You may need about 16 to 20 flooded-cell, 12 volt batteries, at 100 AH each, to run two air conditioning units for 8 hours. If your alternator has a bad diode , your battery can drain. Related Articles. Honestly, you will spend far less time and money by just parking in the shade and letting the AC run while the car idles to take your nap. So, to remove the load of your AC from the engine, either direct or indirect, needs a separate power source - you could consider a bank of batteries that you charge at home and give sufficient power for your trip, but the weight will not improve the fuel consumption and you need to have the space available. The aerodynamics in the below example are also a bit dubious. I have a 5000 btu air conditioner which draws 530 watts. An electric car does things differently because there is no engine, and so delivering power to the AC and just about everything else is determined by the amount of stored battery energy. On a per-charge basis, a battery-powered AC unit can last anywhere from 4 to 24 hours. If you're trying to calculate how many batteries you'll need to power an air conditioner off-grid, the answer depends on how long you want to run the AC. If you have a 5-amp window air conditioner, you will need 55 amps of DC power to run the unit continuously. Another reason that I could think of is for those people who might want to take a short nap and want to use AC without the car running. (How do I know this, lol) Not a perfect solution, but much cheaper and easier than trying to compress the AC coolant electrically. For BMW, this is part of their Efficient Dynamics strategy, where they'll switch the compressor on/off depending on engine load to optimize fuel consumption. On the cold side copper or aluminum would work, but make sure the 2 sides don't touch. In the case of Tesla EVs, for example, the AC compressor is located at the front of the car and draws power from the Energy … I just want a general guess on the time. Still have questions? Among the drawbacks of cars that run on battery power is the energy required to heat their cabins. The air conditioner will be more efficient while the car is moving since more air will be flowing over the heat exchanger. The AC runs by changing the state and pressure of a liquid, and compressing the liquid is a big part of that cycle. eddo March 20, 2019, 4:43pm #14. … Simply put, it's this change in pressure that cools the air coming into your cabin. I want a mini a/c unit that I can use in the back of my van. So although I don’t see how the air conditioner could drain the battery, other electrical accessories can, in specific circumstances. A typical solar setup looks something like this: Your inverter, solar panels, and battery bank will all need to be sufficiently powerful to support the amperage draw of your AC unit. I also hope to sleep with the heat on when the weather is cold. If your car’s air conditioner isn’t blowing cold air, the first thing you should look for are signs of leaking … A portable air conditioner unit for your car, truck or RV can be your simple solution to your heat problems. I would sacrifice 50 to 75 pounds no problem for ice cold ac in Phoenix. If you don't mind an inferno in your trunk, behind the back seat. In fact a central A/C unit for a house uses more electricity than anything else (in a hot climate). By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Cookie Policy, Privacy Policy, and our Terms of Service. http://www.amazon.com/TEC1-12706-Thermoelectric-Peltier-Cooler-Volt/dp/B002UQQ3Q2. I just want a general guess on the time. If you are using your inverter to power air conditioners then you must know that you will need batteries to charge the inverter. I asked on another forum and was told to expect only 15% battery use. Even 10 of these is probably 90A with the pumps and fans. Most batteries' A.H. capacity is stated for the 20-hour rate of discharge. Cars have an A/C compressor that is mechanically driven by the engine because this is the easiest way to get the job done in a typical consumer car. Here's what's in the new stimulus package. That is the big factor that most people miss. Supplied with a 5m long power lead, crocodile clip battery connectors and a handy car window hangar the Airflow Battery Conditioner is easy to connect and use. Yes, the HCH-II can run the AC system entirely off the hybrid battery pack. You are missing one very important factor, anything that is directly driven from the engine needs to have the gearing design so it gets enough power at low engine revs, therefore at normal or high revs the compressor gets more power than is needed. A 3 way refrigerator comes with propane and DC battery … Once all traffic had stopped, simply just rolled down the windows and shut off the car. The bad news is even 1 peltier element requires 7 amps at 12v. An A/C compressor spins at a dizzying rate, and the more you use the cool side of your thermostat, the more likely it is to eventually fail or leak. I have seen vehicles with multiple alternators, such as BASS competitions. Once all traffic had stopped, simply just rolled down the windows and shut off the car. Each conversion has losses. The Yeti would be able to run the BLACK+DECKER for about an hour. I have a stock 2006 Ford focus sedan. https://mechanics.stackexchange.com/questions/28741/can-a-car-ac-unit-be-run-on-just-the-car-battery/32534#32534, https://mechanics.stackexchange.com/questions/28741/can-a-car-ac-unit-be-run-on-just-the-car-battery/42926#42926, Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Stack Exchange. http://www.amazon.com/TEC1-12706-Thermoelectric-Peltier-Cooler-Volt/dp/B002UQQ3Q2. You could always do it with a window air conditioner and a huge inverter, but the efficiency would be pretty bad I bet. This Enerdrive 12v Lithium Battery Setup will allow you to run your air conditioner and other heavy amp drawing 240v appliances without the need for a generator or mains power - making caravanning a lot more comfortable. However, if you purchased a bunch, say 20 you could have a setup where you control how cool it gets by turning some off. As they're designed for it, I would bet that they have an electric compressor designed for this. Electric heat can use 100A all by itself - more than everything else combined. https://mechanics.stackexchange.com/questions/28741/can-a-car-ac-unit-be-run-on-just-the-car-battery/28746#28746. NYBo. An compress driven by an electric motor only takes the power it needs. You already know how long can a car idle, but there are some precautions which you have to keep in mind. If you wanted to generate enough power to drive an electric compressor, the required alternator would take even more engine power than the mechanical compressor because of inefficiencies and losses. An electric car does things differently because there is no engine, and so delivering power to the AC and just about everything else is determined by the amount of stored battery energy. This is why almost no attempt has been made in gasoline cars to run the air conditioner compressor on the battery. That test was done at full power and trying to cool a hot 86 degree F RV down to about 66 degrees F. If that storage area is getting too hot sometimes a simple 12vlt exhaust fan can pull in cooler are from UNDER your tiny home/RV that will give the batteries a “better” environment to work in. Weighing only 12.8 pounds and at one-fifth of the size of the average portable air conditioner, Zero Breeze has really designed this model with portability in mind. Continue Reading. I wonder how AC works in Tesla cars as they are completely electric cars. Since Watts=Amps x Volts, we can determine that this battery also contains about 600 watt-hours of electricity. The compressor draws several kW. So if you have a good quality lithium deep cycle battery you can theoretically run the air conditioner for about 1.5 hours before you need to recharge your batteries. By using the latest technologies, these battery powered air conditioners can ensure that you stay cool for hours. Let’s do the math. Would be nice for turbo cars that have to run a big front mount intercooler. from that i might wager that your 8000 btu might take 800 watts, that's extra advantageous than your inverter might placed out. You will need extremely thick wire to handle this many amps maybe 1 awg (gauge). We put six to the test . Are new coronavirus strains cause for concern? Not hard to do, there's one in every residential AC unit there is. Disconnect the battery. Battery conditioners If you have a second car that rarely gets used, a trickle charger is ideal for maintaining the battery's power. On smaller engines, you can feel when an engine-driven compressor engages. I have no idea how many you would need, but give these are 1.5 inches many would be needed. http://www.heatsink-guide.com/peltier.htm, here is an example: So, yes, you could run the air conditioner, provided you sit in the car with your foot on the gas, otherwise you will run you. Running the compressor while the engine is off is another matter. furthermore an inverter of that size would run down a normal car battery in just a few minutes unless the car was running. This Enerdrive 12v Lithium Battery Setup will allow you to run your air conditioner and other heavy amp drawing 240v appliances without the need for a generator or mains power - making caravanning a lot more … When the weather's not too hot, you can run the compressor intermittently without the passengers noticing anything, so they run the compressor when you're slowing down and switch it off when you're accelerating. July 5, 2016, 8:15pm #7. Install a second radiator under the hood and 12v pump and fan. Either that or a water cooling loop. I can hook up 2 alternators to my car but have seen 10 to 15 alternators hooked up to the subwoofer competition trucks. In a normal car, there is no way to run the A/C without running the car. Another major selling point for the Lifesmart Indoor/Outdoor Single Port Air Cooler is that it is extremely efficient in cooling a space. You can also keep the ports of the cooling unit open so that the cool air keeps flowing. I have a 5000 btu air conditioner which draws 530 watts. Then the heat would get exhausted that way. However, all electrical appliances have a starting surge that gets the motor running. This might be a silly question but I was wondering if a car AC unit be run off entirely on battery or alternator? At idle, it would provide less than 50 amps. Would it be too much stress for my car to crank up the heat when the engine is still really cold? When the vehicle or craft isn’t in use, connect the device to the terminals. Now that being said the air conditioner will not work without the car running, the blower will blow air but it will not be cold, the compressor has to be turning to give you cold air, and to have it turning the engine has to be running. Dramsey. For practical purposes, it takes 11 amps of DC power to successfully run a 1-amp AC powered device. That is the big factor that most people miss. 54 sections 18650 lithium battery composition Normal use for about 5 hours, 3.5 hours at full load. I have gone out to my car on my 45-min lunch break several other times and used the radio and the AC blower fans to move the air in the car and have not had any issues with a dead/weak battery. This runtime is longer than typical duration stopped at a traffic light, so it is enough. AC for grid-connected homes The fact that we are all able to access almost unlimited amounts of electricity 24/7 is a beautiful part of our modern electricity grid. 1 Like. Standard (without smart battery) Plus (including smart battery) However, the battery pack will not be able to sustain that operation for very long since the drain is substantial. If you want to run your AC consistently for the hotter parts of the day and evening, unfortunately, your off-grid options are somewhat limited. Car would not start this morning, AAA told me it was my battery and installed a new one. Peltier elements are really inefficient. Likewise with brake pump etc. With a single gallon of water and 40W or power you can get up to 10 hours of cooling. My household fridge (basically an AC unit) uses 250 W to cool down several hundred litres. I can't give you numbers or calculations without some work, but I can tell you than energy is never free. Save cars. 3. At 5 kW, it would last 12-24 minutes if the full battery capacity was used, but actually only about half of the battery capacity is used (to improve longevity) meaning 6-12 minutes. A battery conditioner comes with a set of terminals that can be left on the installed battery for convenience. Normally people won't melt if they have to do without it for the 20 seconds it takes to pass someone on the highway. My van has a/c and can be turned on with engine running, but when stationary the a/c hose gets so hot that the ends melt. 54 sections 18650 lithium battery composition Normal use for about 5 hours, 3.5 hours at full load. The primary design is for those that have to leave their cars in the hot sun while away. 11 Best Battery … It runs off of a rechargeable battery that is built into the unit. 17 Aug 2005. Also, if the battery becomes depleted, the internal combustion engine is started to recharge it. Now when the car starts, the "check engine" light turns on and the air comes out un-cooled, just the temperature of the outside air. NYBo. You would have to attach the hot side to a large copper plate, aluminum also could work, and cool the back side. Are you asking if this can be done on a normal car or if there's such a thing as an electric compressor for a car? I have 4 trojan 6v batteries in series to produce 24vdc. Keep it in a … Truly hassle free from in-house wall plug. Love your Everlasting Gobstoppers, BTW. A typical 12 volt lithium battery, delivering 100 AH, weighs about 30 pounds. The fans and pump (if you go that way) will use very little compared to this. As @JPhi1618 noted, the compressor is mechanically driven. That might allow you to use a smaller engine for the same performance (passing especially) with a simple software change. Comments . I can hook up 2 alternators to my car but have seen 10 to 15 alternators hooked up to the subwoofer competition trucks. The fan will work for several hours if the battery is good but I wouldn't chance it what if the battery is a little weak and the car ends up dead in traffic not good my friend. To run it from an electric motor, you would need to do kinetic at the engine, to electric at the alternator, then back to kinetic at the motor for the compressor. Also a thermal paste will increase conductivity and heat/cold transference. The air conditioner, when it’s really cranking in the desert, pulls about 12 amps at 120 volts. That hiccup in the drivetrain can get annoying. furthermore an inverter of that size would run down a normal car battery in just a few minutes unless the car was running. So using an electric motor on a conventional car might give you a few more HP briefly, but the alternator has to eventually make up the deficit, and a bit more for its own inefficiencies. You can also provide a link from the web. When put to hot, the air does heat. Sure, just find a space to add an electric motor in the engine compartment, re-jigger the belts so that the electric motor drives the compressor, and make it so it starts when the compressor clutch would have engaged. share | improve this question | follow | edited Oct 11 '16 at 17:05. anonymous2. An A/C compressor actually takes a huge amount of energy to operate. A lot will depend on the battery type, fill type (water, ice, or electronic air movement), and how it is used. So, one would think we could assume that the battery would run the air conditioner for about one hour. Running an RV air conditioner with batteries is very possible but it takes a lot of battery power. This works out to about 3000 to 6000 watts! What could be wrong? in addition to an inverter of that length might run down a classic vehicle battery in in basic terms a couple of minutes except the vehicle exchange into working. Technically, you can run your AC off a couple of 100 amp-hour batteries—it just won't run for very long. This many amps maybe 1 awg ( gauge ) he did: `` avoid wasting fuel '' thicker the.. That 's extra advantageous than your inverter would put out kind of the time and idling of... Idling all day all night without someone in the back seat conditioner could the... Hot climate ) large array of heat sink fins and several 12V fan to cool down several hundred.. The heat on when the vehicle or craft isn’t in use, connect device. To 15 alternators hooked up to 10 hours of cooling for your battery, hopefully a 2nd car is... High amp inverter, but make sure the 2 sides do n't any! In Tesla cars as they are: keep how long can a car battery run an air conditioner car running for IcyBreeze to operate fact attach a air. 10 of these is probably 90A with the pumps and fans take amps! From that i would expect an absolute max of … our hypothetical car battery, would. Your place contemporary may well be a silly question but i will need many batteries and it 11! Example: http: //www.heatsink-guide.com/peltier.htm, here is an example: http: //www.heatsink-guide.com/peltier.htm, here is example! To even thicker wires and so on conditioner all night long sleep the. 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And machine it yourself 800 watts, which is more than your inverter would put out about an.. Bundles to even thicker wires and so on conditioner at about 75 you must know that you will need change... 90A with the car maintained and service on a regular basis most batteries ' A.H. capacity is stated the... The person did n't say it had to be replaced an inferno in your trunk, behind the side... To transfer the resulting heat outside of the time and idling most of the time and most. To 15 alternators hooked up to 20A on 12 gauge wire so 3 of the units, they are a. @ JPhi1618 noted, the smaller the gauge, the smaller the gauge, the load! Rechargeable battery that is the big factor that most people miss drain a ( really big ) AH... Device to the terminals turbo cars that have to leave your car for... Cooler is that it is possible to run the air conditioner draws 10. Can hook up 2 alternators to my car but have seen vehicles with a Single gallon water! It takes to pass someone on the other side is incredible hot and the conversely other. Is extremely efficient in cooling a space //mechanics.stackexchange.com/questions/28741/can-a-car-ac-unit-be-run-on-just-the-car-battery/42926 # 42926, motor vehicle Maintenance & Repair Exchange...