Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 21:34:22 -0400
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: idea?
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BTDT! A famous van had an RV air conditioner on the back of the Adventure
wagon roof. 2 group 31 AGM batteries got that AC through the night. Keep in
mind once the sun goes down it does not have to run continuously. Be sure it
is an energy efficient unit that turns the fan off when cooling is not
needed. Yes the 12 volt options are spendy but just like RV designed
refrigerators they are light weight and energy efficient. And yes using
batteries this way does shorten their life not to mention the huge strain on
the alternator if that is how you plan to charge 200 A/H of discharged
battery. So unless you plan to drive a lot each day at some point you are
back to a generator. That van owner traveled with a 3K Honda(!) but he
didn’t want to run it at night so to the batteries he went. At some point he
realized he at least needed a Sportsmobile.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Keith Hughes
Sent: Sunday, October 27, 2013 7:02 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: idea?
I wouldn't be too sure of that Dennis unless you've actually tried it.
Running a 5-Amp window unit for 7-8 hours, with inverter losses, calculates
to way over 300AH. I think you'd need two pairs of GC-2's to make that
feasible and have batteries that last more than a summer. And that's a
bunch of room! The 12VDC systems are nice, but real spendy.
That said, we live in Phoenix, so we virtually always camp where it's cool,
and never need more than a couple of fans. We camped in Florida one August,
for a couple of nights, and quickly decided a Motel was the only way to go
there. For those of you in the Midwest and South, I feel for you. Mostly
we camp on the West Coast anywhere from Monterrey to the Puget Sound, or in
the Rockies. We've done tons of research to find campgrounds with power
when we need it for heating, and have found plenty that are not "RV parks".
Plenty are, and we use them occasionally to sleep, shower, and head on our
way. If I can sit next to the van and toss rocks in the Pacific, I don't
care if "purists" snub it as an RV park.
Others' mileage may vary, but if a time comes when I give even a fleeting
thought about what a group of RV'ers think of me and my Westy, please just
shoot me.
Keith Hughes
'86 Westy Tiico (Marvin)
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 09:08:20 -0400
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: idea?
If you plan to dry camp you will need the space under the back seat for
batteries and the inverter. A pair of GC-2's and a 2,000 watt inverter will
get you through the night. If willing to invest there are 12 volt AC
options. Also if the original AC system is intact a 110 volt compressor can
be added and with a 12 volt power supply and a good control scheme use the
existing condenser and evaporator.
Dennis
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