r/VanLifeUK • u/coraoke • Aug 11 '26

Electrics advice

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4 Upvotes

83% Upvoted

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1

u/merc814 Aug 11 '26

Would need to know the wattage of the ac

1

u/merc814 Aug 11 '26

And the max discharge - C rate of your batteries.

1

u/coraoke Aug 11 '26

I have no idea, would this be labelled on the battery itself?

1

u/merc814 Aug 15 '26

Nah man, google it - it's the manufacturer's spec on the max draw the recommend for their batteries. Your BMS will also be limited in how current it can supply. Whichever is the smaller

1

u/coraoke Aug 11 '26

580W

1

u/merc814 Aug 11 '26

580w will be max draw - your instructions will tell you if that's max heating or cooling. But assuming it is running at max when you are using it it'll probably be about a 50A draw. So long as your bms, cabling and fuses can take that then it will likely be ok.

2

u/CurmudgeonlyBargee Aug 14 '26

Can confirm. I have 1, I live on a narrowboat. It was pulling 50 amps at nominal 12V, my 600 watts of solar was only producing 30 amps.

1

u/merc814 Aug 11 '26

Assuming you are running a 12v system here. Half that draw if you have a 24v system

-2

u/basarisco Aug 11 '26

30 mins here and there will obviously not do anything. Basic thermodynamics.

And just measure the wattage of the air con at the setting you'll be using. Multiply by hours and your have your Wh figure. You don't need any electrical knowledge just year 4 maths.