Parts Needed to Add Advent Air RV Air Conditioner to 1998 Dodge Van

Question:

I am looking to add this to my van as the sole air conditioner. I have a 75 amp dc alternator. Will I need to buy an inverter to power the ac unit? If so what spec. inverter will I need to purchase?

asked by: John C

Expert Reply:

I have a solution for you, but an unless you have shore power available, an inverter to turn DC output into AC power would not be your best option in this case. A/C units, like the 15,000 Btu Advent Air RV Air Conditioner with Air Distribution Box # ACM150CH use a lot of power, so it would require a pretty huge battery bank - significantly more than what a single 12V automotive battery could provide, and adding enough batteries to get the job done would not only add a lot of weight to your van, but also get quite expensive, especially since you would likely need a solar setup to help keep them charged as well.

What I recommend is using a portable generator, like the etrailer 4,500-Watt Portable RV Generator - 3,600 Running Watts - Propane or Gas - Electric Start, part # 333-0005. You have the flexibility of using gasoline or propane to easily fire up and run the Advent AC. It has a large 5-gallon fuel tank that can run non-stop for approximately 14 hours at half its running capacity, which should be just about what the # ACM150CH will require to run.

Check out the linked AC help article at the bottom of the page.

expert reply by: Carla M