Generator size to power a 5000 btu a/c

[Netter]

Hi,

What size generator would I need to power a 5000 btu a/c?

 

[jimindenver]

There are some questions that have to be answered, mainly which generator, which A/C, what altitude and what temperature.

Some 1000 watt inverter generators will run a high efficiency 5000 BTU A/C, some need start capacitors.

What may run the A/C at sea level may not do it at higher altitudes. The same is true for a cooler day vs a hot day.

Honestly to be able to run any 5000 BTU A/C at any altitude you should have a 2000 series inverter generator, at least a 1500 running watt open frame.

 

[Netter]

There are some questions that have to be answered, mainly which generator, which A/C, what altitude and what temperature.

Some 1000 watt inverter generators will run a high efficiency 5000 BTU A/C, some need start capacitors.

What may run the A/C at sea level may not do it at higher altitudes. The same is true for a cooler day vs a hot day.

Honestly to be able to run any 5000 BTU A/C at any altitude you should have a 2000 series inverter generator, at least a 1500 running watt open frame.

Hi,

I am going to be starting out "car-dwelling" full time in July and was shooting around the idea of picking up a small a/c and somehow bracing it in car window if I found a site that provides electricity. (or tent). Plus I need electricity for my cpap. I will be staying mostly in Az. to start out, maybe venturing into Colorado.

 

[Netter]

Hi,

I am going to be starting out "car-dwelling" full time in July and was shooting around the idea of picking up a small a/c and somehow bracing it in car window if I found a site that provides electricity. (or tent). Plus I need electricity for my cpap. I will be staying mostly in Az. to start out, maybe venturing into Colorado.

Oops, I mean in case I did not find a site with electricity.

 

[John61CT]

The CPAP should be no problem at all off a good house battery, long as you get access to shore recharging every 2-3 days or set up some solar.

Running a genny just for some aircon while living in a car should be considered a completely separate project. In other words consider the genny a nice to have supplement to your usual charge sources.

Doing that is not at all common, and for good reasons.

Biggest issue IMO will be the need to be in a location where the noise won't bother people, or attract unwanted attention to what you're doing.

 

[DLTooley]

There are plenty of places in Colorado where AC is pretty much not needed.

 

[jimindenver]

I designed my whole system around the ability to run the little A/C because of those places that never need A/C. When a heat wave has Denver at 105 F, the upper altitudes start getting pretty warm especially in a trailer sitting in the sun. When the last three schnauzers started panting I had better have a string to pull, a button to push or some means to cool them down or we we going home.

 

[John61CT]

And that's a fine "stretch goal" even for a well-heeled noob over time

Just wanted to emphasize the more critical and releatively cheap and easy to attain setup for the CPAP should be put in place as a first step.

If the more ambitious project does successfully come to fruition, the necessary genny will then add overall flexibility.

 

[Runotsure]

A generator and a 5,000 btu a/c in a car?!?!
Just sayin’
PS being from Florida and myself using a CPAP, I get it.
Look for info on a soft start capacitor - something that drastically lowers the power needed to kick over the a/c into cooling mode.  It’s the start up amount of electric that kills the idea of using solar to cool with....and soft start capacitors are a big help.
So you see, there is a lot to consider.
By the way, car a/c are bizarrely inefficient.

 

[Weight]

You will be hard pressed to find a campground to accept sleeping in a car.

 

[jimindenver]

One thing to consider is that once you get a 5000 BTU A/C, a 2000 series inverter generator and a gas can into a car you will have taken up a considerable amount of room.