RV FEATURE
So 1200Wh divided by 500Wh equals 2.4 hours before the batteries go flat , almost double the runtime without factoring in any recharging .
Now if you take into account some variation in solar charge rates and the fact that the air-conditioner will cycle on and off as the thermostat kicks in , you may be able to extend that runtime or it may reduce depending on the conditions . Further , if you have lithium batteries set to cut off at 10 per cent state of charge , you could reasonably rely on an estimate of around two hours of runtime .
SUMMING UP
Remember , we are not trying to calculate our battery capacity and runtimes to the last minute . Apart from anything else , doing that level of detail is just tedious and , in my opinion , stressful .
Breaking everything down to watts and watt hours , however , gives you a very good overall picture of what your electrical system is doing and all it requires is simple mathematics you can do in your head or on your phone ’ s calculator .
It will help remove much of the anxiety owners get when camping off-grid , especially when using all the creature comforts modern RVs allow you to have away from home .
Cloud cover and trees will severely limit your solar panel ’ s output . It is essential to take this into account when calculating recharge times .
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