Van Life Air conditioning is a hot topic. Come see the first hand results as I attempt to run my VanLife air conditioner off this 100AH battery. Battery: www.amazon.com... Air conditioner: www.amazon.com...
It’s gonna work but you’re literally cooking the battery… for those interested I recommend a 5000 BTU AC and three 100Amp batteries in parallel..with a 2k inverter
Pulling more than 1C from that single battery is going limit the maximum output. I'm looking at a 12v or 24v split AC unit. On high power they pull 40Amps. Low power 20-25 Amps. I plan to cover every inch of my roof with solar (1400-1500 watts of solar) and 600Ah of Lifepo4 batteries. The solar panels will add some shade to the roof which should help to keep the van a bit cooler. Half the split and the pump are going under the van behind the rear axle. In theory the solar panels should allow me to run the AC on low power from lunchtime 1pm ish and top up the 600Ah battery bank fully to let me run the AC for a few hours during the night. Plus run a fridge and some low power 12v LED lights.
Solar is good for your little stuff, phone, laptops, mini pumps and lights. With my $600 propane generator and a 30 gl. tank, I can run my AC for days non stop if I wanted. 😂 I can place the generator inside a sound proof bin with lil' exhaust vent. Quiet, cheap energy. Propane is the best way! Don't have to park in the sun, worry about cloudy or rainy days. Runs my stove, hot showers and AC all night without breaking the bank.
Well done nice video to show a simple breakdown of isolating air condition in an RV. Now just imagine RVs have roughly 4-6 lithium batteries each of them holding 110 amp hours. And maybe up the inverter to roughly 4000 W pure sine wave. Similarly, when winter comes substitute the Aircon 🔌 with a 1500 W oil radiant heater.
Just be careful. Those budget 100Ah batteries often don't have BMS's that do well at 100A continuous discharge and its not unheard of for the mosfets to easy bake oven themselves. I was actually surprised yours ran in the hundredteens for an extended period of time but sometimes the 100A BMS's wont shut off until 150A. The general rule of thumb is 100Ah per 1000W of inverting power since the vast majority of those cells have a continuous rating of 1C and a 30 second burst of 2C.There are some cells with 3C and 5C ratings but its usually the 20Ah to 50Ah cells I see with those ratings. 941wh out of 1280wh is quite good at 1C/1.2C. An industry standard 0.2C test will probably yield over 1300wh. What did you pay for that battery? I'm guessing its one of the $300 to $350 Amazon specials? Edit: oh thats not the Jita...man $500 they are taxing. You could almost get a 200Ah with a 200A BMS for that much. I see them for $600 and some change.
Yeah, I was surprised it was able to deliver over 100amps for an extended period. The battery was free. Unowix sent it to me to test. I’m pretty pleased with its performance.
this is a more efficient design, its an inverter compressor. youre thinking of the smaller 6,000 btu window units. this is a 12,000 btu unit which is why its pulling so much power
*Replace those inverter fans with Noctua I use them throughout my system, in my 3 Midnite Classic 150's my Iotal DLS chargers, and in the plethora of Inverters. THey move about 20% air but compensate run longer and way quieter.*
Also "Inverter Compressor, Inverter A/C" is more or less marketing :) Technically, it's just a variable speed compressor, along with a variable frequency drive. VFD's are generally used in many other industrial and large scale applications that turn motors. It's not super darn fancy when you think about it :P Why am I saying this? it can be confusing in videos where you actually are showing a "Inverter", along with a "Inverter A/C", just to keep it clear. Could mix it up in speech or people can interpret the other thing than intended so hah
The LFP battery can handle your AC unit but that high frequency, transformerless inverter will soon become a brick after repeatedly starting your AC unit. High frequency transformerless inverters are not designed to repeatedly power high inductance loads like refrigerators, microwaves, AC units and large power tools.not only will you smoke your inverter bit you can also set you AC unit on fire.
I agree. This was a free inverter that was sent to me so I used it in this test. The test is only to show the ability of the battery to run the air conditioner. I would not recommend using a budget inverter like this to run an air conditioner for regular use
@@leekleek1I think the answer is it depends how many panels. With the correct combination of series / parallel, you would provide the needed voltage and amps. But that wouldn't be good for the inverter. Either it'd be over powered to account for clouds, or underpowered if you didn't.
I just want to say thank you so much for the instructional video. I’ve been running my own theoretical math on this same type of scenario. Found a kit for my semi truck that pulls supposedly 800 watts and was looking for someone on RU-vid to prove or disprove my theory that I could run it on lithium batteries. I see no reason based on your test that I couldn’t run my ac overnight and my little fridge on x3 300ah lithiums. I look forward to watching more of your videos and sincerely thank you. Also you used a 150amp fuse in your video - did your inverter not come either a fuse built in?
Hey Brad! I enjoyed the content of the video. I really liked your battery monitor but didn’t see a link for it. Would you mind posting it please? Thanks!
Is there certain search terms to find an inverter style window air conditioner? I like the soft start and variable ramping of the compressor rather than he harsh sounding on/off of traditional compressor units. Thanks!
@@nomadbrad503 I had that one coming. Thx. I see these 12 volt mini split air conditioners on the market now for a reasonable price and good efficiency, still more $ than a window unit, but I'm not a fan of how loud a condenser would be outside my van when trying to be stealthy in a city. Also, if the unit ever breaks, it's not quite so easy to grab one of them from Home Depot and installed on a weekend. Decisions...
@@antigroundhogday yes if you go window unit. I absolutely recommend inverter style only. But the unit is still relatively noisy inside. Now that I have a mini split installed, I could never go back to window. For noise and efficiency mini split is a win. Yes install is more difficult but well worth it in my opinion
Is there an air conditioner that is like the Midea and has an option to skip the inverter and accept DC power from batteries and solar array? Seems like a waste to convert from DC to AC and then convert back from AC to DC.
@@cleversolarpower gotcha, I read that wrong. Me new build requires a 3,000 watt inverter so I’m stepping up to 24v system. Planning to run a ductless heat pump 💪🏻
Just set your temp up to 75 vs 60 and get comfortable at that temp so you dont have to have a much battery power because at night it will turn on and off i power are whole tiny house with solar and when you dont have alot of cash..you use what you need not what you want lol
I have 2 100ah Renogy AGM's in parallel 12v for total of 200ah with Vevor pure sine 3000 watt max 1500 continuous and tried to run my portable freestanding AC that's near 1000 watts and after I ran the unit I had to shut it off after about 20 seconds. On full charge 13.6v the batteries rapidly ran back down to 11.8v and I shut it off. It drew 22 amps when on.
What is the black status display? Looks like a nifty display. What is the lowest power draw that you can do? Maybe reduce the fan speed and econo mode?
What I learned from watching these videos is you will be limited to around 2 hours I wonder if it’s a way to have more batteries and then them kick off when near capacity and go to the next battery
That’s with a 13,000 btu ac like his if you had a smaller say 5,000 btu it should run over twice what his is running and his 1500watt inverter is small for what he’s doing
900wh consumed in about an hour, so you're pushing an average of nearly 100 amps, with spikes well above that number. Yes, with that inverter compressor, you "can" run it from a 100AH battery and a 12v inverter, but you'd be way better off to have a 24 or 48 volt battery, with the same or higher capacity. What you CAN do and what is prudent are often two very different things.
100amps is crazy! I wonder what the battery discharge is rated at because that is why the Terminals are HOT the battery is maxing out be careful, peace!
I have 8000 BTU with 500 ah. I am close, probably need an additional 100 ah to be safe. The cool thing is going zero only means refridge is nada for 2 hours max? I may try to separate my fridge, a 50 ah Jackery with a compressor 12v refreidge? It is an Everchill...it might work all night with 50 ah?
What temperature are you trying to keep your small space at? I've mostly used a 5K BTU window unit my whole life in a small apartment and it worked fine. How come people need much more for smaller spaces?
Is there a way to avoid going through the DC to AC inverter that then goes to the AC to DC inverter on your air conditioner? Can we somehow have an option skip the inverter on the air conditioner side so we can skip the inverter connected to the battery? Inverter is great when connected to the grid, but seems redundant when connected to DC power from battery.
This was very informative. I was wondering, could you be able to charge the battery at the same time as using it? Would it be possible to keep the charge high enough to not drain the battery completely? My daughter cannot use a window unit in her house. It is an old house and it is very hot already. I am also from Texas and this heat is hell.
There are batteries that can be charged and discharged at the same time if you get a large enough solar panel it will charge the battery and run the AC you would want at least a 2000 watt solar setup if ur running a 1000 watt AC unit but I am running a 500 watt unit and its in a small room in my house
The limitation is the capacity of the dc charger. Most only put out 40-50 amps. This ac draws nearly 100 amps on high so the dc to dc charger can not keep up
Something got to be wrong here pulling a hundred amps ??? From where the battery and bms ? My 12,000 BTU mini split is 10 amps AC Max about 1100 w 10 amps DC side 40-50 I'm guess but where does a 100 amps my solar is 24v tho probably makes a difference I guess just saying that's a lot what seer and BTU is that again ?
@@nomadbrad503 I see & yes you're right I did some research after looking at ur video because I was completely blown back nice video though but I have a 12,000 BTU Senville coming my solar is running in 24v the reason I was so worried is because my bms on my lithium cells only have a 80 amp max draw you think I should be okay at 24v 12000 btu at 120v ac??
@@diysolaradventures7894 if it’s a mini split, should be fine. Those top out around 800 watts . My current electrical setup is also 24v with 1,400 watts of solar. I plan to install a 12,000 btu mini split this spring.
maybe but this is the size i need for this large space in the texas summer. A smaller ac wouldnt be enough...this one ran on full power all day in july/august
your wrong idiot liberal!!! 5000btu's pull 420-600watts depending on seer rating.....evidentally what you banned was your intelligence.....really wish you libtards would just cancel your own lives
Could you use your set up to run a standard side by side 2 door fridge. 1 or more 100ah batteries. Curious how much battery and inverter you need to run one. What's your opinion on getting all the battery and inverter first and recharging system once or twice a day w generator. Then slowly add solar as alt input.
Sure, You wouldn’t need a large inverter for a side by side fridge. If you’re going to use a generator to recharge then you don’t need a huge battery bank. I would recommend 200ah lithium as a good starting point.
you would definitely need a high output alternator...and the van would have to be running for the system to work. not ideal to be idling the engine for hours at a time. might as well buy a generator
@@nomadbrad503 So I have a 8000 btu u shaped window unit by Midea, what size inverter generator do you recommend ?, and what brand as far as quietest?
Hey Nomad Brad! Unique situation- I have an inverter A/C, same 14k btu on 110-120v. If my solar power without a battery stays high enough, can I directly connect the panels to a charge controller, and the charge controller to pure sine inverter (with a fuse in line too)? Then just expect the A/C to run for as long as I have enough direct sunlight? I can't currently afford a large battery setup, and I'm concerned doing something like this would overheat a battery (or being lithium, catch fire- I don't trust them or safety mechanisms inside.) Would it run? And the charge controller keep the output to inverter stable? Or would maybe 2 or 4 batts to run at 24v or 48v solve my overheating concerns? I doubt I could afford that but would be good to know! Thanks!!
No it is not possible. All inverters are very sensitive electronic devices that convert DC energy to AC energy output. The solar panels output varies according to the light intensity, and the charge controllers in turn takes this variable voltage and charges your batteries. They are designed to do just this.... that being said, you can use a small battery simply as an intermediary, say a single 50ah battery
@@nomadbrad503 Could a solar well pump invertor work? We have one on the farm, 3000 watt solar connected to the solar pump invertor and it runs a 1 1/2 hp well pump. Solar well pump invertors unlike regular invertors are specifically designed to run directly off the panels no battery or charge controller required and then to the well pump. But adding a battery I agree would be the best option.
I agree, the inverter sounds like it’s as it’s limit. this test was focused on running the air conditioner on a 100ah lithium battery. The inverter was sent to me for free. I would definitely not recommend using it in this situation.
@@nomadbrad503 It's a failure to understand how lithium ion batteries are constructed. Few people realise that lithium is highly unstable at room temperature,
@@blake9358 you have to consider the knowledge of the average consumer…nobody truly understands the tech. That being said, most off grid vehicles use lithium. I have 400ah of lithium in my van. It runs everything great
Not a certified electrician. Spent 10 years as a heating & cooling technician so I know how to do it. But it’s not that hard of you take the time to learn
@@bowlampar not surprised because this was a very cheap inverter. I wouldn’t expect it to put out the rated power, I wouldn’t expect it to be dependable and I wouldn’t expect it to last a long time. For $160, it got the job done 😎
@@manueljuarez2941 look at the data sheet for your air conditioner. It will have a watt rating. Say it’s 1200 watts. That means the unit consumes 1200 watts per hour on full blast. Then multiply that number by how many hours you want it to cool. If you want it to run from 7pm to 8am that’s 13 hours. 1200 x 13 = 15,600 watt hours, that’s how much battery you need. During the day you should be running off solar so battery bank is for night time
@@massa-blasta if you get a mini split, I would spend a little extra and get the diy version. Thats what I have. No special tools required for installation. It requires a lot of extra work and equipment to install the standard mini split. I have mine listed on this Amazon list: www.amazon.com/shop/nomadbrad?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsfshop_aipsfnomadbrad_VYTJ1MJYG4HCMFZ5GXZH
You’re silly! I lived with this exact setup through a Texas summer and needed every btu. A 5k wouldn’t have even come close. You don’t realize how much heat these vehicles absorb with their extremely limited insulation.
Useless to the viewers you targeted, why not just test the 400-500w mini split you mentioned would be of use. Anyway 100ah would last 2-2.5 hours. So half as many batteries for 8 hours.
Good stuff! I just found your channel. Thanks for running this test. I have a 5k BTU unit for my van that pulls around 350 watts. I'm considering a similar setup so I can ditch the generator and still run my ac without the noise. If my horrible math is correct, to run my ac for 8hrs, I would need a minimum of 300ah? It's very likely I got that wrong so if someone could correct me on that, I'd appreciate it. Thanks! Now excuse me while I go hit that subscribe button!
100 amp hour battery at 12 volts = 1,200 watt hours 350 watts * 8 hours = 2,800 watt hours 2,800 watt hours / 12v = 233 amp hours of battery to run the a/c for 8 hours So yes, 300 is a good minimum.
The info you give is if your air conditioner was running full blast all night. Fortunately, in a van or bus, it will not be running full blast constantly. It will throttle down when you get to the desired temp thus using much less power. I feel that your statement that you would need 800 ah to run an ac all night is erroneous.
I lived in this van with this air conditioner all summer in Texas. It ran full blast all day, then throttled down a bit at night but still ran 24/7. keep in mind that your solar panels have to be able to generate enough power to run the air conditioner full blast all day, but then also recharge your battery bank in preparation for the nights demand. You loose full sun exposure by 7pm then don’t see full sun again until 9am. That’s 14 hours without full sun to charge your system. This 100ah battery ran for under an hour....and you also have other devices using power..refrigerator, cooking devices, lighting and so on. I feel my estimate is actually quite conservative
some people like the BS...lol there was quite a bit of detailed information and real time measurements there...not sure what you were expecting but thanks for the comment
@@nomadbrad503 I mean, most of the campervan install another separate unit of air conditioner. It's possible to use built in ac (front area) and connect it to our DIY battery system? I live in equator area, ac is the most important thing in the campervan.
@@shukriramlee no, because the car air conditioner is run by a mechanical pump connected to your engine. It is not electric like a house air conditioner
