5000 Watt Inverter

[starbucks5]

Where would you place your 5000W inverter I’m gonna use to power roof AC, like the 13,500 BTU Dometic Penguin 2?

 

[OrioN]

Next to my 980aH battery bank.

 

[starbucks5]

Next to my 980aH battery bank.

Haha. How would you power a 13,500 BTU roof air conditioner?

 

[OrioN]

Haha. How would you power a 13,500 BTU roof air conditioner?

With and only my generator, when I am not plugged in.

 

[starbucks5]

So how do other people run their roof AC while they drive their van?

 

[borabora]

So how do other people run their roof AC while they drive their van?

They don't.

 

[starbucks5]

What’s the common sense way of cooling the rear of then van while driving (for the 2 benches of passengers) if not for a rooftop ac?

 

[OrioN]

What’s the common sense way of cooling the rear of then van while driving (for the 2 benches of passengers) if not for a rooftop ac?

Generator or second alternator.

 

[borabora]

My converted 2500 144 is insulated and running the front A/C keeps the entire van comfortable.
But people generate heat, so if you have another 4-5 people in the van I can see how only running the front A/C might not be enough.

 

[Shawn182]

I have a Dometic Penguin 2...you need about 100AH of Lithium battery capacity per hour of run time desired and even second alternator would not keep up with that kinda draw.

 

[RVBarry]

Haha. How would you power a 13,500 BTU roof air conditioner?

That would need around 2KW, not 5!
A quality 3000VA inverter would be fine

 

[grantwilson]

you only need a 3000KVA
Nations alternator kit will run a 12v nomadic AC, or a penguin for that matter.

I run a normadic cooling 3000 unit off my secondary alternator and 800AH of victron batteries

 

[az7000']

We have a large MH interior, on the road the dash AC works fine if you keep it cranked. That is through many of the hottest areas in the South West US and Baja CA loaded and towing. I cant speak to the humid hot of other areas.

We run the genny and roof ac when parked w the dog or the roof ac on hookups at nap time, wouldn't just run it in the woods for ac.

 

[_Zach]

@grantwilson - What sort of AC run time do you get out of your 800aH bank when parked? Are you recharging with solar, or just the alternator?

 

[grantwilson]

@grantwilson - What sort of AC run time do you get out of your 800aH bank when parked? Are you recharging with solar, or just the alternator?

Solar is a joke on most vans with stuff on top. Enough to maintain what you are using normally with fridge and fans and stuff, nothing more (Yes there are outliers...before the three guys with 1400 watts of solar chime in)

The way I use the system is to run the AC off the honda at the beginning of the night, when it dies, the batteries take over. but by the math, with other consumers going I can go all night. Then it takes about 4 hours to recharge with the secondary alternator. So to save the charge time, I just use the generator.

Just because you can run totally on batteries, doesn't mean you should!

 

[pfflyer]

What’s the common sense way of cooling the rear of then van while driving (for the 2 benches of passengers) if not for a rooftop ac?

When hauling passengers in my crew van a curtain behind the bench seat helps. Ceramic window coating on the windshield would help even more.
Edit. Just noticed it was 2 rows not 2 passengers. Would also suggest a 12v fan or 2 along with the above suggestions.

 

[Kajtek1]

I had bus conversion in the past, who had no AC, but big alternator, with 2400W inverter who powered 15k AC just fine.
Only when in slow traffic at >100F the inverter would occasionally overheat, so I had to improve its cooling.

 

[turbo911]

hope the inverter wasnt made in china. what kind do you have? to have enough capacity to run the ac for more than a couple of hours tou are going to need a lot lithium batteries

 

[Kajtek1]

Last year I bough Chinese 3000W inverter with pure sine for $98.
Put it on single 100 Ah battery and 3.5 HP shop vac.
I know the 3.5 hp is BS, but still inverter run it for about 1 minute test before voltage start dropping.
So I see no problem to run even 15k AC on it .. as long as you provide good inverter cooling.

 

[Helen]

Feel like i hit the jackpot with the conversion already. i take my dogs with me on trips, and the guy at this place sounds like an absolute genius on the wiring, batteries needed..., running the dometic AC while driving down the road, and has a way to make the van turn on if the battery runs down. however i am leaning on still using the generator when dogs are left in the van which is what i am doing now....just would like to see if for some reason the power on the gen went out, what kind of safety net i could have...either run off battery or start the engine. I have the 170WB extended which is larger than what i have now...,, i concur on the addition of the fan.,,, helps to circulate the cool air. i currently use a regular size fan, set on low and set the AC slightly below max air con so they won't flip the gen to tilt mode...and two ryobi fans on rechargable batteries....worked well all summer. since i can't do all that myself, and mounting new aircon and stuff on top, i am tickled to find those who can do what i need and reasonably priced.