Need advice for hooking up my electricity

[Shrtbusdrvr]

I have BIG plans for my tiny bus. first off i have no ac in my bus but i have a window unit that i would really like to be able to run while driving. what is the cheapest safe way to do this?

[lapeer20m]

if you have a big enough inverter and alternator that is the way to go while driving.

[Steve]

Thats the way my A/C works.

[the_experience03]

Just how big of an alternator do you have, Steve? 10 amps@120vac (about average for a smaller A/C)=100 amp@12vdc. That doesn't leave much power for anything else

[Steve]

Oh forgot to mention I have a giant bank of batteries to supplement.

A short bus probably doesn't have a very big alternator so you probably cannot run your A/C on that alone.

[pete c]

Assuming he has quite the supply of deep cycle batteries, he might pull it off if he insulates the beejezus out of the short bus. Assuming a duty cycle of maybe 50%, a little better than a 60 amp continuous draw might do it. Just don't try running the lights or blinkers or cd player at the same time.

Also, you could strap a windmill to the roof!

[the_experience03]

Originally Posted by Steve

Oh forgot to mention I have a giant bank of batteries to supplement.

I keep forgetting that you have that power-up-Las-Vegas-in-the-event-of-nuclear-winter battery bank in your bus.
My alternator is only rated to 130 amps while I see some of the 22SI Delco alternators finding their way into much smaller trucks nowadays are rated to 225 amps and more so physical size of the vehicle may or may not play a big role in the size.

A person could always just add another alternator....

[delbertinie]

how about adding a extra alternator to motor preferably a gm 1 wire alternator. and run the invertor off of that. that way you have the full attention of the altenator to run the invetor and you will not interfer with the vehicles charging system
dale

[the_experience03]

With a 3 wire alternator he could put a toggle switch on the field voltage wire and turn the AC on and off from the driver's seat.

[delbertinie]

great point I was just thinking of simplicity. wayne we keep running into each other ha