I believe that Chris and Cherie from TechNomads said they can run 1 A/C for a little if they have all of their solar panels deployed…but then they have both roof mounted and a whole farm of portables they can put out.

For those of us with more modest solar farms…that's a big nope unless you're running the generator.

The best way to go if you are serious about doing this is to install a high efficiency, DC powered mini-split ac unit as they will draw only a tiny fraction of the power a traditional AC takes.

Here is the unit I would go with, the HSAC -12H/C . www.geinnovations.net/HSAC_Productline.html It has an EER of 21.43 and because it has a variable speed soft start rotary compressor has less start up surge too. It costs $2,000 but only draws 560 watts (only 11.5 amps max at 48v DC) so it saves you money on the rest of your system. BTW it also produces high efficiency electric heat in moderately cool weather too.

The cheapest way to go would be with 8 CG-2, 6v golf cart batteries, wired for 48 volts. Get 1,500-1,800 watts of high voltage grid tie solar panels (as they are much cheaper/watt than the smaller, 12v panels, and of course a quality MPPT controller like the Morningstar MPPT-60 (one will do if you wire it for 48volts - what your AC will require. Here's a link to some cheap solar panels: sunelec.com/ I would go with high efficiency Sun panels (either e-20 or x-21 panels depending on how much roof space I had and price at the time of purchase) as they take up less roof space per watt produced (a serious factor to consider when going with this much solar).


A system like this will cost you at least $6,500-$7,000 (Be advised that you could easily spend this much on lithium batteries alone if you wanted to.) if you do it yourself and shop carefully, depending the quality of the equipment you use, like the brand of 48v converter charger you decide on, or of you use FLA batteries from Sams or go with higher quality sealed batteries.) So bottom line, yes you can build a 12,000 btu system that can cool your bedroom all night with solar (and maybe a little more) but it won't be cheap.

However it could be affordable if you factor in not just the cost of electricity you will save but also CG costs. For instance, if you calculate that you might save $100/mo in electricity usage and $400/mo in monthly CG fees (you could save much more depending on how frequently you move and where you stay) This $500/month savings, say 5-6 months per year could easily offset the cost of such a system (as other than the battery replacement, a system like this will last a very long time), if the only thing holding you back from boondocking is the need for AC. On the plus side, you will have ample electric power for your other boondocking needs too when the AC is not in use, or is only occasionally used. It will also spare your propane heating costs (and trips to get it) in milder weather.

Chip