Solar generator and small portable AC unit

[kimkelb89]

I live in a hot humid climate and right now I'm with roommates. But the situation here is not working out. And I can't stand having roommates again after one too many bad experiences. I've literally been bullied and sexually harassed here.

I planned on full timing it in my van when it gets cooler but my hand has kind of been forced.

I have a dog and she is my main concern. I'll be working in an office during the day that is dog friendly but I want to make sure that she is comfortable at night. I'm getting two or three battery operated fans. But I also want to know if a portable solar generator like the Goal Zero Yeti 400 watt generator in combination with a HoMedic portable air conditioner will work. 

Ill run the van ac cool things down as i drive leaving the office. At night, I want to run the fans on batteries and the AC unit off of the generator and charge the generator in the wall outlet during the day at the office. The Homedic unit seems to use up about 6 watts per hour of energy. Is this possible? The links are below for each. Finances are tight as I'm just starting out working again after an injury which is also part of the reason why my hand is being forced.

I know it won't be super cool. I just want her to be comfortable. I'm less concerned about me. So it will be pointed at her anyway even for a few hours. I'd appreciate any thoughts on this. Thank you.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D5RVMA...t=&hvlocphy=9028252&hvtargid=pla-308511758090

https://www.google.com/shopping/pro...5eF2vDfmGTjM0DYQjMkx63rgtjlkVCT4aArMcEALw_wcB

 

[wmyers4u]

1. Not an AC 2. The higher the humidity the less effective they are 3. They add moisture which can promote mold growth


that being said you should be able to run it for at least a while on that setup.

I'd shop around as there are more economical coolers out there. Might not make sense to buy an expensive one only to find out it doesn't help.

 

[lenny flank]

In general, those "solar generators" are underpowered and overpriced.

Running an effective AC requires a lot of power.

 

[John61CT]

Unless you have thousands to invest, the solution in hot weather is find a place to park that will let you use mains power.

The term "solar generator" is fraudulent marketing, best to just use the specific model name.

Generically I would call it a larger capacity powerpack. Basically a battery in a box with some electronics added.

I've been linking many forum threads on their relative merits here

https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=23546

 

[RVTravel]

I'm sorry you are being harrassed. An electric connection may be needed for real AC. You could put out an ad for a parking spot with an AC cord or try campgrounds, etc.

 

[lenny flank]

The best solution to being in a hot van, I have found, is to not be in the van during the hot day. I do all my housekeeping tasks in the morning while it is still cool, then leave for the entire day (in a museum or mall or library or whatever), not returning till it's getting dark. If it's still warm in the van, I soak a t-shirt in water and pout a small fan right on me--that keeps me cool for a few hours. It's worked everywhere for me from Miami to Las Vegas.

The dog, of course, presents a big difficulty. Realistically, the only way to cool the air in a van is with an AC (those swamp cooler thingies won't do the job). That, alas, requires a LOT of power--which means some serious bucks.

In the desert, at least, the good news is that even though it is baking hot during the day, the temp tends to drop quickly at night, and isn't so bad (I often woke up in Vegas under a thin blanket). But in a humid place like Florida, it's still gonna be hot and muggy all night.....

 

[Rabbit]

I've been trying off and on for 24 hours to post this as one large post. And failed. So, I'll try breaking it in two, making it even longer...

Part I

I bought-- and wish I hadn't-- an Inergy Kodiak solar generator for my cargo trailer conversion. It's to my knowledge easily the best and most capable of the solar generators; certainly it was superior to any Yeti on the market at the time I bought it. Mine's currently connected to 600 watts of panels and 6 Deka golf cart batteries, and I have a 5000 btu air conditioner. I'm still building my trailer out and haven't spent so much as a single night in it yet. Already, however, I can say that I don't think any solar generator will do what you seem to think it will. The reasons for this are both complicated and less than obvious, so I fear this is going to be a long, complex post. Sorry, it's unavoidable.

First, a 5000 btu window air conditioner-- which is pretty common in these applications since they're cheap, available, and tend to be surprisingly efficient compared to other types-- tends to draw about 500 watts of power. Mine is even more efficient than most, and draws about 450. However, this is AC power, not DC, and since both batteries and solar panels make DC power it has to be converted into a form the air conditioner can use. This conversion eats yet more power, so in practice running my air conditioner draws about 525 watts from the batteries.

That means if you have a $1500 Kodiak-- again, the best on the market-- and nothing else, you'll get roughly two hours of compressor-on air conditioning out of it once the sun goes down. Then, it's dead-flat. During the early stages of my build, before the golf cart batteries were installed, several times I did (almost, not quite flat) just that for the sake of comfort and convenience. Even in daylight, with 600 watts worth of panels in operation in the Florida sun, I could only break even when the skies were entirely clear. It's important to note here that by most people's standards 600 watts is rather a lot of panels for a mobile installation. While some few forum members have over a thousand, 600 is not only all that will reasonably fit on my cargo trailer's roof (even then with some slight overhang) but all the Kodiak can handle as well. And again, to my knowledge no other solar generator can handle more. So, for a solar-generator based setup this is as good as it gets with today's tech.

 

[Rabbit]

Part II



Note that _with_ the golf-cart batteries included in my setup I can (in theory, still haven't actually done it) sustain the air conditioner for roughly seven hours with the compressor running. That's in fact why they're there, so I can overnight in high-crime, uncomfortably hot places without exposing a generator to theft while I'm unable to watch it. However, note that it will be impossible for me to do so two nights in a row. With only 600 watts of solar, it'll take 2-3 days (accounting for other electrical usage) to fully recharge my system again. Indeed, if I also run my air conditioner during the daytime, the battery bank will never recharge at all. In my case I plan to run a generator (while awake and watchful) as needed. Probably for several hours at a time, though I haven't actually tested this in the real world yet. Will that work for you?

There are other reasons I regret buying the Kodiak as well, though it's a well-built, high-quality unit and the customer support has been absolutely wonderful. (It's also to my knowledge the only device of its kind that allows you to connect it to a much-larger lead-acid battery bank, as I've done. Also, the lithium-ion battery that's the Kodiak's core component is a _monster_. Frankly, for those who don't want or need a lot of power, as in an air conditioner, the Kodiak might well be an excellent and simple to use if pricey solution. It'd probably be all I'd ever require to satisfy my own power needs, minus the air conditioner.) One shortcoming is that it has a PWM solar controller, instead of a more efficient MPPT. Another is that it can only handle a maximum of 600 watts of solar panels at 12 volts and only 12 volts, which is inconvenient for me since I also now am planning another, larger solar installation on my "home base" mobile home. Nor can it be connected to any sort of external battery-bank other than lead-acid. Even worse, it can't be used as one of multiple solar controllers sharing a battery bank. Indeed, for reasons I can't begin to fathom, you can't even just use another charge controller connected to the panels and then hook the Kodiak to the battery bank for use as an inverter only, to do nothing but supply AC power. It's almost totally inflexible, in other words. You have to use it exactly one specific way, or not at all. That one way is-- barely-- adequate for my current needs, so I'm keeping mine. But... Again, I definitely regret buying it and wish I'd bought separate components instead. I'd have regretted buying a Yeti even more, I'm quite certain.

So...

The bottom line is that you're asking a lot more than you realize of what's still essentially a very low-power technology. Learn the math, and measure what an air conditioner subtracts from your electrical "bank account" and compare that with your ability to "deposit" more. Then throw in random cloudy days and such, and you'll soon understand why so few nomads live in the Southeast.

 

[John61CT]

Bingo.

Can be done, but only to some extent.

And the details are devilish.

It isn't that those who know are "being negative", just that most who don't, almost all err on the side of excessive optimism.

 

[prone2wander]

The only way you are going to stay in that situation is to have AC power. The only other thing I can say is to find a home for your dog or move to the mountains with cooler weather. Heat is really hard on a dog.

 

[kimkelb89]

Thanks for your replies. I wanted to see if it was possible before I decided. There's an inexpensive RV lot that I can rent and have electric where I can use a portable AC and fans. Since the van is a small space, and it's in shade, I think it will work. I stayed there before and know the owner now so that's my backup plan. The office is a coworking office so it's not like an office I have to go to. I'll also have WiFi there plus a mobile hotspot so I can work from the van.

 

[wagoneer]

You can survive without AC, it takes time and patience. I have a dislike for AC
that said I have been to over the top hot places with no option of having AIR CONDITIONING
and survived

 

[Rabbit]

Best of luck!

 

[lenny flank]

Alas, most people take "electricity" for granted, since we can get it right out of the wall in unlimited amount any time we want it. In a van or RV, we cannot do that, and we learn very quickly that we are very limited by the amount of electricity we are able to produce.

 

[ISAWHIM]

You would be better-off to use that power to simply pump out stale hot air and draw-in cooler ambient air. It will cool you, unless it is over 98.6F, in the shade.

The more you can keep the sun off the metal of your vehicle, the better. Using the solar-panels is a good way to do that. If the sun is out, then it is hot, so the solar cells will be generating electricity and directly controlling an equally powered fan. It will not help at night, which is what you need the batteries for. Again, with a simple thermostat controlling a fan, you can get that air-flow you need, when you need it. (The thermostat turning it off when it gets too cool, as nights can get cold in certain locations.)

Removing the heat with a fan will be more effective than trying to use a trapped AC-unit to cool the SUN HEAT + YOUR HEAT + DOG HEAT, all being contained within the vehicle. AC's struggle in many homes and apartments, and they essentially have unlimited power. Before AC was invented, people lived with just an open window and shade. It is still possible today!

If you want serious power, you need a serious setup. Tesla power-wall 2, is the only sure-fire solution.

 

[John61CT]

If you want serious power, you need a serious setup. Tesla power-wall 2, is the only sure-fire solution.

Absolutely ridiculous.

Please stop misleading people.

Even a lead bank can help run a solar aircon setup for a little while if your rig can carry the weight.

Tesla may well enter the market with a product suitable for mobile usage, but when they do they will be joining many competitors that have been installing thousands of large (1000+AH @12V) LFP systems on boats and RVs for well over a decade.

 

[grannyredux]

check out dan in denver on youtube at cheapsolarand offgridliving (there's a space between the and off).  he is awesome and he designs solar systems.  he runs an air conditioner and many other appliances.  i'm going to have him design the solar for my van!

 

[highdesertranger]

the name is Jimindenver. he is on the forum. here's his website,

http://jimindenver.com/

the "cheap solar and off grid living" is his youtube channel,

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvbFh36CrN-yeUai-3uYFpg

he also has done several videos with Bob.
highdesertranger

 

[wasanah2]

Would anyone you know be willing to let you park in their driveway or the side of their house and use their shore power through a drop cord?

If so, I know this works because my daughter and I did this our first summer in FL when we were in a camper van. I bought a portable air conditioner, not the window type, the one you vent out with a hose. It takes up space, but it was just for at night. I vented it out and it took just regular house current. It worked great and cooled us at night when it would be miserable without it. I don't have that rig any longer, but when I sold it, the new people really wanted the A/C, so I parted with it to make the sale.

I paid for the electric then by estimating how much power I used.

 

[Dingfelder]

The only way you are going to stay in that situation is to have AC power. The only other thing I can say is to find a home for your dog or move to the mountains with cooler weather.  Heat is really hard on a dog.

Yup, it is.  And they can cross a threshold where they can't keep their temperature under control anymore regardless of whether they've been moved to somewhere cooler.