Randyretired

We wanted to be able to run AC using solar as we don't have power at our mountain property yet. We have a residential refrigerator and 2,000 watts of solar. Yesterday the afternoon high was 91 and one 12,000 btu mini split easily kept us at 74 our desired setting. All on solar. Our 12,000 btu mini split performs much better than the 15,000 btu RV AC. One RV AC would not keep up with these temps and would require using both. The mini split uses about 400 watts. Here when the sun goes down it cools quickly so we use the mini split to heat a little in the early morning. Mini splits use an inside unit and an outside unit and require copper lines and wires between these units. The outside unit is to big to mount on the roof so we built a support to mount it on the back. I drilled a 2.5" hole to run the lines, wires and drain into the Teton. The installation is not typical and not something the average RV tech is familiar with. It would seem to be more of a DIY task. For us it is worth it but maybe not for many.

That is true Glenn! When I move more than a few feet away from the inside unit I can't tell if it is on it is so quiet. Thanks for your advice as you and others convinced me to install this mini split. The heating function also works well.

I just installed a mini split on our Teton. We are in the Colorado high country but only about 7200'. In this heat spell the afternoon temps are in the middle to upper 80's. We are boondocking. The 12000 btu mini split easily keeps us cool and 2000 watts of solar means the batteries are never challenged. Of course the high country cools off quickly when the sun goes down so we can shut off the AC. Still I am impressed with this mini split and it is very quiet.

There are inexpensive masks that are proven to protect the person wearing it. N95. The masks Kirk and docj are talking about are certainly better maybe much better than some masks but here finding people wearing any masks is rare. Essential workers are confronted with people without masks sometimes frequently. Wouldn't you think that we would prioritize these proven N95 masks? Months after this virus appeared some healthcare workers still struggle to get them. We have shut down the economy and watched trillions of dollars evaporate and people sick and dying and yet we can't get a simple $2 mask proven to help? I will get off my soapbox now.

As some have said makeshift cloth masks still allow infected droplets to fly several feet. A recent study indicated " typical cloth masks" should not be trusted at distances of 4' or less. Essential workers are dying and politicians tell us if EVERYONE wears a makeshift cloth mask it might make things safer. All the while we know that N95 masks WOULD be safer. And yet even months after this virus started we can't get a $2 paper mask and little is being done to correct this. In the rural county we live in only a few are infected by the virus from China so masks are not common. While only a few are infected it is still here and spreading. We just returned from picking up groceries from Walmart and while there were numbers of people coming and going the ONLY masks I saw were on Walmart employees. I would like to protect myself and an N95 mask and maybe a face shield would go a long way towards that goal. All of our children are declared essential and they too can't get N95 masks. You may be okay with this but I know there is a better, safer and affordable way. We just need to do it.

It is outrageous that is has been months since this virus started and still even health care workers and first responders can't get these masks. There are a lot of people that would benefit from these. I don't think $2 is expensive and until this virus that is what these were going for. Instead of making a big fuss over some people not wearing masks those of us that wanted to could do a better job of protecting ourselves and family. N95 masks and face shields would go a long way towards protecting those at risk. The excuse that we need to save those for first responders and so forth was very reasonable at first but here we are months later and those that need masks still are having trouble. So today we just use an old shirt or an old scarf and call it good? Have these been fitted and people taught to wear them?

We also have a couple of N95 masks that we wear when we go out, which is rare. Why there doesn't appear to be an all out effort to make these generally available is something I don't understand. Instead they want us to wear masks of unknown and unproven design. My dad taught me years ago that if something is worth doing then do it right. N95 masks were readily available before this for less than $2.00. If these were available today without causing shortages for critical operations I for one would buy many. The filtering capability of these masks is far superior for both the one wearing the mask and others. For a couple of bucks why not have the best?

After thinking about the heat pump dryer if it is only 800 watts that would seem to be very efficient. If it has a hspf figure in the specs we could verify how efficient it is. Still 30 amps 240 doesn't fit at all.

I am not sure but the 30 amp 240 Glenn is looking at seems to be for a heat pump dryer. I don't have the specs here now but the mini splits need about 10 amps or less for the size like Glenn's. I don't know how the dryers are setup but I don't think those are split like a mini split and I doubt those are variable speed. The 30 amp 240 is standard for regular dryers and it doesn't make sense at all for 800 watts. Even at a surge of 2, 3 or even 4 times it wouldn't need that. Something is amiss here.

The mini splits use an inverter system and start very slow and soft. Then ramp up slowly to what is needed. Unlike other heat pumps these vary the compressor and fans as needed. Virtually no surge current at start. The start up current is less than full cooling.

You may already know this but be careful to make sure the inverter never supplies the power to the converter via the batteries. That will drain the batteries pretty fast.

I sure hope you get it changed over. It sounds like you have the makings of a good setup, a really good setup it just needs a little tweaking.

I wired our setup a little different than many. I can plug my RV into the inverter and receive power through the inverter or I can plug the RV directly to the hookups without the inverter. If I want I can plug the inverter into the RV to charge batteries powered by the hookups but the power for the rest of the RV is separate. I also left the converter so it can be used for battery charging if needed. We have a residential refrigerator and use a mini split for heating and AC. Propane is only used for cooking and heating water so I didn't see the need to add an auxiliary breaker box because nearly everything needs the inverter when boondocking. For boondocking we have 2,000 watts of solar and a generator.

The original question is how long will this go on and if we make progress somewhat like you said I wonder how long until we get to that point. Vaccines usually take about 10 years and I know they are talking about 18 months but better vaccines will likely take longer. Then reaching 50% vaccinated, that is a tall order just in the US not to mention the world. Especially since there is talk of 2 or more doses for the first vaccines. Hopeing the virus will just die out I can't imagine that in my lifetime. Trying to be positive it seems we are at least a couple of years away from a pretty normal life as we knew it. My plans are to try and go with the flow and make the best of it. Social distancing and maybe masks or some new scheme will be the norm for a while and I expect we will slowly ease back to a less restrictive life.

Installing a mini split requires someone who is knowledgeable on these. Usually in a house this is a heating and AC person with proper training and tools. Outside of a house it is difficult to find someone and the great warranties offered with mini splits usually don't apply. I just installed a mini split in our 5er and while we haven't used it we are excited about it. It is very quiet and draws less than half of the watts an RV AC uses. Much nicer than an RV AC. I sure wish I could recommend someone but I have never even heard of someone doing it professionally. I hope you can find someone it will be worth it.

I sure wish there was a push to produce N95 masks for the masses. The safety of those far surpasses a cloth mask and it also protects the person wearing it. We both have one from awhile back and wear them when around others, which isn't often. Before this virus these N95 masks were readily available for less than $2.00.

In Denver the plan is for all school age children except those with medical conditions to wear masks in school. Also on the playground. I am glad I am not the one enforcing that.

If it fails 2 things come to mind. Cost to replace and how to live without it for awhile. Oh and how hard is it to replace.

Sounds as if it would simplify things and maybe save some $. The advantage of combining everything is often less overall power maybe needed at any given time so less overall watts. But if it simplifies and maybe saves $ that may be a better way to go. We are still getting by with a 2000 watt inverter but we have to be careful. I have considered a second inverter hard wired to certain things but haven't acted on it yet.

I measured our 12,000 btu mini split heat pump on heat and it only pulled 600 watts and about 400 watts on AC. Since you need only power 2 things you could put in a separate 240 inverter for just those 2 things. Will one 120 volt inverter power the rest?

When we were there on a Friday before a holiday after my DW just had treatment, highway construction caused a 3 hour traffic jam on the road to Payson. It was 112F and after 10 minutes of not moving our AC overheated and quit. That road is divided so we were just stuck there for 3 hours in that sun. I hope to never be there in the summer again!

We spent a year in the Phoenix area in 2007 as my DW was receiving treatment at the Mayo clinic. We were able to stay in Payson during the hottest months and traveled to Phoenix a few times each week. The heat there is a challenge for RV's. I don't miss it.

I am hopeful that a vaccine will be available by maybe the first of next year. That said I think we really need some better treatments for those that are sick. Vaccines are usually not 100% and there are concerns that the first vaccines may be less robust. Add in the number of people that can't get a vaccine and those that won't. Herd immunity may not come quickly. However, if there is a vaccine and a reasonable treatment for those that catch it, life could return to normal pretty quickly.

Mostly a case of a bad back.

Our Teton requires me to stoop under the bedroom slide. It is about all I can do to put a full one in. At our property there is a small hill right under the propane cabinet. The last time I put a full bottle in I put it on the ground upside down and then leaned it up against the bottle holding tray. Then just lifted the top from the ground until it rotated in. Probably not the best way but with the hill I was bent way over to clear the slide. May start requesting only 7 gallons instead of filling it.