Run a 110v rooftop A/C using 12v

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BCrJO1

Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2014
Posts
6
I was poking around Dometic's website and they offer a 12v kit for running 220v air conditioners using an inverter and 12v power provided by the coach's DC generator. Can't find such a thing for 110v, but seems like a workable solution logically--assuming the DC generator and inverter are correctly sized. Anybody done it?

Also, RV is a Roadtrek 170 Popular 2003 on a Dodge chassis. Any issues replacing the roof vent with an air conditioner?
 
Welcome to the forum.


When you say "DC generator" are you referring to the engine driven AC alternator? So you could use it going down the road?

The AC probably would draw around 100-125 amps. Even if your alternator is that big, I don't believe they're designed for continuous output at that level. Others will weigh-in who have more knowledge in that area



 
You can run any RV a/c unit off an inverter, assuming you have a large enough inverter (about 3000 watts peak, 1500 sustained) and a big enough 12v source to feed the inverter. 1500 watts is about 125A @ 12v but the inverter has an additional overhead of about 10%, so figure 140A.  That's either a lot of 12v batteries or a humongous vehicle alternator. And that alternator sucks engine horsepower to produce the amps.

Doesn't your Popular have an onboard generator?  Just run the generator and produce 120vac for the a/c. It's just as fuel efficient.
 
What gary said. Figure each pair of GC-2 batteries holds about 1KWH at the 20 hour rate.  Less if you suck it out faster.. So you can run your A/C for a few minutes per pair.

My alternator can not keep with with a 400 watt load on the house batteries and that was when new.
 
Thank you all. My Roadtrek does have a working generator--you've convinced me to just use that! Thanks!
 
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