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Old 02-25-2016, 11:41 AM   #1
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Running RV A/C on the road?

When we are traveling, the back of the rv gets pretty hot and our kids complain about it. I haven't figured out how to run the A/C unit without running the generator. I was speaking to a Class A owner and he mentioned he was doing the same until he discovered the electric inverter and was able to switch the electric from going to the batteries to the A/C unit. Can I do what he mentioned?
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Old 02-25-2016, 11:45 AM   #2
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Don't think you can run the roof ac without having the generator on. AC takes alot of power to run and the batteries won't do it.
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Old 02-25-2016, 12:11 PM   #3
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It is possible, but it would require an inverter of at least 2000 watts capacity and dual alternators of at least 250 amps total capacity. Unless you already have that installed, running a generator makes more sense.
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Old 02-25-2016, 12:15 PM   #4
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Thanks for the info. 😊
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Old 02-25-2016, 01:31 PM   #5
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I've been told that you will use less gas running the Genny and air than running dash air and of course making the engine work harder
I run the dash cause it's just the two of us but start the Genny on the last leg of the trip (hour or so) to precool at set up
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Old 02-25-2016, 02:17 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by hockeytownmom View Post
When we are traveling, the back of the rv gets pretty hot and our kids complain about it. I haven't figured out how to run the A/C unit without running the generator. I was speaking to a Class A owner and he mentioned he was doing the same until he discovered the electric inverter and was able to switch the electric from going to the batteries to the A/C unit. Can I do what he mentioned?
Hockeytownmom, we have the same model MH and we run the generator when we need the AC on in the unit. We traveled over 7,000 miles last summer and ran it most of the time while driving. No problems, didn't really see much difference in the gas consumption with or without the generator running.

When we first joined the forum last year that was a big question for me as well and many responses were to run the generator, "that's what it is there for."

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Old 02-26-2016, 01:56 PM   #7
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Hockeytownmom, we have the same model MH and we run the generator when we need the AC on in the unit. We traveled over 7,000 miles last summer and ran it most of the time while driving. No problems, didn't really see much difference in the gas consumption with or without the generator running.

When we first joined the forum last year that was a big question for me as well and many responses were to run the generator, "that's what it is there for."

I concur, when we travel the genset is running
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Old 02-26-2016, 03:29 PM   #8
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We run the generator and a/c too on hot days to keep the dog cool!
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Old 02-26-2016, 03:56 PM   #9
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It's not a problem to run the generator so you can have your ac on while traveling. I have owned two diesel pushers and neither one was wired to the inverter. Honestly I don't believe they do that, but who knows. You cannot do that on a Sunseeker for sure it doesn't have a inverter at all.
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Old 02-27-2016, 08:45 AM   #10
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Driving & using the generator,,,
Sure seams to me that would drain the fuel tank PDQ ???
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Old 02-27-2016, 08:51 AM   #11
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Yeah, at about a gallon an hour fully loaded shouldn't take long to empty that gas tank..
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Old 02-27-2016, 08:55 AM   #12
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Genny is made to run. Actually works better when it's run regularly. We use it whenever we need it.
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Old 02-27-2016, 09:21 AM   #13
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Driving & using the generator,,,
Sure seams to me that would drain the fuel tank PDQ ???
My generator is rated at .5 gallon per hour at half load. Unless it is blistering hot I doubt you would exceed that with the A/C on. FWIW by my calculations that would take me from 8.5 mpg down to maybe 7.9 mpg. Small price to pay for being comfortable. If you want to run the A/C off an inverter it is going to take a big one, big battery bank and big alternator to keep up. Not cheap to install. On some buses I have seen basement air that is run off the engine compressor, and then has a second compressor that can be run off electricity when parked. Again, not an inexpensive installation.

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Old 02-27-2016, 10:04 AM   #14
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Driving & using the generator,,,
Sure seams to me that would drain the fuel tank PDQ ???
Not really I think mine will run an hour on a gallon of gas. So it wouldn't have that much of an effect on gas mileage.
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Old 02-27-2016, 10:05 AM   #15
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Genny is made to run. Actually works better when it's run regularly. We use it whenever we need it.
We run ours an hour a month whether we use it or not.
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Old 02-27-2016, 10:10 AM   #16
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Not really I think mine will run an hour on a gallon of gas. So it wouldn't have that much of an effect on gas mileage.
Not to bad @ todays gas prices,,,
But not so good back when we were paying $4 a gallon !!!
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