MINIMUM SOLAR CAPABILITIES TO SOLELY RUN RV AC UNIT

When it comes to RV living, air conditioning is a must-have. Especially if you plan on traveling in hot and humid areas. But did you know that it is possible to solely run your RV's air conditioning unit on solar power? Yes, it’s true. However, while it is possible, you will need quite a solar setup to do so.

The average RV AC system will require roughly 1800-3500W of power to start up, and 600-1500W to keep it running. To satisfy this, you need to have a solar setup with a minimum of 1800W of power. Additionally, it would be helpful to use a soft-start component which lowers the demand for startup power from your solar panels. You will need a solar panel system that has at least 8-10 solar panels with a rating of 250W per panel, considering you have enough roof space. Residential-grade solar panels may also be a good option if you are short on space and need higher wattage outputs.

Additionally, you will need an inverter with a capacity of at least 4000 watts to convert the DC power from the solar panels to AC power which is necessary to run your RV's air conditioning unit. It's important to choose a high-quality inverter to avoid damaging your air conditioning unit or other electronics. Always choose an inverter that has a wattage rating higher than you think you will need.

Another critical factor is your RV's battery bank. Your battery bank should have a minimum capacity of 800 Amp-hours worth of batteries. We recommend using at least 8 12V 100Ah lithium batteries. Remember, the larger your battery bank, the more energy storage you will have to pull from. It’s always best to have more than you think you may need. Given the above information, you should be able to run your AC unit for roughly 8 hours, but your mileage may vary.

Additionally, one thing to keep in mind is that it's always best to use energy-efficient appliances to conserve power. It would help if you also avoided using high-power appliances all at once as it's important to distribute the power usage throughout the day to ensure that you don't drain your battery bank too quickly.

In conclusion, it is entirely possible to solely run your RV's air conditioning unit on solar power. However, it requires a substantial solar setup as mentioned above.