Community Forums

NomadicNick · 05-08-2025, 06:46 PM

I've been looking into 12V air conditioners for off-grid RV use, and I’m genuinely impressed by how efficient they’ve become. Between lower amp draw, easier wiring, and better compatibility with solar setups, it seems like a great option for boondocking or cutting back on generator use.

For those running 12V A/C units, what’s your setup? How much solar and battery capacity are you using? Any tips to get the most out of it?

db4570 · 05-09-2025, 10:24 PM

I don't run 12V air conditioning, so I can't answer your question specifically. I like the idea of 12v air conditioning for the sake of not having to run the power through an inverter first. Do you have any information on particular units, their wattage draw (not amps), and BTUs? I'm curious what's out there.

BTUs are BTUs, so you will need a certain amount for your camper regardless of the voltage.

It also appears that inverters have gotten so efficient that 120v A.C. air conditioning may make more sense, due to their much more mainstream use, and lower current draw, which would make wiring size and voltage drop less of an issue than with 12v.

What I take away from people who talk about their using solar to run air conditioning is that it is a major project, with a huge square footage of panels, for often spotty results. I really like solar for boondocking, but only for much smaller loads.

SafariBen · 05-10-2025, 06:38 AM

As far as I know, there is NO 12V air conditioning, there is only alternating current compressors with internal inverters vs external inverters. That goes for "12V" fridges also. They're not running on 12AC either, so the voltage is stepped up to motor voltage. With that info, from my perspective, anything more than residential fridge and occasional microwave, IE, more than 2KW inverter, 1KW solar, or ONE series string of cells (one 300ah Li?), justifies going 48V. Think about that before upgrading one component, then the next, and next until you have a system that would have been much better off at 48V.

breeves2245 · 05-11-2025, 07:41 AM

I'm researching this one as it's just been added to the options list on my Scout Yoho truck camper that is on order.

Nomadic Cooling X2 12V 8,188 BTU Air Conditioner

Nwtravler · 05-11-2025, 11:58 AM

Just posted on YouTube a 12v AC install and review. Looks pretty promising especially if you can run a couple of those Epoch elite batteries.

https://youtu.be/4lvFKJIOG8I?si=6ko8siLhPeCwmoT9

db4570 · 05-11-2025, 09:45 PM

That Countrymod unit is a nice looking unit, and they give a nice sales pitch. It appears to be a fairly efficient unit, but nothing magical or groundbreaking. And as another reply said, it's a company nobody has ever heard of.

Keep in mind it is 10,000 BTU, which is a good size, but many RVers believe they need over 20,000 BTUs, from dual units.

At 10,000 BTUs it draws 750 watts, or 18,000 wh/day. Renogy rates their 320W panel, which is roughly 3x6 ft, at 1600 wh/day. So you would need at least 12 of these panels just to run the A.C. 24 hours a day. That's a lot of panels, and a lot of battery capacity.

I'm not saying it won't work, and it's cool this unit doesn't need separate inverter, but it still need a lot of watts. Watts are watts, and BTUs are BTUs, regardless of whether they are 12v or 120v.

This is something that could work for a very knowledgeable solar hobbyist, who is really into managing their system. But I don't imagine it being an easy plug-and-play solution for someone wanting the effortless comforts of home.

dwaynebmsg · 05-12-2025, 08:26 AM

RV with Tito on Youtube just made a video in which he tested a DC A/C.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lvFKJIOG8I

shootist · 05-12-2025, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SafariBen

As far as I know, there is NO 12V air conditioning, there is only alternating current compressors with internal inverters vs external inverters. That goes for "12V" fridges also. They're not running on 12AC either, so the voltage is stepped up to motor voltage. With that info, from my perspective, anything more than residential fridge and occasional microwave, IE, more than 2KW inverter, 1KW solar, or ONE series string of cells (one 300ah Li?), justifies going 48V. Think about that before upgrading one component, then the next, and next until you have a system that would have been much better off at 48V.

I don't think you've priced 48v ac units.

SafariBen · 05-12-2025, 11:12 AM

I didn't say it was the cheapest option in that post, though I do think it's overall extremely competitive to go to 48V any time you're upgrading power. Solar chargers and shore charging are two big bits of the cost, and the same solar charge controller will do 100A at 12v or 48v in many cases, so 4x the power for the same component on 48v vs 12v.

If you want cheap, I hear HD sells a smaller window unit that's quite efficient.

db4570 · 05-14-2025, 10:08 PM

So the headline on the video says it only draws 285 watts, but they don't tell you how few BTUs it puts out. You can extrapolate that to about 3000 BTUs in "sleep" mode. Will that be cool enough for sleeping? Maybe, if you can close off the sleeping area and duct all the cold air to just that area.

They then say it will last up to 12 hours on 400 WH. Maybe, but then what do you do when the sun comes out and the camper really heats up and you have to crank it up to high (1000W) at the same time you're trying to re-charge your batteries with solar?

You will need a minimum of 2000W of panels to even come close to making this work, and that's if you're not using any other electrical power.

I love solar, but people are vastly optimistic about what they can do with a modest size system.

sugarhillctd · 05-15-2025, 04:52 AM

https://velitcamping.com/products/ve...itioner-12-48v

Dave Pelletier · 05-15-2025, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by db4570

So the headline on the video says it only draws 285 watts, but they don't tell you how few BTUs it puts out. You can extrapolate that to about 3000 BTUs in "sleep" mode. Will that be cool enough for sleeping? Maybe, if you can close off the sleeping area and duct all the cold air to just that area.

They then say it will last up to 12 hours on 400 WH. Maybe, but then what do you do when the sun comes out and the camper really heats up and you have to crank it up to high (1000W) at the same time you're trying to re-charge your batteries with solar?

You will need a minimum of 2000W of panels to even come close to making this work, and that's if you're not using any other electrical power.

I love solar, but people are vastly optimistic about what they can do with a modest size system.

Yep; this. Any discussion about power consumption is useless without the BTUH rating of the unit. When it gets really warm (over 100 deg. F) the 13,500 BTUH A/C in my trailer struggles to keep the indoor temp reasonable.

Dave