LiFePo...Mini Split A/C's....Solar...EV Chassis ???

[Jacjetlag]

Why can't some pioneering/INDUSTRY LEADING manufacturer build this technology into RV's ???

+++++

Must there always be a race to the bottom for price? A lot of us have saved up for these things. Build us something nice/functional and it will sell. Since they don't, we are doing a lot of this stuff ourselves.

[R.Wold]

Originally Posted by Jacjetlag

Why can't some pioneering/INDUSTRY LEADING manufacturer build this technology into RV's ???

+++++

Must there always be a race to the bottom for price? A lot of us have saved up for these things. Build us something nice/functional and it will sell. Since they don't, we are doing a lot of this stuff ourselves.

Another good example is those grossly inefficient propane furnaces that seem to pump more BTUs outside than in. And it’s been the same basic design for decades. You’d think someone might have had the bright idea to improve these by now. Maybe not condensing 96% efficient, but at least an improvement? I guess since is cheaper to use the same old junk, that’s he way it’s going to be.

[KenZ71]

Lead Acid is way cheaper vs Lithium. Although some of the high end models from Liberty Coach & Tiffin offer a variety of Lithium battery.

[kparsley]

Completely agree! Pulling the LA batts and putting lipo’s under the bed. Perfect location for the condensing unit for the mini split.

[Jacjetlag]

"Lead Acid is way cheaper vs Lithium."

+++++

Only for initial, one time, purchase. And then you'll buy 4 or 5 sets of them before LiFePo is replaced, so no, Lead Acid is not way cheaper.

[R Cabesa]

And to add, twice the usable energy at half the weight.


Bring on the efficient small mini splits and we can leave the generator at home

[Nwcid]

Go to a high end or custom builder and you can get whatever you want. Here is one builder that does do this work, https://spacecraftmfg.com

Go to the average builder and you will get what marketing says they can sell the most of. Most people that have RV's barely use them. I think I read one time the average RV gets used a total of 2 weeks per year.

For those that rarely use their units the increased cost of the increased performance has no value to them.

[Jacjetlag]

Originally Posted by Nwcid

Go to a high end or custom builder and you can get whatever you want. Here is one builder that does do this work, https://spacecraftmfg.com

Go to the average builder and you will get what marketing says they can sell the most of. Most people that have RV's barely use them. I think I read one time the average RV gets used a total of 2 weeks per year.

For those that rarely use their units the increased cost of the increased performance has no value to them.

+++++

Ok, I guess that would be a different market segment. 2 weeks doesn't clear the bar for renting vs. owning.

[astrocamper]

In my case I bought the travel trailer before we retired so we could pay of the GMC2500HD and the trailer before we retire. We only get about 20 nights are year now. I plan on about 90-120 nights a year once retired.

I put the money in solar/batteries/inverter-charger so we could camp off grid and have power like we are on grid. We camp for astronomy so dark skies, no trees and no neighbors except for other astronomers is ideal.

[paul65k]

Totally agree with you guys....I've been saying for a couple of years now "Why doesn't one of the AC manufacturers make an inverter compressor replacement for the archaic rooftop AC units that were amazing when invented in the late '50s but is sorely in need of a technology refresh .

You can see from my signature that I'm on board with what Astrocamper is saying....too bad we have to invent this stuff ourselves vs just buying a manufacturer's engineered solution

[hclarkx]

Originally Posted by Jacjetlag

"Lead Acid is way cheaper vs Lithium."

+++++

Only for initial, one time, purchase. And then you'll buy 4 or 5 sets of them before LiFePo is replaced, so no, Lead Acid is not way cheaper.

And, if you are doing solar, you need a bunch more solar for LA than you do for LiFePo4.

[hclarkx]

Originally Posted by R Cabesa

And to add, twice the usable energy at half the weight.


Bring on the efficient small mini splits and we can leave the generator at home

The key word here is "small" ..... even most of the 9K units have very large condenser units. It seems they use one frame for 1 ton and below. A 9K or 6K could be much smaller. There have been smaller ones on the market, but I don't think there are now.

[Xmcdog]

Originally Posted by hclarkx

The key word here is "small" ..... even most of the 9K units have very large condenser units. It seems they use one frame for 1 ton and below. A 9K or 6K could be much smaller. There have been smaller ones on the market, but I don't think there are now.

No doubt the condenser could be made smaller or even made in several pieces or a different format. Then we need to look at the evaporator. There is not a lot of space to install this on the inside. Yes I know it has been done but would it sell? Likely not. It would take a major redesign and engineering to come up with a system that would look good. This is for a very limited market compared to the market that minis enjoy at present.

No doubt there will be changes in design that may help. There are rumours of major changes in the air conditioning industry in the next few years. Who knows what is coming? The old vapor compression systems have been around for about a century or so and we must be due for a change.

JMHO

[paul65k]

Actually, the first step would be to redesign the existing designs with an inverter type compressor (DC) which would not be super-efficient compared to traditional Mini-split units but would reduce energy usage by at least 50%.

Now this wouldn't solve the noise issue very much but it would undoubtedly get us much closer to being able to run at least one AC unit on battery power for a reasonable period of time (with LiFePO4 batteries at least)