Hi Newbies,

Certainly, is great that you have the opportunity to be living life on the road – can be an exciting adventure, but staying comfortable in hot weather can be a challenge—especially if you’re hoping to run your air conditioner while traveling. With limited solar power and AGM batteries, it’s important to understand your energy consumption and explore options to improve efficiency.

There are a few key factors to consider trying and help you get up and running with AC. In order of priority consider the following, how much energy your air conditioner uses, and whether upgrading to lithium batteries and charger, adding solar panels, or using a DC-DC charger.

Most caravan air conditioners require 1000 to 2000 watts (1-2 kW) of power, depending on their size and efficiency. If you’re running it from a 12V battery system, you need an inverter to convert 12V DC power into 240V AC power. To give an idea of the battery draw: a 2000W air conditioner at full power on a 12V system will require roughly 160-170 amps per hour from your battery bank, especially if the van is already hot inside.  Once the van becomes cooler it will cycle using less power.  With a battery bank of 280Ahr and only using the batteries to 50% capacity means that your batteries will be flat in around an hour. Even with solar panels replenishing some charge, it’s unlikely that you can sustain the air conditioner for long without additional charging sources. 

And would imagine that as the air conditioner is not as efficient as newer versions it won’t be kind to the life of your batteries.

With AGM batteries and a limited number of solar panels, running the air conditioner for extended periods is not practical. Your system is likely designed for running lights, fans, and a fridge—not high-powered appliances like an air conditioner.

To run the air conditioner while traveling, you’ll need more energy storage and charging capacity. Here are your best options:

1. Upgrade to Lithium Batteries – they have higher usable capacity (can be discharged 90% vs. AGM’s 50%) and can handle higher discharge rates, making them better suited for running an air conditioner A 400Ah lithium battery bank would give you significantly more runtime than an equivalent AGM setup – roughly 3x more that your current capacity.
2. Add More Solar Panels– you’ll need a larger solar array. A 2000W air conditioner will require at least 800-1200W of solar panels to offset some of the energy use. More solar means you can recharge your batteries faster and potentially keep the air conditioner running longer. Since roof space is limited, you might also consider portable solar panels or solar blankets to boost your charging capability when stationary.
3. Install a DC-DC Charger – while driving, you can take advantage of your vehicle’s alternator to charge your batteries using a DC-DC charger. These chargers convert power from your vehicle’s alternator into a suitable voltage for charging your house batteries. Help keep your batteries topped up while driving, reducing reliance on solar alone. A 40A DC-DC charger can significantly improve your charging ability and extend the runtime of your air conditioner.
4. Hopefully the charger you have will be upgradeable to be able to handle a Lithium battery charging requirements. Most Jayco vans in 2016 had a BMPRO system installed and many of these are upgradeable without removing the entire system. You will need to consider upgrading your fusing and cabling when increasing your solar and battery setup.

Running an air conditioner solely on battery power for long periods is difficult. By making these adjustments, you’ll have a more comfortable and efficient setup for life on the road.

Happy cool travels!

12V Guru