It has become a popular question if solar power can be used for an RV AC. Without further deliberation, it is important to know that an RV air conditioner can be powered by using solar energy.
One thing is evident if you want to use solar energy for your RV air conditioner – complete hook-ups.
Considering certain factors will also make the process work out nicely. Super solar array, immense inverter, battery size, and more are some factors to consider before taking any action.
Prior to moving forward, it is a good idea if you understand know how solar power works for your RV. keep reading my quick guide to using solar power to power your RV air conditioner and you will understand how the process works.
How Many Solar Panels To Run Air Conditioner?
This is a regular question that people ask when planning to purchase a solar panel unit. The best response to this question will be based on several factors of consideration.
This section will help you know the required number of solar panels to operate an AC.
1. The quantity of energy released by solar panels should be considered. The solar cells, the efficiency of the cells, the size of the panel, and the amount of sun that falls on the panel are great factors to consider when trying to determine how to run an Ac.
Studies have shown that a ton of energy can be generated if the above three conditions are met. In most cases, you will find regular solar panels with a dimension of 39 inches wide and 65 inches tall.
This means that 265 watts will be generated for each panel with energy conversion rates in the range of twenty to twenty-five percent.
2. The consumption of energy by an AC is another great factor to consider. Air conditioning units often consume more in hot climatic conditions. AC systems usually end up costing you more electricity bills for several reasons.
These devices have a fan, condenser coil, and a compressor to reduce the heat from the system.
In most cases, you will find a normal AC operates in the range of 220-240 colts. These air conditioners also have the capability of cooling a building of around 2,000 square feet.
Homes with several rooms will benefit greatly from normal working AC units. Air conditioning devices will not have any problem cooling big environments that can consume between 2000 and 6000 watts.
For a small standard AC system, 110 volts remain the ideal level of operation. This means rooms that are three hundred square feet can be handled by small air conditioners.
3. With the details described above, answering the question of running an AC unit is now possible. 12 panels may be required at two hundred and sixty-five watts at each for an AC that runs on 3000W. This means the air conditioner itself can be operated by a number of solar panels.
If you want to power other items at home, it is important to buy more solar panels. Five solar panels will be required for a smaller AC running with 1200W. This will be required to run the AC unit.
Lesser solar panels will be needed when you consume lower energy. It will be recommended to contact an expert if your home is large and consume more energy. For smaller homes, you can simply stick to the solar panel kit.
Off-Grid RV Solar System
It is important to know that off-grid RV solar systems are not your typical travel hauler device and installation. It is usually meant for a cottage that needs solar energy.
There may arise some problems if the cottage is operating on fifty amps and 240 VAC rather than a smaller version such as 30 amp, 120VAC inverter.
It also means that some touches need to be done to clean the panels from the areas where wires pass through a rubber roof. Constant parking beneath trees can boost shading complications as well.
Can You Run RV AC On Battery?
It is absolutely possible. The main challenge here may be based on the voltage used. For instance, if you have more than one 260-watt panel and the optimizing voltage requirement is 48V, an open circuit system of about 56 VDC or more may be needed.
The VOC rating can be located behind your solar panel. An MPPT controller will be needed if the volt requirement exceeds 25 Volts.
This controller will be able to take more solar voltage and convert it to the standard battery rating. This helps to resolve any problem attached to running RV AC on battery.
Running RV AC On Batteries
Just as explained above, it is always possible to run an RC air conditioner on batteries. The most important thing to know is the voltage rating that works effectively with your available batteries.
This is where an MPPT controller is highly important. Ensure to select the best MPPT controller if you want to run an air conditioner system on batteries.
Off-Grid RV Air Conditioner
The off-grid RV air conditioner will best work when operated on a 12 volt DC energy source. This implies that a generator is not required to operate the air conditioner and hook-ups aren’t important.
In most cases, the AC will only consume around five amps of DC, which can be operated for up to ten hours for only 50 Amp power of the battery.
12V RV Air Conditioner
The 12V RV air conditioner comes with several promising and amazing features. The cooling capacity may be around 13.5K BTU and easy to operate.
The intelligent microprocessor control system will always help you access the device without much difficulty. The overall current rating may not be more than forty-five amps, which remains a great range.
Wrapping it Up
With this quick guide, using solar energy for RV air conditioners will no longer be a problem. Using the right MPPT is highly important when running an AC RV on batteries.
Ensure that the battery rating is properly determined to prevent any damage to your AC device. Give this process a try now and see how it works.
