2004 Arctic Fox 990 questions

[Miah]

Hi, just curious if there’s any 2004 Arctic Fox 990 owners that have a factory installed 13.5 BTU A/C and what size generator it came with from the factory.

As I’m looking for an inverter to run the AC appliances and air conditioning with when shore power isn’t available (and maybe some other things such as a heated mattress pad or a small ceramic heater, etc if that’s even safely possible…) … so need to know what size inverter would be able to meet such a goal safely, as I do not want to burn it or us up either!

Thanks in advance!

[NewBlackDak]

Originally Posted by Miah

Hi, just curious if there’s any 2004 Arctic Fox 990 owners that have a factory installed 13.5 BTU A/C and what size generator it came with from the factory.

As I’m looking for an inverter to run the AC appliances and air conditioning with when shore power isn’t available (and maybe some other things such as a heated mattress pad or a small ceramic heater, etc if that’s even safely possible…) … so need to know what size inverter would be able to meet such a goal safely, as I do not want to burn it or us up either!

Thanks in advance!

All the specific things you mentioned(air conditioner and heaters) are huge power consumers and generally not a good fit for inverters. It would take a large inverter with an very large battery bank and solar setup to keep something like that running. It’s not impossible, but most will go with a generator for ease of use and installation. Heating is much more efficient with a ventless propane heater with a thermostat. Mr heater has a couple models that are great.

[Miah]

Originally Posted by NewBlackDak

All the specific things you mentioned(air conditioner and heaters) are huge power consumers and generally not a good fit for inverters. It would take a large inverter with an very large battery bank and solar setup to keep something like that running. It’s not impossible, but most will go with a generator for ease of use and installation. Heating is much more efficient with a ventless propane heater with a thermostat. Mr heater has a couple models that are great.

Currently our only option, if not connected to shore power is using a generator to run the AC appliances or the air conditioner, and our other AC items; but I’d like to get away from using the gas generator as much as possible.

We recently upgraded from 200 aHrs of FLAs and now have 520 a aHrs of LFPs. We also have a DCDC charger to help keep the batteries charging/topped off while we are driving, which has been a wonderful addition and definitely was worth the nominal investment - as we are now able to run our 3-way fridge on DC while driving, which helps to save on propane - its saved us both $ and on the propane usage too! So between the 200 watts of solar mounted (and 200 watts we can add and set up for ground mounting as well) combined with the DCDC charger and then the generator too if needed, we can keep the batteries topped off.

But we plan to be traveling south shortly for the next couple of months, with my elderly parents who will need air conditioning (as well as the use of other AC appliances) so… we we’re hoping to invest in an inverter so we can boondock occasionally or utilize tent sites that don’t have electric hookups (especially since finding any sites in Fl will be difficult at best this time of the year. So even if we have to use a generator, any possibility to save some gas in the generator by using the inverter and batteries would help as well!)

Plus, I also don’t think using a supplemental gas heater is safe, with my elderly parents traveling with us. We have a propane heater that’s properly vented, that we will predominantly utilize for heat when necessary, but if we could possibly supplement occasionally with a small electric ceramic heater too, that could save some propane and gas fuel. But if it doesn’t work, we will just have to try to use a 12v electric blanket for them instead.

Hence, those are the reasons why I was hoping to find out what others with an AF 990 have maybe used for an inverter and if any of them are successfully using an inverter, solar and batteries for running air conditioning and other AC appliances or such safely and successfully…

Thanks!!!

[Persistent]

“Currently our only option, if not connected to shore power is using a generator to run the AC appliances or the air conditioner, and our other AC items; but I’d like to get away from using the gas generator as much as possible. We recently upgraded from 200 aHrs of FLAs and now have 520 a aHrs of LFPs.”

You have received good advice posted above.

You would need at least a 2000 watt inverter to run one heating appliance.

520 amp hours X 12 volts = 6200 watts for 1 hour or 1000 watts for 6 hours.
1000 watt space heater will completely drain the battery bank in 6 hours.
A 1000 watt air conditioner is about the same.

“We also have a DCDC charger to help keep the batteries charging/topped off while we are driving, which has been a wonderful addition and definitely was worth the nominal investment - as we are now able to run our 3-way fridge on DC while driving, which helps to save on propane - its saved us both $ and on the propane usage too! So between the 200 watts of solar mounted (and 200 watts we can add and set up for ground mounting as well) combined with the DCDC charger and then the generator too if needed, we can keep the batteries topped off.”

You are going to need all the alternator charging you can get to recharge the 520 amp hour battery bank. 30 amps DCDC for 4 hours of driving equals 120 amp hours replaced. I advise that you use propane for the refrigerator.

200 watt solar may harvest 1200 watts in a single solar day. Of course this only works in Arizona on a bright summer day with no shade.

“But we plan to be traveling south shortly for the next couple of months, with my elderly parents who will need air conditioning (as well as the use of other AC appliances) so… we we’re hoping to invest in an inverter so we can boondock occasionally or utilize tent sites that don’t have electric hookups (especially since finding any sites in Fl will be difficult at best this time of the year. So even if we have to use a generator, any possibility to save some gas in the generator by using the inverter and batteries would help as well!)"

Saving generator gas is going to be the least of your worries. Heating and cooling with electric requires grid power or vast solar arrays.

A 30 amp 120 volt RV system is 3600 watts. You need a 3600 watt inverter to match its capability.

A 50 amp 240 volt RV system is 12000 watts.

“Plus, I also don’t think using a supplemental gas heater is safe, with my elderly parents traveling with us. We have a propane heater that’s properly vented, that we will predominantly utilize for heat when necessary, but if we could possibly supplement occasionally with a small electric ceramic heater too, that could save some propane and gas fuel. But if it doesn’t work, we will just have to try to use a 12v electric blanket for them instead.”

Wool socks, warm sweaters, and fluffy quilts work much better for boondocking or dry camping.

Electric heating or cooling from a 520 amp hour 12 volt battery bank is not useful.

Coffee pots, microwave, TV, fans are all OK with a 3600 watt inverter.

Running a generator for 8 hours heating overnight is an unpleasant task.

200 watts of solar is a drop in the bucket for long term heating or cooling.