All Electric and Boondocking

[oscarvan]

Originally Posted by Cassy

added a microair easy start for the air-conditioner that I am able to run off my battery/solar is doing the peak time of the sun which is when the air is needed

For how long? And what wattage is the solar bank? And what amp hours is the battery bank? And how do you keep it charged? And what BTU is the AC?

Are you running generator? How long? What amperage is the charger?

Statements like that are cute.... but the numbers matter.

[The Renegade]

Thanks for all the replies. I guess some have mentioned gas being in the past in the posts so does that mean all electric seems to be the future of where things are headed? I did have the opportunity to ask the head tech at the dealership which direction seemed best and he said both systems were excellent and he really had no preference. He did say if he was forced to make a decision based on his needs, he would go all electric.

A lot to consider and experience goes along way on this Im sure..

[Dutch Star Don]

Originally Posted by Crasher

We boondock with an all electric coach. I have six 300 amp batteries for 900 amps of battery. Only 620 watts of solar on the roof. I run the generator for 1.5-2 hr in the morning while making breakfast and a couple hours at night to top off the batteries. We use the tv, satellite, vcr etc when we want to. Our hot water is Aqua hot. No matter what coach you buy, whenever you need to run the AC, the generator will have to be running. That could also be your recharge time instead of morning and night. We like all electric and would not want to go back to propane.

The above is pretty much what we have, but have only 450 watts of solar which I got at a good deal, otherwise, I would only have 300 watts. Our generator use is about the same as Crasher when boondocking.

When it comes to outfitting the coach, only YOU can decide how you'll be using it. We rarely boondock, so having a bunch of solar is no value to us. I see some that set up at Quartzsite for months boondocking that probably have 1500 -1800 watts of solar set up. If those people are honest, they'll have to admit that they have about $5K - $7K in solar equipment. If you were to by a small ultra quiet Honda 2000 generator, you could run it everyday (6 hours a day) for almost three years for the same price as one of those solar set ups, including the cost of the generator new.

Now some like the quiet of no generator, so solar works for them. Those that say they're running their A/C, neglected to say for how long and with how much of a solar investment. It's NOT realistic to run A/C on solar.

[stew1]

Guess I'm old still also, gas for freg and hot water , electric for ac if needed we stay out for days only move when holding tanks full usually a good week or more

[Milford 47]

Boon docking and Air Conditions don't mix

All Electric by far is the simplest and best way to Boon Dock as you read and heard above

Fewer and fewer larger class A coaches have propane as an option

I haven't seen a solar propane tank refill system yet but you can charge batteries

[jcussen]

Actually you can run one air conditioner without running the generator.
I have one air con wired through inverter, and on a sunny day, my panels can supply 75 to 80 amps to the batteries and to inverter, and the other 60 or so amps is supplied by the batteries themselves. I have 600 actual a/h's battery capacity so could run ac when I had good solar input, but not really practical at night, or in less than optimal solar conditions, and of course, would have to let batteries recharge before using ac again.
A 12 cf propane fridge will use about 1.5 lbs of propane a day. so my 17 gal [72 lb] tank should supply fridge for well over 6 weeks before needing a refill.

[theoldwizard]

Originally Posted by jerrybb

You were good till you said the AC had to be running.

Originally Posted by oscarvan

AC? You'll be running the generator whether you go gas or all electric. There's no gas AC.

Originally Posted by toddb

If you need the AC on you have to have the generator running. I’m sure it would be theoretically possible to have a big enough inverter and custom wiring done to run the AC off the house batteries, but you’d be measuring your battery time in minutes then.

You can run an AC on batteries and an inverter, but the cost of the installation is HUGE ! 4 maybe 6 Lithium batteries and probably close to 1kW of solar panels.

Off Grid Solar Powered RV Air Conditioning – Is it Possible?

How Long Will an RV AC Run on Two Batteries?


BTW, my next RV will likely have no propane ! First, I hardly ever boondoock ! Second, it would likely be for only one night. Third, I will have enough battery and inverter capacity to run a microwave and/or induction hot plate. Third, for cool nights, I will pile on the blankets and for hot nights I would use a 12V fan. I can go without a hot shower for a day.

[MRUSA14]

I have no propane and I do not go without hot showers. My Aquahot system provides all the hot water I could want and will keep the coach toasty warm in the coldest of weather.

[C.Martin]

Originally Posted by oscarvan

For how long? And what wattage is the solar bank? And what amp hours is the battery bank? And how do you keep it charged? And what BTU is the AC?

Are you running generator? How long? What amperage is the charger?

Statements like that are cute.... but the numbers matter.

There are a few of us with all-electric coaches...and have a switch to select between Inverter or main ac power for one air conditioning unit.

The Microair easy start is a given. It reduces locked rotor amps during startup so you don’t fault the Inverter.

The best example I have is a 3 1/2 hr test. 15kbtu Dometic Air Conditioner, 928aH of Interstate Flooded Lead Acid Batteries. 1,440watts of Solar. You can run an air conditioner for 3 1/2 hours and be left at around 60% state of charge. That’s the problem...you have to now make it thru the night with only 10% more battery. Not doable.

So, 1,440 will handle the coach and residential fridge...you need to generate another 160A (12v) source of power to run the air conditioner in order to go into nightfall with 100% batteries. About 2,000 watts..+1,440..or 3,440 watts to have a robust air conditioning running, all-electric coach.

The biggest advantage to the Microair we have found is while driving on a hot day. Between the solar and alternator...you can run an air conditioner the whole day and get to your destination with 100% in the batteries...ready to boondock for the night. We used to start the generator approaching a fuel stop, a dog walk, a campground. Now we roll silently. The batteries and solar run the air conditioner, while shutdown for 30 minutes here and there...and go back to 100% battery once the BIM relay shares alternator with the house.

We have an all electric..and do not worry about dry camping, camping on 30 amp shore. I find with our size solar (1,440 watts)...we mitigate air conditioner use...and when it is truly hot...set up the AGS (Auto gen start) to run the air conditioner.

Running a high amp drain off of batteries alone cost you on Flooded Lead Acid. The Peukert effect takes more aH of storage power out than is being used. Getting a LiFePO4 battery bank is a big bonus for boondockers. One, the Peukert effect is much, much less...two, you can get 80% or possibly more out of the bank without damage. Three, the voltage runs higher meaning less amps per given watt of work being done. Four, it doesn’t hurt to NOT always have them charged to 100%...there is no sulphation buildup on Li chemistry. I would recommend Lithium chemistry if trying to honestly run an air conditioner while camped...regardless of how much solar you have.

Solar yields 75 or so amps usually. In theory, perfect day..100A. Our charger when running generator or shore is 125A...but some FLA batteries, like Interstate , have us derate this to the c/10 charge rate or 92.8A.

The alternator is 240 amps, but doesn’t yield this to the house. It sees the voltage of the chassis battery, and derates itself somewhat. I have not placed a shunt or clampmeter on the BIM relay to see how many amps are actually fed from the alternator to the house. I just know it’s doing a great job while driving with the air conditioner on.

[jcussen]

Originally Posted by oscarvan

For how long? And what wattage is the solar bank? And what amp hours is the battery bank? And how do you keep it charged? And what BTU is the AC?

Are you running generator? How long? What amperage is the charger?

Statements like that are cute.... but the numbers matter.

With a good solar array and a 600 to 1000 a/h lithium battery, you could run one ac 24 hours a day. Your generator may have to start and run several hours, 2 or 3 times a day to recharge your batteries, but in my opinion, a better option than running your generator constantly when ever you have to use your ac.

[757driver]

Originally Posted by leroybrown

We went all electric and I would never go back to any gas on board again. We boondock all the time and it works great. And solar is a overpriced joke that just makes green people feel good.And if your running AC a lot like we do, it’s a mute point anyway. I never have to worry about the propane level, and trying to find it in a remote aera on a Sunday. Just keep diesel in the tank, and your good to go. And propane is very flammable and dangerous, and probably the leading cause of RV fires. Anything but all electric, is rving in the Stone Age like Fred Flintstone!

My 1100W solar which I installed myself will be paid for this summer, 3 years after install. An overpriced joke, I don’t think so. For boondocking with an all electric coach I find 1100W a great break even on sunny days in the winter with the solar panels tilted. Went 10 days in Quartzsite without having to run the generator. YMMV.

[ByeTheWay]

Here's the issue. Once your coach is made, you can switch from LP to electric fridge if you wish but it is thousands to go from electric to LP.



Check out https://jc-refrigeration.com/ and their helium cooling units

[jcussen]

Originally Posted by 757driver

My 1100W solar which I installed myself will be paid for this summer, 3 years after install. An overpriced joke, I don’t think so. For boondocking with an all electric coach I find 1100W a great break even on sunny days in the winter with the solar panels tilted. Went 10 days in Quartzsite without having to run the generator. YMMV.

A REAL boondocker runs his generator 24/7.

[757driver]

Originally Posted by jcussen

A REAL boondocker runs his generator 24/7.

Too funny. But I thought it was a redneck that ran the generator 24/7 and then cooked the meals on the exhaust.