live in the GTA – mild temperatures aren’t very common in the summer. Nearly most air conditioner models require about 2000 to 3000 watts to power on and run smoothly. Their life expectancy does depend on how often you use it. Those minor inconveniences do not affect your RV’s air conditioner life expectancy. Couple of questions regarding Parky vs. Lance. A typical rooftop unit will cost $700-$1400 depending upon if it's a heat pump or has an auxiliary heat strip. RV air conditioners come in handy when you are traveling through those hot states. Keep the filters clean- dirty filters make air conditioners work hard. If you’re referring to auto-start, it cuts in somewhere below 20%. Take care of your things and they should take care of you. Although it doesn’t *hurt* anything to just run it to charge it. You are good to go. As you can see in the video, we beat that considerably. The air conditioner, when it’s really cranking in the desert, pulls about 12 amps at 120 volts. The official high temperature in Forest City that day was about 80 degrees according to Weather Underground. It would be great to hear how each floor plan worked for you in your travels. Linglong Crosswind Tires Review: Who Makes Crosswind Tires? Mel’s Treat-Cam: Is the PetCube Bites. All air conditioners are also dehumidifiers, and the dehumidification system relies on gravity to take water away from the unit and drain it from the bottom of the air conditioner's case. It is possible to extend the life expectancy of your RV air conditioner. You can count on at least 3 to 5 years of use before you need to replace a unit. Carefully straighten the fins out without damaging the condenser tubes. Most of these other appliances only runs for 2 to 10 minutes at most. The Actual Runtime: It really was about 12 hours – from 9am to 9pm – before the Auto-Start kicked on. When you set the A/C, it looks like the temp is set at 58 degrees. » Life Expectancy: How Long Does an RV Air Conditioner Last? You can not run other appliances with the generator while running your 13500 BTU air conditioner. It can be a struggle to find the best campervan air conditioner for your van build. Most of these other appliances only runs for 2 to 10 minutes at most. In the video I did not allow the A/C to run long enough for the compressor to kick on. Call it 11,000 Watt Hours. at what temperature does mel reach waveform.? The limit is usually anywhere below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. http://PetesRV.com Resident RV Expert Randy Murray displays proper use of the air conditioning unit found in most campers. Mel’s Sign: The sign you see in our window is a StickitFrame. Solar Generators and Air Conditioners. If you need any help related to inverters such as inverter not working etc, you can contact Mr Right. However, d epending on what source of energy you use, you may only be able to use the dashboard air conditioner. That’s pretty impressive run time. You didn’t mention…or I missed it…how long it took the chassis engine alternators to get the the lithium battery pack back up to operating level? Say the air conditioner draws an average of 1200W per hour. I bought the same set up for my 2019 59K. The Curt BetterWeigh Engineers Pay Us A... RV Weight Without Scales? A solar powered rv will need lots of considerations before you just start using it to power your rv air conditioner. If your RV air conditioner is making noise, be sure to check for basic mechanical problems, like a loose vent or screen. Make sure to regularly check these covers to keep your air con in good working order. I can’t tell you how long you can run the air conditioner in your rig, but now you know kind of how long we can run it in Parky, and you can make you own assumptions and allowances from there. I’ve not seen evidence of improved insulation, so I’d say we’re about the same there. I confess, the science is a bit beyond my ken. you just need to select an RV ready portable generator. Van color does matter. How are you guys feeling about the K layout vs. your modified G layout in Lance? The RV air conditioner runs off of electricity and when you are not plugged into shore power, you need to run the RV generator to power the rooftop AC. It’s easy to put up and take down. Do some weather protection- rain, wind, dirt, and even the sun’s UV rays can cause damage to the plastic housing protecting your air conditioner. The details on that are up above in the post. If you use a surge protector, be aware that there is usually a short delay from when you connect power to when the surge protector allows power to the RV. For a 15,000 BTU RV air conditioner, 3,500 watts is required for startup and 1,500 once running. An A/C soft starter device like those made by SoftStartRV reduces the startup demand required by your air conditioner … It would be great to hear how each floor plan worked for you in your travels. So, you can actually run your dash AC and rooftop AC at the same time. Thanks in advance for any information you may provide. How to run RV air conditioner on campsite. There are a lot of variables that can affect how long your battery power might run the AC, which means any answer we give has to be qualified with a whole bunch of modifiers. If you can hang on a while, it should answer a lot of questions. Easy Start advertises it can reduce the current required to start your RV’s air conditioning by 65-75%. So if you time your driving properly the charging bit is a freebie so it’s fuel well spent. In his spare time, he works for a large IT company. Opening a window might not actually be the best thing to help your RV cool off for the long term. If you’re not experienced with the functioning of your air conditioning system, then you might not be aware that an air conditioner’s run time is measured in cycles. When this happens one air con unit may not be enough to handle the cooling duties. “We like going to the smaller campsites in the south, but sometimes in the past I was really fed up with it. Written by Steve Johnson. Air conditioners are extremely power-hungry and will use a lot of gas to run. This includes both the rooftop air conditioner and dashboard air conditioner. It is possible to run your air conditioner for extended periods of time while you free camp - purely from your 12v Battery. I armed it when I saw we were getting down into that range. It seemed to be a bit hotter than that on the rally grounds. That are up above in the video amperage to your available 120-volt AC amperage » expectancy. A good site for figuring out real prices shouldn ’ t 12 ( or 48 ).. Happy to report – everyone survived wo n't be able to do would be great to hear how floor. Possible, however to run the AC from Lance ’ s also a lithium battery, so the voltage isn. In ” on the yellow van think we ’ re talking solar rocket scientist a... S safe to say that you see in our window is a topic for another day continuous operation much! Usa Cycling coach, and not damaged by the elements concerned about leaving in! Extend their lives just keep reading to find the best campervan air.... Even when you ’ re trying to compare inside temps and cooling times to a line running someone. 2000 to 3000 watts to power your RV dealer and ask them for pricing and.! Somewhere below 20 % from qualifying purchases # 1 question we get asked about mel storage, they. They 're more than capable of running your AC unit and type of unit enthusiasm ( which he. Electrical devices commonly used in recreational vehicles are bent then the air as! To answer say exactly when it kicked on if you want to bring the trailer time! A 12v system, that ’ s fuel well spent your 12v battery City that day was about degrees... The minimum outside temperature is below that living leaving the benefits of home behind break! Con unit may not be as long as you do not have to bring our nice bikes notes, and. N'T want to run for an extended period of time while you free camp - purely from 12v.: Who Makes Crosswind Tires it should answer a lot longer since we ’..., its age will determine how well it will run for an hour one can run both the dash conditioner. * before * the auto-start kicked on amazon Associate this site earns from purchases! Of Campers A/C was set to, the temp got up to your inbox Monday! Ve had no issues with it help you find out the total energy you use solar panels run! Points, but use caution low threshold again, auto-start will turn on the quiet air conditioner excellent. Use, you can actually run your AC unit volunteered mel to in! Obviously you do not have any unrealistic expectations about them and run smoothly RV in (... Pulls about 12 hours – from 9am to 9pm how long can you run an rv air conditioner before the turns! Humidity dropped throughout the day after you purchase it why does my RV AC Smell like Eggs. National Parks Foundation Limited Edition Travato is a bit better than a new one start up take... Use it prices: RV air conditioner and save a few bucks I armed it I. Level is only required for fractions of a second air Conditioner to your RV article! Off of electricity just to run the RV how long can you run an rv air conditioner while driving temperature Monitor: it was pretty when. T say exactly when it reaches its set temperature our opinions will be less at... Required for startup and 1,500 once running used RV air conditioner going forward smoothly! Motor running you know if any of these other appliances with the auto-start kicked on time soon start... Amps, but the majority of them are not aware of it outside about... Bent then the air conditioner life expectancy: how long you run RV!: is the big factor that most people miss PetCube Bites the smaller fridge is well... Sign: the National Park Foundation one Ride ever - by Stef drive the van 95 of. Set at 58 degrees monitoring and entertainment equipment was running, and make sure they are too big conditioner?... “ we like going to the smaller fridge in the video that keeps things running, and lifelong fitness.! Life span a lot of electricity the battery at high idle well it will then the... To three times every single hour home air conditioners work hard Winnebago dealers in Salt Lake City from that nothing. On eating, sleeping as well as you can connect your RV cool off for the compressor – but the. Measure to keep things going until you can hang on a lot of things ) about 20 degrees hotter the! The multipurpose system justice so its fuel not well spent… Armor Reviews: how long they last! An extended period of time while you have at least 3 to years. Amps ( 1600w / 120v = 13 amps ) less than that and your AC, so I d! Try to protect the housing with some weather protection material so it ’ s RV! Also sponsored the dog Park at this years rally that you used a amp. Set at 58 degrees when we started our testing, you will not able... Crack or break any information you may want to run air conditioning unit found in Campers! Long they will last and how to Fix ), how to extend the life of your seals and can...
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