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Old 07-02-2022, 10:54 PM   #15
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I think I have my answer which is no but not for the reason many had mentioned but that's also partially my fault for leaving out that I was talking about a mini-split. The 1800w solar gen from EcoFlo is rated to run 400 watts for 2.5 to 3 hours.

So it's not gonna be enough to get me through quite hours at most campgrounds. My only other thought on that would be to drop the temp below where I want it say 65 when I want to sleep at 72. And hope the AC can maintain temp well enough if set to an "eco mode" the answer has too many factors and with an 1800 watt solar gen seems Farfetched without perfect conditions.
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Old 07-02-2022, 11:25 PM   #16
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I'm taking about a 12-13k mini split not a roof monster. They draw about 300 in maintenance mode at 500 when you're pushing them.
Okay, yeah, you say "A/C" and we all assume the normal huge monster sucking down amps. Sounds like a workable plan!
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Old 07-03-2022, 08:15 AM   #17
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It's easier to say than: "big external inverter battery pack in a portable case that can be recharged with solar panels if you have a large enough array".

Roughly the term comes from the concept that you've generated power via solar.
portable battery bank is pretty easy to say and more inline in what it actually is. not a solar generator.
And since it can be charged via any energy source, yep portable battery is the best name to call it. but I don't think like most people either.
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Old 07-03-2022, 08:44 AM   #18
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You mentioned wanting to separate the ac from the house draws. It's hard to determine the best way to do this without knowing more about your RV and how your mini split is installed. Two fairly simple possibilities is accessing a place where your mini split is wired in, such as an easily accessible junction box, separating the connection, and installing a plug and outlet. I had this done on my gas furnace at home to be able to run it with a portable generator. It was simply a matter of unplugging the cord from the household outlet and plugging it into an extension cord from the generator.

The second way would be to run the ac power through a transfer switch with one side being the portable unit the other house power.

The simplest is forget trying to separate the two and just plug your RV cord into the power bank and call it good. If the only other draws are some occasional lighting, the water pump and refrigerator controls, it won't amount to a whole lot, especially when you are sleeping.
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Old 07-03-2022, 09:12 AM   #19
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If OP is handy enough to install a mini-split, he’s probably handy enough to DIY a LiFePo4 battery bank several times the amp hours (600 amp hrs) of the eco flow (150 amp hours) for the same price. 600 amp hrs would get him comfortably through the night.
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Old 07-03-2022, 05:04 PM   #20
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Cover your entire roof with solar panels, then deploy about 50% more additional panels and have half your floor covered in batteries, then get a mini-split ac unit that is a lot more efficient and then you can think about running ac off batteries overnight.
Much easier to just crank up that $400 generator and burn $5 worth of gas per night, cheaper too, and given your misunderstanding of solar and batteries, it will be easier for you to just stick with a generator of gas.
Solar generators are named to attract suckers. The sun is the generator, not the unit you are talking about which combines lithium batteries, I thought you said you didn't want lithium, and an inverter plus a solar panel charge controller, on the small side, all of them, small, think small. Cheaper to buy a lithium battery, a charge controller and the size inverter you need and wire them together yourself. The pre-fab units are great, but for the size you want these are not the way to go. You would need a unit the size of a large refrigerator, with a big carry handle or two.
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Old 07-04-2022, 01:42 AM   #21
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Cover your entire roof with solar panels, then deploy about 50% more additional panels and have half your floor covered in batteries, then get a mini-split ac unit that is a lot more efficient and then you can think about running ac off batteries overnight.
Much easier to just crank up that $400 generator and burn $5 worth of gas per night, cheaper too, and given your misunderstanding of solar and batteries, it will be easier for you to just stick with a generator of gas.
Solar generators are named to attract suckers. The sun is the generator, not the unit you are talking about which combines lithium batteries, I thought you said you didn't want lithium, and an inverter plus a solar panel charge controller, on the small side, all of them, small, think small. Cheaper to buy a lithium battery, a charge controller and the size inverter you need and wire them together yourself. The pre-fab units are great, but for the size you want these are not the way to go. You would need a unit the size of a large refrigerator, with a big carry handle or two.
There's a fair of people running mini splits off of rigs with onboard permanent lithium and have been doing so for years (not just giant class As with a gagillion panels and a bedroom full of lithium. Just not doing it off portable lithium battery banks aka solar generators.

The attractiveness to solar generators is they can be freely moved between different RVs, to sticks and bricks, car camping, etc. I have zero problems running an ICE generator except many places worth camping don't allow gensets at night.

Also for instance there's these (not what I want) but 4000 BTU off of a "solar generator" not such a stretch to imagine running a 9000 BTU off off a larger solar generator. However at that point they get up to 100+ lbs which is technically portable but not in the manner I'm speaking of.
https://us.ecoflow.com/products/wave-portable-air-conditioner-delta-pro-bundle-early-bird?gclid=Cj0KCQjwn4qWBhCvARIsAFNAMihwhJbyI3hlfrr-4AGM6sysIcGCe-C1GPbuSKlxbfbStLnrzdxH6XwaAmKYEALw_wcB

The name Solar generator is a catchy marketing term but also helps delineate them from "battery banks" as they often have charge controllers inverter tech etc built in.
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Old 07-04-2022, 07:25 AM   #22
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The name Solar generator is a catchy marketing term but also helps delineate them from "battery banks" as they often have charge controllers inverter tech etc built in.
a bms is technically a charge controller, so do we call every lifepo4 with a BMS a solar generator?
catchy marketing term is right. but still not correct to me. But I'm not out to change the way anyone thinks I'm just agreeing with another poster about how I feel about it.
Anywhoo lets carry on and not allow me to sidetrack this thread
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Old 07-05-2022, 07:53 AM   #23
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a bms is technically a charge controller,...
I disagree with this statement in totality. BMS is one thing. Charge controller is something completely different. I've been working with and installing solar and lithium for a decade.
From a beginner DIY solar site:
"Solar Charge Controllers and BMS serve totally different purposes. A Solar Charge Controller (SCC) is for charging your batteries via solar panels. A Battery Management System (BMS) is for cell level monitoring and battery protection."
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Old 07-05-2022, 08:53 AM   #24
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I disagree with this statement in totality. BMS is one thing. Charge controller is something completely different. I've been working with and installing solar and lithium for a decade.
From a beginner DIY solar site:
"Solar Charge Controllers and BMS serve totally different purposes. A Solar Charge Controller (SCC) is for charging your batteries via solar panels. A Battery Management System (BMS) is for cell level monitoring and battery protection."
disagee, I disagree too.

does a BMS control if a battery will take a charge or not?
the technical answer is yes.

is it a true charge controller, no you can't just connect solar panels and expect it to work.
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Old 07-10-2022, 02:57 PM   #25
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Solar generators are great for charging my E bikes but forget about an AC unit on an RV.
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Old 07-10-2022, 06:52 PM   #26
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Solar generators are great for charging my E bikes but forget about an AC unit on an RV.
Not true. I ran my 15,000 btu AC off my solar generator today. Now by solar generator that is 675 amp hours of batteries, 1400 watts of solar and a 3000 watt inverter.

Now that is not a portable solar generator. Then again the generator in my toy hauler is not portable either.
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Old 07-10-2022, 07:01 PM   #27
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Not true. I ran my 15,000 btu AC off my solar generator today. Now by solar generator that is 675 amp hours of batteries, 1400 watts of solar and a 3000 watt inverter.

Now that is not a portable solar generator. Then again the generator in my toy hauler is not portable either.
I agree, there are big solar generators that would do the job.
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Old 07-10-2022, 10:15 PM   #28
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So, when the sun goes down...

How many 12v amps does it take to make 15 x 120 volt amps; x8 hours; x2 (reducing battery to 50%), to run the AC for 8 hours?

Seems like it is around 2400 amps of battery power when no sun available?
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