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This might be a stupid question: couldn't you just modify the AC unit already in your van to run off whatever power source you wanted to run your window unit of

• Gibbon1 6y ago
  Not stupid. The problem with most full sized vans is the ac compressor is run off a belt. Not totally insane would be add a second compressor and a three way valve. I've never heard of someone doing that. It's more common to use a RV rooftop AC unit. Some newer passengers cars and maybe some vans use electric motors to drive the compressor. And EV's tend do that as well. In the EV case no mods are probably needed. Electric vans though are just becoming a thing and have low range and high price tag.
• dencodev 6y ago
  Yes but the issue is power consumption. The idea is to run the AC off solar and batteries which is why the rooftop option doesn't work either - they use a buttload of energy. The AC systems in vehicles consume a ton of power to operate which is typically why they're belt driven by the engine directly. The all electric version in a Tesla uses around 3000 watts if I remember correctly, while a window unit use about 450.
  • masklinn 6y ago
    > The all electric version in a Tesla uses around 3000 watts if I remember correctly, while a window unit use about 450. Surely the 3000W unit will use 3000W when running full tilt and will cool significantly more and faster than a 450W window unit, and would achieve the same cooling as the 450W unit by only running about 15% of the time? (or at 15% power if it's an inverter AC).