What Size Inverter Do I Need For My Rv
1 of the primary components of a solar installation is the inverter. Sizing information technology incorrectly volition accept negative effects, on your comfortability, on the air conditioner (and other appliances), and on the inverter itself.
In this article, I'll explain the cardinal specifications that demand to be considered when sizing an inverter, and I'll show you how to match these specs to the specs of your RV air conditioner.
Key specifications to look for in an inverter
There are 3 key specifications that matter the well-nigh when sizing an inverter for your RV air conditioner:
Continuous Power
This is the main rating of the inverter (in Watts) and information technology represents the amount of power that the inverter can continuously deliver to your air conditioner and other appliances. For example, this inverter from Renogy is rated at 3000 Watts, which ways it can evangelize up to 3000 Watts continuously.
When choosing an inverter, make sure its continuous power rating is college than your A/C's running power. The inverter should be able to evangelize your air conditioner'due south running wattage comfortably to avoid failure.
Surge Power
Likewise measured in Watts, this is the maximum corporeality of power that the inverter can evangelize instantaneously. This metric is useful when sizing an inverter for loads that require a huge outset-up power, such every bit air conditioners and refrigerators.
The surge power of an inverter is usually double its continuous power and can handle that amount of power for a short corporeality of time. For case, this 3000W Renogy inverter has a surge ability of 6000 Watts.
However, some inverters can handle more surge power than others. For example, this 3000 Watt inverter from AIMS has a surge ability rating of 9000 Watts, which according to the manufacturer, it can handle for up to twenty seconds.
In any case, the inverter you cull should exist able to handle the get-go-up power of your air conditioners. (more on that beneath)
Input voltage
An inverter'southward chore is to convert depression voltage (12, 24, or 48 Volts) DC power to a higher voltage (120 Volts) Ac power. The input of the inverter is connected to the terminals of your batteries, and its output is continued to the RV'southward master panel or to the air conditioner itself.
The input voltage that the inverter can work with is specified by the manufacturer. For example, the inverters mentioned above are strictly designed for a 12 Volt bombardment configuration.
However, there are some inverters on the market that tin piece of work with 24 and 48 Volt configurations. For example, this 2000W GIANDEL inverter is rated at 24V for its input voltage.
So make sure the input voltage on the inverter matches your bombardment bank voltage configuration before making a purchase.
At present, let's see how you can choose the right inverter for your system using the information available to you lot.
What size inverter to run RV Ac?
The average roof RV air conditioner is rated at 13500 or 15000 BTUs, air conditioners of this size volition typically draw 1300-1600 Watts when running. Nonetheless, when they're starting, these ACs tin can describe up to 7500 Watts for a cursory moment.
To successfully power an RV air conditioner, the inverter needs to be rated at 3000-4000 Watts. Even so, with a soft starter device, you would merely need 2000 Watts of inverter power.
To size the inverter correctly, yous'll need to answer 2 questions:
- How much ability does your A/C draw when it running?
- How much ability does your A/C draw when it'south starting?
How much ability does your RV Air-conditioning use when running?
As mentioned to a higher place, the typical rating of an RV Ac is either 13500 or 15000 BTUs. Generally, these air conditioners have an Free energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) of nigh 10, which means a 13500 BTU A/C will typically describe 1350 Watts, and a 15000 BTU A/C volition depict 1500 Watts.
Click hither to read more on this topic.
Essentially, the higher the BTU rating on your air conditioning, the more than ability it'll draw. The best way to measure this power usage is to use an electricity usage monitor.
Devices such as the Kill-A-Watt meter will yous dorsum nigh $30 merely will provide precise data nearly your AC's ability usage and energy consumption.
How much power does your RV ac utilize when starting :
Generally, the starting wattage of an air conditioner is 4 to half dozen times its running wattage, which means your typical RV A/C tin can draw up to 7500 Watts at start-upwardly. If your inverter is not designed for this kind of surge wattage, your air conditioner volition not start at all.
This is because the compressor in your AC unit requires a huge amount of current to starting time, this corporeality of current is referred to as Locked Rotor Amperage or LRA and yous tin utilize it to calculate the surge power of your air conditioner and therefore size your inverter.
You lot can detect the LRA of your Ac on the specification sheet (usually stuck to the side of your Air conditioning unit on the roof) or on the compressor itself.
For example, the following spec sheet is from a 13500 BTU AC unit:
The manufacturer specifies 63 Amps as the LRA of the compressor. Using the LRA, the start-up wattage of this AC unit tin can be calculated:
Commencement-up Wattage (Watts) = Voltage (Volts) x LRA (Amps)
Beginning-up Wattage (Watts) = 115 Volts 10 63 Amps
Showtime-up Wattage (Watts) = 7245 Watts
The surge wattage will not necessarily reach 7245 Watts whenever this air conditioner is turned on, only the inverter that could run this Air conditioning should exist sized accordingly.
It is too important to note that the inverter should be a Pure Sine Moving ridge inverter (as opposed to a Modified Sine Moving ridge inverter).
For this particular AC unit of measurement, a adept choice would be something like the 4000W inverter from GIANDEL. This inverter is rated at 4000 Watts continuous power and 8000 Watts surge power.
Nonetheless, there is a way around using an inverter of this size.
By using a soft starter, yous tin can reduce the beginning-up power of your air conditioner by up to 70%. The side by side section explains what a soft starter is and how it tin help yous reduce the size of the inverter that is required to run your A/C.
Using a soft starter for your RV air conditioner
The centre of an air conditioner is its compressor, which is essentially a motor. Typically, motors require a high amount of electricity (inrush electric current) to accomplish their nominal speed. In the case of air conditioners, this inrush current is four to 6 times the normal current.
A soft starter is used to limit this inrush current, and the 60-ish amps that are ordinarily needed to start upwards a 13500-15000 BTU air conditioner, can be reduced to eighteen-30 amps.
As a issue, the air conditioner will operate in a more than shine style, which extends the lifespan of the AC and reduces the stress on the inverter (and the whole arrangement for that thing). This is especially true if you're planning on running all of your appliances on a single inverter.
For example, if yous run both the AC and a refrigerator on the same inverter, it is very possible that the inverter volition fail at some bespeak.
Additionally, non all RV parks have 50 Amp shore power. If your batteries are depleted and you're stuck with a 30 Amp supply, your air conditioner will probably not be able to start upwards. A soft starter such as the EasyStart by Microair or the SoftstartRV by NetworkRV will solve these issues.
The post-obit video explains the installation process of these devices:
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What Size Inverter Do I Need For My Rv,
Source: https://www.renewablewise.com/what-size-inverter-to-run-rv-ac/
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