I just bought a Zero Breeze Mark 3 air conditioning unit for my camper van, and I'm trying to figure out how much solar power and battery capacity I'll need to keep it running efficiently. Currently, I have a 200Ah AGM battery that powers my lights and fridge, but it's not enough for the AC. I plan to add 200 watts of solar panels on my roof and switch to a lithium battery system specifically for the AC, separate from my existing setup. The AC can run for about 3 hours on its included 1022Wh battery. I'm considering getting a 200Ah battery just for the Zero Breeze. With the extra panels, will I be able to run the AC all night without issues? Any advice would be appreciated! My brain feels scrambled trying to figure this out.
3 Answers
I think a setup with a 400W panel and a 200Ah 12V battery could work for you! Just keep in mind how much you're drawing and the efficiency of the solar panels, especially during cloudy days or winter months when sunlight is less reliable.
A 200Ah battery could boost the active AC time by about 250%. Just keep in mind that the AC unit is inverter-based, using between 150W to 500W depending on the settings. With 200W of solar, you're looking at around 1000Wh on a good day, but that's still not enough if your total capacity is 3500Wh. The real kicker is that we need to know how frequently the AC needs to run to maintain a cool temperature, which will depend on insulation and the climate you're in. A rough estimate is that 3500Wh could keep the AC running for 7 hours at full blast, but generally, for a small space, you shouldn't need that much.
According to the specs, the AC unit runs on 48V, which means your additional batteries must also match that voltage. The input power for the AC is about 500W, and on the supplied battery, it would run for about 1-2 hours. If you want it to last through the night (say 8 hours), you’d need around 4000Wh to keep it going. A 48V 100Ah battery would do the trick, but you’d require ample solar to recharge it daily. Just something to consider!
What if I used a 12V battery alongside a 1000W inverter? Would that work?
I'm in South Florida too, and planning on using this during the summer heat. It’s a 5200 BTU unit, so it should cool my Ford Econoline well enough. I’ve cooled entire bedrooms with 5000 BTU units before, and my van has some insulation. I want to use it for about 10 to 12 hours a night without worrying about charging. I'm just trying to nail down how much solar and battery I need for that.