How Long Will an RV Air Conditioner off a Generator? (TV Version) | How to Handle Cold Winters

So you want to know how long your AC will run off your generator in your class b campervan? I answer that question plus share my secrets on how I continue to use my rv in the winter - even when it's -30F outside! Let's talk: weather extremes and your campervan.

** More about this video **
Most class b vans come with a rooftop air conditioner for cooling down in hot and humid summer days. But unlike your home, the rooftop AC in a van usually can't just be switched on. That's because it's power hungry and would drain your rv coach batteries in no time. So, you have to either be plugged into shore power (e.g. an outside power source like at a campground) or you have to run some kind of generator. You can run what's called an "underhood generator" which is just marketing talk for a big alternator or you can run a gas or propane powered generator which is what many rvs have.

If you have a gas powered generator then you're in luck. You can run your gas-powered generator for much longer than say a propane powered generator because your gas-powered generator uses your van's fuel tank for fuel. That tank is generally much larger than your propane tank.

But for those of us who don't have a gasoline powered generator and rely on propane, the question is: how long can I run my AC off my propane-powered generator before I run out of propane? This might seem like a strange question but if you've got pets that you need to regularly leave alone in the van while you're out - and it's hot outside - and you're not plugged into shore power then this is an important question.

In order to answer the question, we have to know how much propane the generator consumes at half and full loads. In the case of my van, a 2017 Pleasureway Ascent, my Cummin Onan 2500 watt generator consumes a third of a gallon of propane an hour at half load. It consumes a half gallon of propane an hour at full load and a fifth of a gallon just idling. That's one thirsty generator.

The size of the propane tank on my Ascent is 8.16 gallons. That means that if my generator is running at half load powering my air conditioner on a hot day, it will consume 1 gallon of propane in 3 hours. If I leave it on 24 hours then I'm empty. No more propane. Let's say I don't run it 24 hours but just 6 hours a day - 3 in the afternoon and 3 at night. I'll run out of propane in 4 days.

On the Pleasureway Lexor you don't have this problem because it uses a gasoline powered generator. That means as long as you've got gas in your van's tank the generator will have fuel to run. Since that tanks a lot bigger, you can run the AC a lot longer. Plus, when you need to refill your tank, you just drive to the nearest gas station. No need looking for a place to fill up your propane.

For this reason, I recommend that if you need to run your AC regularly for longer periods of time then you should consider either a van with a gas powered generator or a van with an underhood generator. You'll be able to run your AC for longer stretches without having to worry about refueling your generator.

But managing hot days are only half of dealing with extreme weather. What about really cold winters? Can you use your campervan in really cold winters? The answer is "Yes!". I use mine in the winter all the time. The trick is to winterize your RV and ensure that there is no water in any of the water lines or traps that could freeze and burst plumbing. As long as you clear out any water you can use your van in cold weather without worry. In fact, I still use my toilet in sub-freezing weather by carrying a jug of rv anti-freeze with me and flushing with it. RV antifreeze does freeze in really low temperatures but it doesn't expand and that's the trick. As long as it doesn't expand, your plumbing is safe.
** Links **
Propane usage chart: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MX2kAcdTZoiLYh6CFkDltpPlyX_VWMjx/view?usp=sharing

RV Antifreeze Not All the Same: http://rvlife.com/techtipsrv-antifreeze-not-all-the-same/

My RV Anti-freeze, Froze (Testing RV Anti-freeze burst properties): My RV anti-freeze froze! (Testing RV anti-freeze burst properties)

Buy propylene glycol rv antifreeze here: http://amzn.to/2u6jSts

Видео How Long Will an RV Air Conditioner off a Generator? (TV Version) | How to Handle Cold Winters канала Neil Balthaser