solar generator

moedecker

I have a 2020 tab320s. I'm looking at a bluetti 2000w or a Titan 3000w solar generators to power my AC. Does anyone know if either of these brands will power the AC? Thanks

Denny16

Probably not the best choice for running an AC.  It can deliver 55 watts for 30 some odd hours.  You need to know how many watts your AF pulls over a one hour period.  A generator is better for running an AC, but is a little more noise.
Running your AC over night on a inverter/battery setup, might be a close call.

The Titan 3000w does not come with solar panels and you are going to need quite a few to recharge this battery pack.  

Cheers

VictoriaP

Just to be clear for those who don’t realize, a “solar generator” is a misnomer; it’s just a battery, typically with a built in inverter and an input plug where you can hook up a solar panel for recharging.

Will it run your A/C? Maybe, for a short time, as long as the A/C wattage is below that of the “generator’s” inverter. But not for long, as it’s still just a battery with  no “generating” capacity at all. 

Look for the amp hours battery capacity on your chosen solar generator, and with that plus the stats for your A/C, you can calculate how long it will work before it needs more sunlight or an electric power source. (They typically take quite a while to recharge via solar.) You’ll likely need multiple panels and abundant sunlight if you intend on using one of these units for A/C.

Looking at the examples on the Bluetti page, an electric drill at 800w only runs for 2.6 hours. Your A/C likely consumes at least that much. The Titan battery capacity is only 74 ah for each battery, so it won’t run for any longer than the Bluetti without shelling out for multiple batteries. And at Titan’s battery price? I’d be installing much bigger lithiums onboard the trailer, plus a minimum of 400 watts of roof mounted solar panels to power them, and a decent quality inverter. Even then? You’d be looking at maybe one overnight before you’d need to recharge, and if you aren’t in the Arizona desert, you might not be able to charge fully via the sun.

Basically, solar just isn’t a practical solution for A/C use while boondocking unless you have HUGE battery capacity and a lot more solar panels than the single 100w suitcase typically sold as an accessory to this type of unit. You need an actual gas or propane powered generator to run A/C for any substantial length of time. 

(Note: I have a Goal Zero version of this. I love it, it’s great...for small charging jobs, or in an emergency if I needed to top off my house battery to power my trailer mover or my 12v cooler. Not a chance I’d try to run A/C or an electric heater off it due to the power consumption.)

N7SHG_Ham

@VictoriaP good explanation. Possible to run AC from battery and solar however highly impractical with limited place for panels and batteries on a small camper like a Tab. The use of the term solar generator is unfortunately a poor choice of marketing terminology.

VictoriaP

N7SHG_Ham said:

@VictoriaP good explanation. Possible to run AC from battery and solar however highly impractical with limited place for panels and batteries on a small camper like a Tab. The use of the term solar generator is unfortunately a poor choice of marketing terminology.

Yeah, the “generator” term applied to these honestly irritates me. (Much more than irritates, family friendly forum and all that.) I didn’t know any better when I first heard it years back, and if I hadn’t been the type to dig in and research, I would have dropped a lot of cash on something that still wouldn’t be capable of powering stuff around the house in an emergency. They’re really useful devices, but you have to understand their limitations.

The small roof size of the 320 and the typically less-than-ideal angles your panels have to be at due to the teardrop shape really don’t make this trailer model ideal for trying to run A/C off solar. Might work better with a boxy trailer insulated for 4 season use, with nice flat roof that you could completely cover in panels. But then the dark colored panels would end up increasing the heat inside the trailer...hmmm...

Denny16

I agree, a battery/inverter setup is just not practical on a small trailer like a TaB, for running an Air Conditioning unit, not even on a TaB400.  Reserve the A/C for camping with full hookups.  When Boondocking, enjoy the greater outdoors — that is why you went camping in the first place... 
cheers

moedecker

Thanks all. I look into a gas generator.

DougH

@moedecker FWIW, I run the air conditioner on a battery bank/inverter in my 320. Even when chasing 72F by changing location and altitude you'll always hit those 85-105F excursions into too hot territory, and need A/C when boondocking. But yup, the small "solar generators" are not up to the task yet, until next gen battery technology arrives with 10X energy densities.

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/comment/155201#Comment_155201

VictoriaP

DougH said:

@moedecker FWIW, I run the air conditioner on a battery bank/inverter in my 320. Even when chasing 72F by changing location and altitude you'll always hit those 85-105F excursions into too hot territory, and need A/C when boondocking. But yup, the small "solar generators" are not up to the task yet, until next gen battery technology arrives with 10X energy densities.

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/comment/155201#Comment_155201

Doug, I thought about your setup, but...how many hours can you actually run yours? (Edit, reread your post on that thread, and yeah, better than these portable units, but still not enough for people like me who need A/C from a medical standpoint.) Additionally, moedecker has the 2020, so uses an Air8 versus our lower powered wall A/C units. I’m thinking they’d need even more capacity both in terms of batteries and panels than you have.

@moedecker A gas or propane powered generator has its own limitations. Many places do not allow their use overnight, or during wildfire-prone weather conditions. You’ll need to carry enough fuel, know how and when to change the oil and perform other maintenance. In other words, it’s not a slam dunk either. To run the A/C on a 2020 320, you’ll want at least 2200 watts for a gas powered genset, and might need more if you get a propane one as propane is less efficient. For carbon monoxide safety, it needs to be at least 20 feet from your trailer or other campers when in operation, so you’ll also need to figure out how to secure it against theft.

Marceline

VictoriaP said:

Just to be clear for those who don’t realize, a “solar generator” is a misnomer; it’s just a battery, typically with a built in inverter and an input plug where you can hook up a solar panel for recharging.

I agree and I think the FTC should ban this terminology as false advertising. A "generator" generates power. "Solar generators" are just power storage.

DougH

Well one of the Jackery 1000 kits you can order comes with their two solar panels, so I guess if you spring for the whole shebang you are technically generating power. But the $$$$$ is pretty high.

bergger

DougH said:

Well one of the Jackery 1000 kits you can order comes with their two solar panels, so I guess if you spring for the whole shebang you are technically generating power. But the $$$$$ is pretty high.

I just recently bought a jackery 1000 with 200 watts of solar.  It's primary purpose is to use around the house when the power goes out and to use when we truck camp.  But I'm interested to see how long it will power our 400.  I know it won't run the a/c but will see how long it will run the a/c outlets and other devices we plug into the outlets.  Maybe a nice and lightweight backup to bring along.  These things are definitely not generators.  

pthomas745

Well, if anyone writes the FTC and complains, please add the phrase "Quiet Generator" to your misnomer list!

It is so easy to put a regular battery into a battery box and attach a simple inverter for extra power.  Easier to connect any number of charging methods (no proprietary cables).  Much easier to charge with any type of charging method.  More amp hours per battery for much less cash.