Can Solar Panels Run an RV Air Conditioner?

There's no question that solar panels are a great, green option for supplying power to your RV when boondocking if you don't want to rely on a generator. But are they powerful enough to keep your AC unit running in the summer?

Theoretically, yes—provided your rig has the space and battery capacity, you could equip it with enough solar panels to keep the AC unit running.

Is this going to be a practical, cost-effective endeavor? Probably not.

For starters, there are physical limitations, such as how many panels you can plaster to your RV roof and how many batteries you can carry. There are weather considerations (if you can find a camping location that never experiences cloudy days or rain, congrats on being the world's luckiest camper). Then there are financial concerns. Running an AC off of solar power for any extended period of time is going to be costly—much more costly than most of us are able or willing to indulge.

To give you an idea what's involved in creating a solar power setup that can run your RV air conditioner, we're going to break down the necessary components (and their costs) below.

How Does Solar Power Work in an RV?

To understand what's involved in running your AC off solar power, it's important to have an understanding how solar power works in an RV. Solar panels do not power your appliances directly. Rather, solar panels work by supplying power to your battery bank, and this power is then distributed to the appliances in your RV.

To run your AC off solar power, you need 4 main components:

Solar panels
Charge controller
Inverter
Battery bank

A charge controller prevents harmful overcharging to your batteries and is typically included with your solar panels. An inverter changes the battery's DC output into AC power to run your AC appliances (including your air conditioning unit).

A typical solar setup looks something like this:

Your inverter, solar panels, and battery bank will all need to be sufficiently powerful to support the amperage draw of your AC unit. Read on below for help determining the required size for each component.

What Size Inverter Do You Need to Run an RV AC?

Although you don't necessarily need an inverter to make your solar setup function, you do need an inverter to run any 120V AC appliances in your RV off of solar. Solar panels provide 12v DC power to your batteries, which will take care of most of the basics like your water pump, lights, and fans. However, your "comforts of home" such as the television, microwave, coffee maker, outlets, and air conditioner run off of 120V AC power.

It's important that your inverter is large enough to handle both the starting (surge) power and running (rated) power of your AC appliances. If, for instance, your inverter can handle a starting surge of 2,000 watts, but your AC draws 3,000 starting watts, this initial spike will damage your inverter. (At minimum, you'll probably need a 3,000-watt inverter to run appliances in addition to your AC.)

Load Run

Inverter Needed

AC (13,500 or 15,000 Btu) + Low-Wattage Appliances

Min. 3,000 Watts

AC (13,500 or 15,000 Btu) + High-Wattage Appliances

Min. 5,000 Watts

Also consider purchasing a soft starter for your AC unit. A soft starter reduces the level of that initial power surge, often by 50% or more. With a soft starter, you can get away with a smaller inverter than you would normally need.

Another option is to run your AC on generator power for the first few minutes, then switch it off and rely on solar power. This allows the generator to handle that initial energy spike.

Note that your AC will need to be wired to your inverter. If it's not already wired this way, we recommend taking your RV to a professional to run the wiring.

How Many Solar Panels Do You Need to Run an RV AC?

This is where the financial investment can really start to add up. To run an AC off solar power for an extended amount of time, the AC will essentially need its own solar setup.

As an example, let's consider the amperage draw of our RV AC and how many hours per day we plan to run the unit.

Example RV AC Daily Amperage Draw

150 amps/hr x 5 hrs/day

= 750 Ah/day

The goal is to replenish this energy with solar panels, or at least get close. We'll figure there's an average of 6 usable hours of sunlight per day for our solar panels. Over the course of this 6 hours, we want the panels to produce a total of 750 amps of energy to replenish the power drawn by the AC.

In general, one 100-watt solar panel will provide about 30 amp-hours per day. (To see a breakdown of solar panel kits and their power production, check out the chart in this article.)

By this estimate, we'll need about 2,500 watts of solar panels just to break even on the AC unit's consumption. This doesn't include the solar power needed to run anything else in the RV. We'll need about twelve 200-amp hour solar panels and one 100-amp hour panel to run the AC.

Clearly, this kind of setup can get pricey pretty quickly! Not to mention, there is only so much room on top of your RV for solar panels.

Tip: A battery charger like the Redarc BCDC can help keep your trailer charged up on the road, plus it's solar power capable when you're boondocking. (Note: Only unregulated solar panels may be used with the Redarc BCDC, which includes its own MPPT solar regulator.)

NOTE: Don't get confused between AC and DC amps on your inverter or battery monitor display. If the product description for your air conditioner indicates that it will draw 15 amps at 110v AC, then it will draw about 150 amps at 12v DC.

How Many Solar Panels Does it Take to Run RV AC

What Size Battery Bank Do You Need to Run an RV AC?

Your battery bank is another crucial component in powering your RV AC setup. The more solar panels you have, the more power they can replenish in your batteries. However, this power is wasted if your batteries can't hold all the energy the panels produce. This is why it's important to make sure you have a large enough battery bank to run everything you need.

Remember that if you plan to use your AC on cloudy days or at night, you'll be using battery power without replenishing it with your solar panels. For this, you'll need to make sure your battery bank can run your AC for these non-solar-supported hours.

For instance, if you know that your AC requires 150 amps every hour it runs, and you plan on running your AC for three hours each night after the sun goes down, you'll need to add 450 amp-hours to your battery bank in addition to the battery power it takes to run everything else on your RV (150 ah * 3 hours = 450 ah battery). In general, you should plan on at least a 700 amp-hour battery bank if you plan to run an AC with solar.

Having the right kind of batteries is also important. Lithium ion batteries will give you the best results. They are lighter, more efficient, and longer lasting than lead acid batteries.

How Much Does It Cost to Run an RV AC Off Solar Power?

700 Ah Lithium Ion Battery Bank - $7,200
2,500W Solar Panels - $7,800
3,000W Inverter - $1,000

Total = $ 16,000

Now that you know what's involved in creating a solar setup that can run an RV air conditioner, you can decide whether or not it's worth it. After seeing what's involved, many campers opt for the easier, more cost-effective alternative of a good generator.

You can also simply use solar to supplement other energy sources. For instance, if you're plugged into a 15-amp outlet, you may choose to use a solar panel and hybrid inverter combination to offset the draw of your air conditioner. You won't be running off the sun alone, but solar panels can make up a significant portion of a patchwork power system.

Running an RV AC On Solar Power - Cost Breakdown

What Size Generator Do You Need to Run an RV Air Conditioner?

How to Service An RV Air Conditioner

4 Common Myths About RV Solar Power

Related Products

Shop Solar Panels

Shop Generators

Shop Inverters

Written by: Amber S.

Updated on: 9/12/2019

Explore Expert Info

on RV Air Conditioners

Videos

for RV Air Conditioners

Help Articles

for RV Air Conditioners

Expert Answers

for RV Air Conditioners

Review of Lippert Camper Jacks - Replacement GearBox - LC276602

Review of MAXXAIR RV Vents and Fans - Replacement Lid MaxxFan, MaxxFan Plus Roof Vent - MA10A40009K

Curt Custom Base Plate Kit Installation - 2018 Jeep JK Wrangler Unlimited

Best 2018 Jeep Jk Wrangler Base Plate Options

Review of Yakima Trailer Hitch Lock - HitchLock For Hitch Mounted Bike Racks - Y07235

Malone SeaWing Kayak Carrier and Stinger Load Assist Review

Review of Dometic RV Toilet Parts - Flush Ball Replacement Kit - DOM68FR

Hopkins Trailer Wiring Harness Installation - 2019 Subaru Outback Wagon HM11143885

Review of Camco Heater Stand - CAM57701

Review of Furrion Replacement Manual Air Distribution Box Chill HE AC - FR28PR

Review of Maxxair - RV Vents and Fans,Enclosed Trailer Parts - MA00A03550K

Lippert Road Armor Shock Absorbing Equalizer Kit Installation - 2022 Grand Design Imagine Travel Tra

How Many Batteries Do You Need to Run RV Air Conditioner?

What Size Generator Do You Need to Run an RV Air Conditioner?

How to Service An RV Air Conditioner

How to Troubleshoot Your RV Air Conditioner

Brake Controller 7- and 4-Way Installation Kit (ETBC7)

How Does an RV Toilet Work?

How Much Solar Power Do I Need For My RV?

Using a Portable Generator on RV

RV Propane 101: How Does My RV's Propane System Work?

How to Replace an RV Roof Vent Cover

RV Lighting Interior Design Collections

Converting Your RV Water Heater to Tankless

Dimensions of the Blue Ox Base Plates Part BX1126 Brackets for a 2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

Thanks for sending a picture! I went to our warehouse to measure the brackets on the Blue Ox base plate #BX1126 to provide you the measurements you are needing. The bottom edge of the bracket measures 10-inches and the top edge measures 5-1/4 inches.…

view full answer...

What Base Plate do You Recommend to Use with My 3/4 D-Rings on My 2008 Jeep Wrangler?

Thanks for reaching out to us here at etrailer. It looks like there might be some D-rings on your bumper. Is that correct? If so, do you know the measurement of those D-rings? You should be able to attach a photo to a response to this answer.

view full answer...

Will Malone SeaWing and MegaWing Carriers Work with Kayak with Flatter Underside

Yes, both the Malone SeaWing #MPG107MD and MegaWing #MPG207 will work for carrying your Lifetime Tamarack Pro kayak. The only real difference between these carriers is that the SeaWing has a weight capacity of 75 lbs while the MegaWing has a weight…

view full answer...

Compatibility Of Malone SeaWing Kayak Carrier With Lifetime Tamarack Angler Kayak

Yes, the Malone SeaWing Kayak Carrier #MPG107MD can be used to carry your Lifetime Tamarack Kayak. This carrier is rated for kayaks up to 75lbs. The carrier will fit round, square, aero, elliptical, and most factory crossbars with at least a 24"…

view full answer...

Difference Between EcoHitch EH34FR and Curt C67JR for 2020 Subaru Outback

Both the EcoHitch #EH34FR and the Curt #C67JR hitches are pretty similar. Both hitches would install in the same manner, requiring that the rear bumper cover and bumper beam be temporarily removed. The hitches are both installed so that the mounting…

view full answer...

Can You Run a Washing Machine, TV and Vacuum on an Inverter

The Go Power Industrial Pure Sine Wave Inverter #34278156 has a running output of 2,000 watts. From what I could find researching running washing machines off of an inverter, it is going to depend on the machine and even whether you are using hot or…

view full answer...

How To Add Power Wire for MaxxFan Deluxe Vent with Fan

The MaxxFan Deluxe Roof Vent w/ 12V Fan, Thermostat, and Remote - Powered Lift - 10 Speed - Smoke #MA00-07500K requires 12V power at 5 amp draw. Since you are installing in a location that doesn't have power wires run, you will need to run a…

view full answer...

Best Trailer Hitch for a 2021 Subaru Outback Wagon

I have some great trailer hitch options for a 2021 Subaru Outback Wagon, the Curt Trailer Hitch Receiver part #C67JR and the Draw-Tite Max-Frame Trailer Hitch Receiver part #DT73RR. The Curt Hitch looks better installed as it has a hidden cross tube…

view full answer...

Replacement Door for D&W Inc Super Slider Sewer Hose Storage Tube

The Replacement Door for D&W Inc Super Slider Sewer Hose Storage Tubes is included in #A04-0448BK.

view full answer...

Identifying And Replacing A Cracked AC Cover

That looks an awful lot like a Penguin or Dometic RV Air Conditioner. We offer the Replacement Cover #AT3308046006 which appears to be very similar, only white in color. The #AT3308046006 cover is 7" tall, 29" wide and 40-1/2' long. I…

view full answer...

Where Is the Brake Controller Plug On a 2021 Ford F-150

The brake controller port on a 2021 Ford F-150 (if equipped) will be located behind the coin tray in the center console. This will be accessed by removing the panel under the steering wheel. I have attached a video which shows this below. For a brake…

view full answer...

Is the HSSF or the TDSF Slide In Camper Tie Down a Fit for 2012 Silverado

According to CR Brophy, the TDSF camper tie-down you refer to is not compatible with GM trucks after the 1988 model year. My contact tells me that the HSSF tie downs are indeed compatible with a 2012 Silverado. If you look at the provided photo, you…

view full answer...