*Solid, **Fastly.Cool** and gets the job done. For RV where window-mounted air conditioning is not an option, this works very well. Easy set up, rapid cooling, and great design.*
Your wrong! I have a mini split window AC installed in a cubby hole with outside access compartment door and AC is installed on a drawer slide platform. Open door, slide unit out and turn on. Runs on 500 to 700 watts, 8K BTU, inverter technology with soft start. Happier than a pig in shit.
We replaced an old Dometic in our 36 foot camper (vented). th-cam.com/users/postUgkxDDbPbIlwLRcX_ntp51ui5UMtAUGpHYxE The install was a simple swap, all holes lined up, the electric plug back in with no trouble. Getting it on the camper was the most "difficult" part of it, and my friend made it look easy. I've seen people "sled" them up ladders as well though. I watched a TH-cam video for instructions, very easily done. Some say it doesn't come with instructions, but I found the instructions under the ac in the box. I didn't need them, but they were there.It works well to keep a 36 footer comfortable, all by itself. It doesn't seem to be any quieter than the original, but it isn't any louder either. We're very pleased with it. Esp with the ease of swapping them out.
After reading many reviews and watching a lot of videos, I chose this option for my first backup power station. th-cam.com/users/postUgkxHypYDKHAN93Lp2RQpfvU_ksc70wJ00pt I was between this and a larger option that could power a wider range of items, but the price/size/capacity blend seemed right for this unit. Hasn't gotten a ton of use yet, but the build quality is solid and it charges fine via the Rockpals solar panel I purchased to pair with it. One thing to note is that the screen is optimized for a top down viewing angle, which makes sense, but this means it washes out at other angles - especially low angles. Not a huge deal, but perhaps a better option for the display could be used to provide wider viewing angles.
Thanks for the overview of your super system. I'm always happy to look at an engineering solution from a different perspective. We have been FTing a couple years and discovered we love to boondock so we are planning a big system in two phases. We completed the first 12v phase our first year and plan on building our second 48v phase the beginning of next year. We started by installing a 620 watt array on the side of our motorhome for our small 12v battery bank, that we use to run all the 12v items and a small 600w PSW inverter to power our entertainmnet center and PC. We like the side mounted panels because they can be angled toward the sun and are easier to keep clean without climbing on the roof, as we're not as young as y'all are. We are currently using our 5500 genny to power our larger AC loads, but in phase 2 we will be racking 9, 60cell 360+ watt panels on the roof (3,240+ additional watts) above our AC units to give us a total of 3,850 watts of solar. We also plan on mounting a super high efficiency 48v DC Hotspot minisplit high on the rear for both cooling and supplemental heating, as it draws about 1/2 the power of a typical rooftop AC, saving the inefficiency of running the power through 2 inverters (one to convert the DC battery power to AC and another inside the heat pump to convert it back to DC power.) I will build a 48v (16s) 14.4 kwh battery bank using the new 280 ah LiFePo-4 cells that are available. I can put one together with a quality BMS for around $2k - that's the storage capacity roughly equivalent to 11 Battleborn batteries for the cost of just 2. I will also use this bank to run a 48v inverter charger for my other electrical needs. This is my low budget (relatively) solution to my offgrid power needs. Congrats on your excellent system. I hope we'll meet down the road one day. Chip
Beautiful install!! Nice to have all that power without listening today and smelling a generator. U have a lot of money invested and the install is superb. Thank u for the tour
Do you have a list of that components u used and etc i have a 41 foot heartland that im trying to do the same thing to i was trying to find all the components and have the full list before coffing up all the money
can I ask the cost of the entire system? I spent close to 8,000 for an Onan 5500 watt generator and the thing drinks almost a gallon per hour during use. Solar seems to be the ticket!
I'm NOT looking forward to that aspect haha. Fortunately when we arrive in the Tampa area we're able to plug in so it will be a moot point, but I fear the weather!
This is great. Did you do this yourself? I'd love to follow your advice. Like others in the comments, I'd love to see your list of modules and components.
Wow that's an awesome system you have there. is there any way that you can show the wiring process on how to get your air conditioning unit to run off your inverters while you are on solar power. that would be great if you haven't done one already I have to check out your channel after this post.
Yes I’m Florida you will need ac 24/7 in the summer. I lived in Tampa 10 years and now in Naples 11 years. Humidity is insane. So I replaced my dometic with a mini split
Wow, That's a boat load of panels. Who ever did the install is an artist! They look amazing. Did you go through a drive through carwash before you filmed this? ... So Clean! Nice job.!!
Thanks for the Video. i had a build that was tesla Module power and we had a lighting strike that shorted something and the batteries caught fire. Thank God we where at home and no one was in the build. I am doing another build and have purchased 3 BB batteries @ 12V and struggled to run the RV and couldn't think about AC. I thought about trying Tesla again in a custom firebox. But after watching your video I think i will sick with BB and just add lots more. I did watch your other video about the reasons you switched
Sad that so many believe this is not possible. Well done and next video please spend more time on the set up and how you got it to where you are and less on trying to prove to the haters that it’s possible. I just picked up mine with 880 watts for solar and will add four more panels, there is ample roof space. Need to learn how many batteries, the best type etc. Cheers and thank you for sharing this.
@@alanpetersen4497 if these are modern inverter style air conditioners they arent needed. but that being said this is like a $40,000 power setup lol i think he covered his bases
I am coming along late but I jjst came across your video. Have you had any experiences with what Ive heard of as some sort of Startup Assist package that can be obtained or added to an RV A/C unit? Is it needed...does it help etc? It seems to me that if your equipment and sytem overall is large enough to produce the power...then it would be fine as is. That seems to be the case for your setup. Appreciate any comments you have. Thanks
A small Solar package cannot handle the load, unless a "Soft Start", capacitor is wired up to the a/c compressor. The inrush current of the A/C unit is as much as 800% of its normal operating amp copacity. Installing a Soft Start capacitor changes the sign wave of the current and voltage, and allow the unit to start on much lower current. Therefore, the answer to your question is YES, you need a Startup assist package.
my guess - to even out that huge load / capacity and possibly to cope with all those amps... To the best of my knowledge Victron only go up to 5kw units and I'm guessing that it also reduces wire size/cost..
i hope battle born appreciates you man. thanks for some truth on this (about ac and batteries) i am in central Florida. everyone has to have ac for rv life here. but i was considering just the fan life.
It looks like 9 panels maybe 250 watts each? He can run his AC in direct sunlight during the day and can’t park in the shade or under a tree. When the sun goes down all solar systems go down; how much battery do you need to run AC all night?
Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm building a similar system with 5 x 440Watts LG Panels and wondering if I should just put them all in series or have two MPPTs and separate into Series + parallel. Through your experience with threes and bypass diodes, have you had any issues with shading ? I'm guessing your SunPower panels have bypass diodes at every cell and don't get much affected by it. I've noticed you've a single MPPT controller on the 210watts panels I'm imagining you've a series+parallel setup, can you share more info on the solar wiring layout ? I could not find it on any of your videos. Thank you.
I actually did a mini split on my last RV, I really did enjoy it but it was a lot of work to make it “like factory”. It would be much nicer if you could buy a new RV with one pre-planned, pre-plumbed and pre-installed. Then you’d really be on to something. It’s a goal of mine for the future, no doubt.
That really helps. I have 1000 watts on the roof with 800 more coming. You said you have upwards of 10 hours to draw from your batteries for AC. But I think that is not correct. Help me out here. If you are running in the evening, temperatures and ambient temperature will be much lower, hence no sun, so your AC would run continually, not continuously. I live in Naples FL and it is humid. But even today, August 5th 2020, in the evening the AC in the condo turns off a lot more. In the RV even in middle of the day it turns off. So is it fair to say you could not deplete your batteries from your AC in the evening? I understand theory and reality don't always match up... what sayeth you?
You're correct in your assumptions, I mean 10 hours of AC runtime, space that out however you'd like, it's so dependent on location it's impossible to pin down
L Crawford haha, no, I don’t work for them. I do however live in Reno. Self employed actually. They’re just a great team of people I’ve come to know well and they make an excellent product with support like no other.
Thank you very much for your system overview. I'm guessing that is about $20,000 ish to do all of that perhaps more. You are quite correct about the weather in the East and you will get far more cloud as well, but you should still get a fair charge anyway. I would run your generator for at least an hour a month just to be sure it will be there when when you need it. You have done all you can to work this for over night AC, which is really the problem when you are trying to sleep. I have been in the Carolinas when the humidity can be cut with a knife. Even in the mid-West like Illinois can be quite hot and humid as well. In the East there are comparatively few boondocking opportunities save Walmart and you probably won't be permitted use of a generator, but you can see. The East is not the West. Also the East is quite forested and so at most campsites there can be very limited solar coupled with the clouds. You have an amazing set up, but it will be interesting to see how it goes for you. You work looks very professional and I hope you and your family get many years of enjoyment out of it. Travel safe. Henri (RVing with Henri)
@@henrivanbemmel Chase Why would you want to stay at an RV park to use solar? Isn't the point to boondock? I have yet to come across any places that do not allow a generator. For $2000 I can run my appliance and AC 24hrs a day. He has a beautiful set up, but to spend that kind of money is absolutely silly.
What does this solar power set up cost and how often do you need to replace the batteries? My guess is that your system purchase would be at least $ 25,000 plus installation cost and battery replacement would be at about 15 years at an additional cost. Lithium batteries cost more but do last longer (up to 20 years), but lithium batteries also degrade over time pending on usage and become less effective in storing energy. Yes you have independence from the electric grid but at a high price.
100%. And all rv's are built poorly and they are not built to be lived in full time. A beautiful set up, indeed. But so silly. The system will out live the trailer. And he still will need a generator to run his AC in humid weather? So so silly. I hope everyone turns to solar for their homes so they really feel what it's like to not be able to draw the amount of energy that they demand. Go ahead and drink the cool aid.
I installed a system similar, and it cost me approximately $16,000.00 for material only. However, there are package deals offered at different solar companies, that could have cut my cost in 1/2 on material. Making the Labor the only variable.
He mentioned he has an Easy Start from Microair on his air conditioner. It lowers inrush current significantly. Small generators can run an AC when installed.
Holy smokes, what a system, do you mind sharing how long you can run everything off solar/battery combo? What about at night when no sun is out, how long would fully charged batteries run your AC? Thanks
I've had the capability to run my air conditioner off of batteries for a year and it works well. I do need to monitor inverter temperature when running both A/C's for an extended period.
Thank you sharing your information. I want to run my two AC on battery also. I currently only have wet cells, Hoping to buy 4 lithium Kilovault 300a batteries. I have 2182 watts of solar capability on the roof. I have a 3k and a 2k Magnum Energy inverts. My questions is: Normally when using the inverters not all of the Receptacle will work. Did you have to have any additional electrical work or an additional sub-panels to enable the ACs to work? If so, did you do the work yourself? Thanks..
Where the Jones thanks! Shooting from the hip my answer would be yes, but I also think that has a lot to do with the temperature you’re comfortable at. As someone who’s lived their entire life in a relative lack of humidity, it’s just something that I can not stand so when it gets hot and humid I require the AC. My assumption is, as we head east we will reach a point where I’ll have to supplement our power, either via our small generator or visiting an RV park etc. A ground deploy is something I’ve heavily considered but never needed and until I have a better grasp on the real world requirements I don’t want to put something together that isn’t ideal. The only thing holding me back from already having one is transportation/storage of the panels. Plus, inevitably the moment I put them out is the moment it gets really windy...
@@muirindustries Makes sense. Using the generator might be the best solution for supplemental, all things considered. But like you said experience will give you more info to work with. We have another 1-2 years before we are back in the States but when we do we will be full timing and will be needing the autonomy that only a system like you have will provide...and I too like my A/C. I got my notifications on so I'll be watching for any updates.
We’ve got two more nights in an RV park (Bullhead City, AZ) to let the dogs play in the Colorado river by Lake Havasu, then we’ll start the Boondocking portion up at the Grand Canyon and I’ll actually put some effort into videos (not just a haphazardly thrown together GoPro video like this). I’ll be doing some stress tests and all of that. You’ll have to keep me updated as you make the transition yourself!
Very nice setup. Can I ask what charge controller and inverter you are using? Also how money do you think have in total for your system? Just curious thanks.
Charge controller is the Victron 150/100 and dual Victron 3000/24 inverters. I really haven’t done the math but I’d say you’re in the $18-20k range in parts.
@@patcmontgomery Hopefully you are still monitoring your comments on this video. I am getting close to you now! I have 4 - 200 ah batteries. But still need more solar but getting there. Question for you about the 24 volt to 12 converter. Is that powering heavy duty 12 volt appliances such as hydraulic slide motors? I can't get my head wrapped around how I can got to a 24 volt system in my fifth wheel. I believe that 24 volt to 12 volt converter you have is around a 70 amp, is that enough? Or are you hiding a 12 volt battery somewhere still? Thanks!
@muirindustries you can get a 6500w system for much cheaper now with 48v batteries. Those will last longer and with 8 410w panels make enough power to start and run ax for less than half the cost
Impressive solar setup. Massive and no doubt massively expensive. Most will not have the room for that kind of capacity. I am trying to figure out how much solar power that I will need to run one AC unit in my 31' travel trailer. Can it be done? I don't have room for 12 batteries or all the panels pictured in this video. Will it be worth it? My experience with boon docking is that tank dumping is the major issue. We don't boon dock much except for parking lot overnights en-route. Maintenance issues down the road are a concern as well. We all know where all those components are made and, the warranties are pathetic.
Ideas are collective. If you’re thinking it then someone else is too. When something is meant to be here, many people are seeded with the thought. It’s just a matter of who can afford to being it to fruition.
Can you do a video or have you done a video about what exactly you used for your solar and system and did you set it up yourself did it come on your RV originally? How much did it cost etc. etc.
With so much of your roof covered with dark colored solar panels, I've often wondered what the temperature gets to be between the solar panel and the top of the roof.
Wish I had a better system. We have the same name, wonder how we are related. Nice system you have wish you put out more videos about your rig and travels. Just sold out Solitude 377MBS and got an Imagine 22MLE.
What brand panels do you have? Also what’s the difference in the battle born deep cycles? I see there is two styles. One looks smaller than the style you have.
I have Sunpower panels. So long as you’re talking about their 100ah batteries there is no difference, just form factor. Just go with whatever fits you best :)
that digital screen showing you the usage, did you add that system or did it come with the rig from the factory? How many and what wattage soalr panels do you have? Thanks
so I now have 2040 watts and tried boondocking in Florida with rainy season, mostly cloudy every day, very humid, I get about 1400 watts in solar. Creates a deficit often. It is July 2022
Hi, good video. What would say your total power generation is on a good day? You've got 2,500 watts of solar and I've heard the rule of thumb is 3 or 4x that for a daily total, so 7,500 to 10,000 watt hrs? Did you ever consider a mini-split that would only pull 400-800 watts vs your AC needing 1,500?
Great video! I am about to purchase a 2021 Palomino Revolve EV-1 RV. Whats unique about this travel trailer is that it is all electric and runs completely on solar. It has 400w of panels on the roof and another 300 watts of portable that plugs into the back with 4 battle born 100ah batteries. They are saying it is sufficient to run my heater and AC. I'm not seeing it. It is a Renergy system, designed by them and has one 3000 watt inverter. I would love to hear your thought's on this out in the real world and how you think it will fair. Any input would be greatly appreciated!
I just received my 300 watt Renogy system yesterday, so I don't know personally, but I think you're right that it's not enough. The 4 batteries is sized right for making coffee (I overwork my 330AH battery bank (3X110) using my small keurig on a 3,000 watt inverter. It will drop those batteries from 12.5V to 11.5V by the fourth cup of coffee, but they bounce back up to 12.3 or so. I wouldn't risk damaging something by trying to run my A/C on this. I've burned up two cheap inverters getting close (but not exceeding) the output limit. As for the panels, I've been reading on the forums. People that have 100watt panels mounted on the roof seem to get about 50 to 60 watts during the heat of the day, and less the rest of it. Oddly, on the forums, people giving their actual setups and outputs are ignored as the thread goes down the spec sheets talking about what you need. The guy who pipes in and says he has that system, and gets half what the thread is assuming just gets ignored as the majority continue to use the optimum numbers on the spec sheet. Maybe you have a really efficient air conditioner, but mine has melted extension cords on a hot day plugged in when 30 amps wasn't going to reach. I'm figuring on being able to make coffee and run everything but A/C without the generator on this 300 watt system. I'm figuring I'll peak about 20 amps, and can count on at least 5 to 10 for the bulk of the day. We'll see; mostly I just wanted a trickle charger that wouldn't boil off my batteries when I'm plugged in for weeks, so I thought I would upgrade.
You have a zero percent chance of running your air conditioning via this setup. I don’t know what inverter it comes with, but if it’s large enough you could theoretically run an air conditioner for a few hours, but you’ll be running at a huge deficit and sooner rather than later you’ll have dead batteries.
If one adds a "Soft Start" Capacitor, you might be able to run one A/C unit, for a little while. I set up an RV. with 1800 Watts of Solar Panels, and 400 ah batteries, and I was able to run one A/C unit for quite a while, My biggest limiting factor was the 400 watts of battery power. I used a 150/100 MPPT Victron charge controller with one 12V 3,000 watt inverter. I tried running one A?C unit, but my system just could not handle it, until I put a Soft Start capacitor on the A/C unit. I think that I was barely able to run my AC unit, and the A/C unit eventually failed. I don't know if the problem was low voltage, but I know that in the event of a low voltage condition, the A/C compressor over amps, which will cause a failure to the compressor. The problem is, it may only experience low Voltage for a minimal amount of time, just when the batteries go dead, or on their last leg. Therefore, often the problem of low voltage is not recognized, until the compressor burns up, or over heats one too many times.
@@muirindustries So, you have 10 solar panels? essentially making 2.1 Kw on a good day? And, 2x 3,000 watt inverters! Of course you can run the A/C when you throw tons of money at the problem! Your video should be titled, "Solar A/C only works when you have money to spend, good luck everyone else!"
@@joshi.5553 12 panels, 2.5kw on a good day. Maybe I'll make a video about how you can own an RV if you have money, good luck everyone else! It's all relative.....
2:01 if there was a picture of what me doing the most looks like it would be this moment🤣🤣🤣🤣 this is me... With umpteen solar panels Runnin ac like nobodys mf business 🤣🤣🤣 love it
You may be able to get air conditioning from solar panels during the day, but what about at night? Can you store enough energy during the day to carry you through the night? What did that battery pack cost? Over $10,000?
How do you run a generator ; with solar.? How many batters and solar panels and can a wind gen. Be hooked also I have a5th wheel trailer I want to do this to and where do you go to have this done?and cost? THANK YOU
How many watts of solar do you have? And so you're inverting with 24 volts with a converter for the 12 volt stuff but the 110 is off of 24 volts correct?
That’s an extremely expensive system to install on your rig. You may want to discuss that investment. I would install an Onan generator until the cost comes down. The average RVer only keeps their RV 3-4 years. If you bought a new rig, would you remove the system and use it on another RV? 12 Battle Born batteries =,somewhere close to $12,000. I looked at a couple of your other panels and they were several thousand dollars each. Pretty pricey undertaking and takes up a lot of space.
*I love the Input/Output wattage function along with the % of charge remaining. solar **Generater.Systems** Well done.*
*Solid, **Fastly.Cool** and gets the job done. For RV where window-mounted air conditioning is not an option, this works very well. Easy set up, rapid cooling, and great design.*
Your wrong! I have a mini split window AC installed in a cubby hole with outside access compartment door and AC is installed on a drawer slide platform. Open door, slide unit out and turn on. Runs on 500 to 700 watts, 8K BTU, inverter technology with soft start. Happier than a pig in shit.
@@wally1957 i think you way misinterpreted this one year old comment lol
Can you modify the description to include all the parts of your solar set up?
We replaced an old Dometic in our 36 foot camper (vented). th-cam.com/users/postUgkxDDbPbIlwLRcX_ntp51ui5UMtAUGpHYxE The install was a simple swap, all holes lined up, the electric plug back in with no trouble. Getting it on the camper was the most "difficult" part of it, and my friend made it look easy. I've seen people "sled" them up ladders as well though. I watched a TH-cam video for instructions, very easily done. Some say it doesn't come with instructions, but I found the instructions under the ac in the box. I didn't need them, but they were there.It works well to keep a 36 footer comfortable, all by itself. It doesn't seem to be any quieter than the original, but it isn't any louder either. We're very pleased with it. Esp with the ease of swapping them out.
Recognize the park! Paradise by The Sea is awesome! Thanks for sharing,
SS
After reading many reviews and watching a lot of videos, I chose this option for my first backup power station. th-cam.com/users/postUgkxHypYDKHAN93Lp2RQpfvU_ksc70wJ00pt I was between this and a larger option that could power a wider range of items, but the price/size/capacity blend seemed right for this unit. Hasn't gotten a ton of use yet, but the build quality is solid and it charges fine via the Rockpals solar panel I purchased to pair with it. One thing to note is that the screen is optimized for a top down viewing angle, which makes sense, but this means it washes out at other angles - especially low angles. Not a huge deal, but perhaps a better option for the display could be used to provide wider viewing angles.
Thanks for the overview of your super system. I'm always happy to look at an engineering solution from a different perspective. We have been FTing a couple years and discovered we love to boondock so we are planning a big system in two phases. We completed the first 12v phase our first year and plan on building our second 48v phase the beginning of next year. We started by installing a 620 watt array on the side of our motorhome for our small 12v battery bank, that we use to run all the 12v items and a small 600w PSW inverter to power our entertainmnet center and PC. We like the side mounted panels because they can be angled toward the sun and are easier to keep clean without climbing on the roof, as we're not as young as y'all are. We are currently using our 5500 genny to power our larger AC loads, but in phase 2 we will be racking 9, 60cell 360+ watt panels on the roof (3,240+ additional watts) above our AC units to give us a total of 3,850 watts of solar. We also plan on mounting a super high efficiency 48v DC Hotspot minisplit high on the rear for both cooling and supplemental heating, as it draws about 1/2 the power of a typical rooftop AC, saving the inefficiency of running the power through 2 inverters (one to convert the DC battery power to AC and another inside the heat pump to convert it back to DC power.) I will build a 48v (16s) 14.4 kwh battery bank using the new 280 ah LiFePo-4 cells that are available. I can put one together with a quality BMS for around $2k - that's the storage capacity roughly equivalent to 11 Battleborn batteries for the cost of just 2. I will also use this bank to run a 48v inverter charger for my other electrical needs. This is my low budget (relatively) solution to my offgrid power needs. Congrats on your excellent system. I hope we'll meet down the road one day. Chip
Wow awesome set up on your roof brother !
I would love to see your wiring diagram, and total cost. This is very impressive system.
I can hear how proud you are about your system, and you should! Good job.
this is like a 30-40k system just for the power lol id be proud too
Beautiful install!! Nice to have all that power without listening today and smelling a generator. U have a lot of money invested and the install is superb. Thank u for the tour
I would take generator over this any day, this is just cool project nothing more. In few years nightmare to maintain. "Fossil" fuel all tha way baby.
That's the baddest solar / electric setup I've ever seen. Teach me master Yoda ha.
I know right!
Very nice setup very jelly here
Nice man just got into fifth wheel living and this is awesome to see. Technology is amazing
amazing set up.... Simply amazing....
Very very impressive setup you have sir!
Thanks so much! Really does set us free!
Do you have a list of that components u used and etc i have a 41 foot heartland that im trying to do the same thing to i was trying to find all the components and have the full list before coffing up all the money
can I ask the cost of the entire system? I spent close to 8,000 for an Onan 5500 watt generator and the thing drinks almost a gallon per hour during use. Solar seems to be the ticket!
You're probably looking at 35k installed or so
Great content. Glad I got to see the set-up before you left. Time is moving fast. A week already Tuesday.
Thanks!!
Very cool! Love the setup and curious to see the impact when you get to Tampa. Not humid here now, but that will change shortly.
I'm NOT looking forward to that aspect haha. Fortunately when we arrive in the Tampa area we're able to plug in so it will be a moot point, but I fear the weather!
we call it camping The weather is the fun part LOL! Safe travels to the Sunshine State.
That’s some serious power. Two inverters amazing man
This is great. Did you do this yourself? I'd love to follow your advice. Like others in the comments, I'd love to see your list of modules and components.
Wow that's an awesome system you have there. is there any way that you can show the wiring process on how to get your air conditioning unit to run off your inverters while you are on solar power.
that would be great if you haven't done one already I have to check out your channel after this post.
I'll have a blog post up soon, thanks!
Yes I’m Florida you will need ac 24/7 in the summer. I lived in Tampa 10 years and now in Naples 11 years.
Humidity is insane. So I replaced my dometic with a mini split
Wao. There is any way you can share all used parts and the ensamble to connect all. This is amazing project. Thanks for sharing
Wow, That's a boat load of panels. Who ever did the install is an artist! They look amazing. Did you go through a drive through carwash before you filmed this? ... So Clean! Nice job.!!
Thanks for the Video. i had a build that was tesla Module power and we had a lighting strike that shorted something and the batteries caught fire. Thank God we where at home and no one was in the build. I am doing another build and have purchased 3 BB batteries @ 12V and struggled to run the RV and couldn't think about AC. I thought about trying Tesla again in a custom firebox. But after watching your video I think i will sick with BB and just add lots more. I did watch your other video about the reasons you switched
It's a LOT safer way to go, you've proven my point :). Enjoy!!
Insurance seems valuable for sure
Man that's a nice solar setup. I'm super jealous.
Nice Setup! What AC units are those?
How did you install all that and the cool monitor!?? Would love to do that to my rig
Sad that so many believe this is not possible. Well done and next video please spend more time on the set up and how you got it to where you are and less on trying to prove to the haters that it’s possible. I just picked up mine with 880 watts for solar and will add four more panels, there is ample roof space. Need to learn how many batteries, the best type etc. Cheers and thank you for sharing this.
Why doesn't anyone mention "Soft Start" capacitors, to help alleviate the inrush current overload?
@@alanpetersen4497 if these are modern inverter style air conditioners they arent needed. but that being said this is like a $40,000 power setup lol i think he covered his bases
When you had the Tesla batteries, did you have a cooling system for them?
I am coming along late but I jjst came across your video. Have you had any experiences with what Ive heard of as some sort of Startup Assist package that can be obtained or added to an RV A/C unit? Is it needed...does it help etc? It seems to me that if your equipment and sytem overall is large enough to produce the power...then it would be fine as is. That seems to be the case for your setup. Appreciate any comments you have. Thanks
A small Solar package cannot handle the load, unless a "Soft Start", capacitor is wired up to the a/c compressor. The inrush current of the A/C unit is as much as 800% of its normal operating amp copacity. Installing a Soft Start capacitor changes the sign wave of the current and voltage, and allow the unit to start on much lower current. Therefore, the answer to your question is YES, you need a Startup assist package.
wow what a massive solar set up
Would love to see a parts list/cost. Not labor of hiring it done but just the parts.
You're probably close to 20k in parts
it's amazing! It's possible!
How much does this system cost?
That's incredible. Roughly how much did this hookup cost?
What solar panels do you have?
Awesome set up and beautiful rig! Just curious on why you use two inverters?
my guess - to even out that huge load / capacity and possibly to cope with all those amps... To the best of my knowledge Victron only go up to 5kw units and I'm guessing that it also reduces wire size/cost..
i hope battle born appreciates you man. thanks for some truth on this (about ac and batteries) i am in central Florida. everyone has to have ac for rv life here. but i was considering just the fan life.
Hello so you set up is awesome. How much did that cost and who did the install. Thanks
It looks like 9 panels maybe 250 watts each? He can run his AC in direct sunlight during the day and can’t park in the shade or under a tree.
When the sun goes down all solar systems go down; how much battery do you need to run AC all night?
Where in Oceanside are you? We’ll be there in February and looking for a place!
Very nice, thats alot of Battleborns
The best in the biz :)
Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm building a similar system with 5 x 440Watts LG Panels and wondering if I should just put them all in series or have two MPPTs and separate into Series + parallel. Through your experience with threes and bypass diodes, have you had any issues with shading ? I'm guessing your SunPower panels have bypass diodes at every cell and don't get much affected by it. I've noticed you've a single MPPT controller on the 210watts panels I'm imagining you've a series+parallel setup, can you share more info on the solar wiring layout ? I could not find it on any of your videos.
Thank you.
Signature solar in Texas has a split unit that uses 500 watts. How much is your ac using when compressor turns on?
The dog sleeping in that position was hilarious.What would you think about running a ductless air/heat system instead of the roof shaker style?
I actually did a mini split on my last RV, I really did enjoy it but it was a lot of work to make it “like factory”. It would be much nicer if you could buy a new RV with one pre-planned, pre-plumbed and pre-installed. Then you’d really be on to something. It’s a goal of mine for the future, no doubt.
we call it camping How did the mini split handle the traveling? That ya always been a concern of mine that it would get beat to death?
That really helps. I have 1000 watts on the roof with 800 more coming. You said you have upwards of 10 hours to draw from your batteries for AC. But I think that is not correct. Help me out here. If you are running in the evening, temperatures and ambient temperature will be much lower, hence no sun, so your AC would run continually, not continuously. I live in Naples FL and it is humid. But even today, August 5th 2020, in the evening the AC in the condo turns off a lot more. In the RV even in middle of the day it turns off. So is it fair to say you could not deplete your batteries from your AC in the evening? I understand theory and reality don't always match up... what sayeth you?
You're correct in your assumptions, I mean 10 hours of AC runtime, space that out however you'd like, it's so dependent on location it's impossible to pin down
What’s the total watts of the panels you have? Very clean install. Did you do it yourself?
All done myself, 2,520 watts :)
we call it camping very cool. Sweet system! Do you work for BB up in Reno? Lol.
L Crawford haha, no, I don’t work for them. I do however live in Reno. Self employed actually. They’re just a great team of people I’ve come to know well and they make an excellent product with support like no other.
we call it camping totally agree with that about BB. I heard you say you live in Reno in the video. We are down in Sac.
Thank you very much for your system overview. I'm guessing that is about $20,000 ish to do all of that perhaps more. You are quite correct about the weather in the East and you will get far more cloud as well, but you should still get a fair charge anyway. I would run your generator for at least an hour a month just to be sure it will be there when when you need it. You have done all you can to work this for over night AC, which is really the problem when you are trying to sleep. I have been in the Carolinas when the humidity can be cut with a knife. Even in the mid-West like Illinois can be quite hot and humid as well. In the East there are comparatively few boondocking opportunities save Walmart and you probably won't be permitted use of a generator, but you can see. The East is not the West. Also the East is quite forested and so at most campsites there can be very limited solar coupled with the clouds. You have an amazing set up, but it will be interesting to see how it goes for you. You work looks very professional and I hope you and your family get many years of enjoyment out of it. Travel safe. Henri (RVing with Henri)
Well you at over 11k for those batteries alone.
Generator all the way, all this money and still you can't leave this thing for 2 weaks on same spot and run AC all day long.
@@zelenizub2036 Yes, but many places won't let you use them. If you chase 70F you may not need one and then the solar will do everything.
@@henrivanbemmel Chase Why would you want to stay at an RV park to use solar? Isn't the point to boondock? I have yet to come across any places that do not allow a generator. For $2000 I can run my appliance and AC 24hrs a day. He has a beautiful set up, but to spend that kind of money is absolutely silly.
Wow, those panels can power a lot of devices! 👍👍
What does this solar power set up cost and how often do you need to replace the batteries? My guess is that your system purchase would be at least $ 25,000 plus installation cost and battery replacement would be at about 15 years at an additional cost. Lithium batteries cost more but do last longer (up to 20 years), but lithium batteries also degrade over time pending on usage and become less effective in storing energy.
Yes you have independence from the electric grid but at a high price.
100%. And all rv's are built poorly and they are not built to be lived in full time. A beautiful set up, indeed. But so silly. The system will out live the trailer. And he still will need a generator to run his AC in humid weather? So so silly. I hope everyone turns to solar for their homes so they really feel what it's like to not be able to draw the amount of energy that they demand. Go ahead and drink the cool aid.
I installed a system similar, and it cost me approximately $16,000.00 for material only. However, there are package deals offered at different solar companies, that could have cut my cost in 1/2 on material. Making the Labor the only variable.
This system is a lot like mine. His numbers are typical of what I get on sunny days like that.
Yes this is possible.
Very nice setup. With that bank of batteries do you still need some sort of extra capacitor for the initial start/surge of the A/C compressor?
He mentioned he has an Easy Start from Microair on his air conditioner. It lowers inrush current significantly. Small generators can run an AC when installed.
Holy smokes, what a system, do you mind sharing how long you can run everything off solar/battery combo? What about at night when no sun is out, how long would fully charged batteries run your AC? Thanks
Nice video
Did you say your from Reno NV? how is it there arent any beer kegs in that RV?
Cool awesome!
You're going too have to rig it up yourself outspoken!
What are the A/C units? Are they the originals that came with the trailer?
They are the original units, Coleman Mach 8’s
I've had the capability to run my air conditioner off of batteries for a year and it works well. I do need to monitor inverter temperature when running both A/C's for an extended period.
Thank you sharing your information. I want to run my two AC on battery also. I currently only have wet cells, Hoping to buy 4 lithium Kilovault 300a batteries. I have 2182 watts of solar capability on the roof.
I have a 3k and a 2k Magnum Energy inverts. My questions is: Normally when using the inverters not all of the Receptacle will work. Did you have to have any additional electrical work or an additional sub-panels to enable the ACs to work? If so, did you do the work yourself? Thanks..
There is a lot of work to be done, all receptacles work, you’ll just have to work out your energy requirements :)
ive seen battleborns running roof ac before but the first vid that show more solar capacity than power being used.
It's certainly one of the larger installs, but they're getting bigger by the week!
are your batteries in a 48v setup?
Love the setup man. Pretty much my ideal system. Do you foresee the need for a supplemental ground array for the meaner weather?
Where the Jones thanks! Shooting from the hip my answer would be yes, but I also think that has a lot to do with the temperature you’re comfortable at. As someone who’s lived their entire life in a relative lack of humidity, it’s just something that I can not stand so when it gets hot and humid I require the AC. My assumption is, as we head east we will reach a point where I’ll have to supplement our power, either via our small generator or visiting an RV park etc. A ground deploy is something I’ve heavily considered but never needed and until I have a better grasp on the real world requirements I don’t want to put something together that isn’t ideal. The only thing holding me back from already having one is transportation/storage of the panels. Plus, inevitably the moment I put them out is the moment it gets really windy...
@@muirindustries Makes sense. Using the generator might be the best solution for supplemental, all things considered. But like you said experience will give you more info to work with. We have another 1-2 years before we are back in the States but when we do we will be full timing and will be needing the autonomy that only a system like you have will provide...and I too like my A/C. I got my notifications on so I'll be watching for any updates.
We’ve got two more nights in an RV park (Bullhead City, AZ) to let the dogs play in the Colorado river by Lake Havasu, then we’ll start the Boondocking portion up at the Grand Canyon and I’ll actually put some effort into videos (not just a haphazardly thrown together GoPro video like this). I’ll be doing some stress tests and all of that. You’ll have to keep me updated as you make the transition yourself!
@@muirindustries will do!
Very nice setup. Can I ask what charge controller and inverter you are using? Also how money do you think have in total for your system? Just curious thanks.
Charge controller is the Victron 150/100 and dual Victron 3000/24 inverters. I really haven’t done the math but I’d say you’re in the $18-20k range in parts.
I figured it must be somewhere around there given the cost of Battle Borns alone. Thanks for the info.
@@patcmontgomery Hopefully you are still monitoring your comments on this video. I am getting close to you now! I have 4 - 200 ah batteries. But still need more solar but getting there. Question for you about the 24 volt to 12 converter. Is that powering heavy duty 12 volt appliances such as hydraulic slide motors? I can't get my head wrapped around how I can got to a 24 volt system in my fifth wheel. I believe that 24 volt to 12 volt converter you have is around a 70 amp, is that enough? Or are you hiding a 12 volt battery somewhere still? Thanks!
@muirindustries you can get a 6500w system for much cheaper now with 48v batteries. Those will last longer and with 8 410w panels make enough power to start and run ax for less than half the cost
I want to know more about you AC system specially the heating coil system and cooling coil system what type of compressor you are using
What was the cost of the hole solar setup? Batteries, panels, ect.
11k isn't too far in the hole for free AC
Impressive solar setup. Massive and no doubt massively expensive. Most will not have the room for that kind of capacity. I am trying to figure out how much solar power that I will need to run one AC unit in my 31' travel trailer. Can it be done? I don't have room for 12 batteries or all the panels pictured in this video. Will it be worth it? My experience with boon docking is that tank dumping is the major issue. We don't boon dock much except for parking lot overnights en-route. Maintenance issues down the road are a concern as well. We all know where all those components are made and, the warranties are pathetic.
How many watts are your panels? Did you install this system or have someone install it? What is the cost of a system like this?
Run the Damn RV full electric. God damn it. My million dollar idea.
Ideas are collective. If you’re thinking it then someone else is too. When something is meant to be here, many people are seeded with the thought. It’s just a matter of who can afford to being it to fruition.
Can you do a video or have you done a video about what exactly you used for your solar and system and did you set it up yourself did it come on your RV originally? How much did it cost etc. etc.
Are you still in Tampa?
How much is all that solar setup? and would it need to be different on a motorcoach?
It's speedy, hard to say exactly without knowing the details, but in essence it can be replicated on anything.
What size/kind if RV you have? From parts I see it is very nice.
With so much of your roof covered with dark colored solar panels, I've often wondered what the temperature gets to be between the solar panel and the top of the roof.
What's best way to mount panels to the roof
Can the AC run 24 hrs?
Wish I had a better system. We have the same name, wonder how we are related.
Nice system you have wish you put out more videos about your rig and travels. Just sold out Solitude 377MBS and got an Imagine 22MLE.
Imagine a Windstream covered in small hexagonal panels making the entire surface area a power collection surface.
What brand panels do you have? Also what’s the difference in the battle born deep cycles? I see there is two styles. One looks smaller than the style you have.
I have Sunpower panels. So long as you’re talking about their 100ah batteries there is no difference, just form factor. Just go with whatever fits you best :)
Can you please post your whole system and who installed it and price you can pm I want this
How much did the instal cost? I’ve been really wanting to do this to my fifth wheel!
He says in another around 20K. Just the batteries alone today would be around 11K.
that digital screen showing you the usage, did you add that system or did it come with the rig from the factory? How many and what wattage soalr panels do you have? Thanks
As I hit send I heard you say 12- 100w panels LOl
so I now have 2040 watts and tried boondocking in Florida with rainy season, mostly cloudy every day, very humid, I get about 1400 watts in solar. Creates a deficit often. It is July 2022
Hi, good video. What would say your total power generation is on a good day? You've got 2,500 watts of solar and I've heard the rule of thumb is 3 or 4x that for a daily total, so 7,500 to 10,000 watt hrs?
Did you ever consider a mini-split that would only pull 400-800 watts vs your AC needing 1,500?
Great video! I am about to purchase a 2021 Palomino Revolve EV-1 RV. Whats unique about this travel trailer is that it is all electric and runs completely on solar. It has 400w of panels on the roof and another 300 watts of portable that plugs into the back with 4 battle born 100ah batteries. They are saying it is sufficient to run my heater and AC. I'm not seeing it. It is a Renergy system, designed by them and has one 3000 watt inverter. I would love to hear your thought's on this out in the real world and how you think it will fair. Any input would be greatly appreciated!
I just received my 300 watt Renogy system yesterday, so I don't know personally, but I think you're right that it's not enough. The 4 batteries is sized right for making coffee (I overwork my 330AH battery bank (3X110) using my small keurig on a 3,000 watt inverter. It will drop those batteries from 12.5V to 11.5V by the fourth cup of coffee, but they bounce back up to 12.3 or so. I wouldn't risk damaging something by trying to run my A/C on this. I've burned up two cheap inverters getting close (but not exceeding) the output limit.
As for the panels, I've been reading on the forums. People that have 100watt panels mounted on the roof seem to get about 50 to 60 watts during the heat of the day, and less the rest of it. Oddly, on the forums, people giving their actual setups and outputs are ignored as the thread goes down the spec sheets talking about what you need. The guy who pipes in and says he has that system, and gets half what the thread is assuming just gets ignored as the majority continue to use the optimum numbers on the spec sheet.
Maybe you have a really efficient air conditioner, but mine has melted extension cords on a hot day plugged in when 30 amps wasn't going to reach. I'm figuring on being able to make coffee and run everything but A/C without the generator on this 300 watt system. I'm figuring I'll peak about 20 amps, and can count on at least 5 to 10 for the bulk of the day. We'll see; mostly I just wanted a trickle charger that wouldn't boil off my batteries when I'm plugged in for weeks, so I thought I would upgrade.
You have a zero percent chance of running your air conditioning via this setup.
I don’t know what inverter it comes with, but if it’s large enough you could theoretically run an air conditioner for a few hours, but you’ll be running at a huge deficit and sooner rather than later you’ll have dead batteries.
If one adds a "Soft Start" Capacitor, you might be able to run one A/C unit, for a little while. I set up an RV. with 1800 Watts of Solar Panels, and 400 ah batteries, and I was able to run one A/C unit for quite a while, My biggest limiting factor was the 400 watts of battery power. I used a 150/100 MPPT Victron charge controller with one 12V 3,000 watt inverter. I tried running one A?C unit, but my system just could not handle it, until I put a Soft Start capacitor on the A/C unit. I think that I was barely able to run my AC unit, and the A/C unit eventually failed. I don't know if the problem was low voltage, but I know that in the event of a low voltage condition, the A/C compressor over amps, which will cause a failure to the compressor. The problem is, it may only experience low Voltage for a minimal amount of time, just when the batteries go dead, or on their last leg. Therefore, often the problem of low voltage is not recognized, until the compressor burns up, or over heats one too many times.
Are your panels from Tesla too? What sort of watts each panel makes?
They are Sunpower 210w panels
@@muirindustries So, you have 10 solar panels? essentially making 2.1 Kw on a good day? And, 2x 3,000 watt inverters! Of course you can run the A/C when you throw tons of money at the problem! Your video should be titled, "Solar A/C only works when you have money to spend, good luck everyone else!"
@@joshi.5553 12 panels, 2.5kw on a good day. Maybe I'll make a video about how you can own an RV if you have money, good luck everyone else! It's all relative.....
Damn! 12k just in batteries!
exactly my thought!
@@rffairchild2 every 6 years too. must be nice to have 2k a year for batteries.
Current lithium ion battery banks last for about 10 years before replacement is needed
.
@@jimfairchild2093 is that like avg or youtr setup? they are rated for 6 years with normal use.
Can you explain more on the rig to keep the batteries cooled? And other aspects on the spaced used in the RV storage area?
How about at night
do Batteries have enough power to run Aircons?
what brand is that controller/control panel? does it have a way to integrate grid power if thats plugged in and charge the batteries?
2:01 if there was a picture of what me doing the most looks like it would be this moment🤣🤣🤣🤣 this is me... With umpteen solar panels Runnin ac like nobodys mf business 🤣🤣🤣 love it
How much your entire setup ran you?
You may be able to get air conditioning from solar panels during the day, but what about at night? Can you store enough energy during the day to carry you through the night?
What did that battery pack cost? Over $10,000?
It's about an $11,000 battery bank, and generally speaking we're fine through the night but we don't spend a lot of time places that are hot at night.
What did that system cost you. Could I get a list of what you have. I have the same pinnacle
How do you run a generator ; with solar.? How many batters and solar panels and can a wind gen. Be hooked also I have a5th wheel trailer I want to do this to and where do you go to have this done?and cost? THANK YOU
Lived in Oceanside for 17 years.
What size charge controller?
What's your battery capacity? How many kwh?
Living Vehicle has a setup that produces 4400 watts and stores 72kwh.
How many watts of solar do you have? And so you're inverting with 24 volts with a converter for the 12 volt stuff but the 110 is off of 24 volts correct?
That’s an extremely expensive system to install on your rig. You may want to discuss that investment. I would install an Onan generator until the cost comes down. The average RVer only keeps their RV 3-4 years. If you bought a new rig, would you remove the system and use it on another RV? 12 Battle Born batteries =,somewhere close to $12,000. I looked at a couple of your other panels and they were several thousand dollars each. Pretty pricey undertaking and takes up a lot of space.