How to Choose Portable Power Station for an Air Conditioner?
Table of Contents
How much power does an air conditioner need?
Air conditioners are available in indoor and outdoor variants. The most popularly used air conditioners are central air conditioners, ductless air conditioners, window air conditioners, portable air conditioners, and hybrid air conditioners.
Regarding the central air conditioners, it takes around 1000 Watts to facilitate one ton of cooling. As central air conditioners of two to three tons are commonly used, the average power consumption of a central AC can be rated between 2000 Watts to 3000 Watts.
When it comes to mini-split or ductless air conditioners, the power requirement is between 700 to less than 2000 watts per hour. The power requirement would decrease if only a minimum number of zones operated simultaneously.
For a window AC unit, the power needed lies between 500 Watts to 1500 Watts, and the power consumption varies according to the size of the unit. A moderately sized window AC unit would need around 900 Watts of power to operate correctly.
Regarding portable air conditioners, the power requirement generally falls around 1000 Watts.
The energy-efficient hybrid air conditioners that swap between fuel and electric sources require comparatively less power than their counterparts. As they are operated through fuels for a great deal of the time, the power requirement would be roughly 500 Watts.
RV air conditioners usually require around 100 Watts of electricity to produce about 1000 BTU cooling. That is, a regular-sized RV air conditioner that has around 15000 BTU cooling output would need a power input of 1500 Watts.
Why do you need a portable power station for air conditioners?
Keeping the indoor air cool during warmer seasons
The scorching sun and the increased humidity during seasons like summer makes it essential to have an air conditioner operated continuously. Thus, having a portable power station to supply uninterrupted power for the air conditioners is also important.
Centralized and split air conditioners used indoors are heavily used during summer. In case of surprise power outages, a backup power source is inevitable to maintain the indoor air cool. This is where a portable power station for air conditioners would come in handy.
Maintaining a proper supply of ventilation in RVs
While traveling in RVs, especially during warmer and humid seasons, ventilation often comes off as an issue, and having an RV air conditioner is ideal for solving this scenario. But during emergency power outages or longer durations of power loss at night could jeopardize the ventilation supply. A portable power station for the RV air conditioners would avoid mishaps.
It is estimated that an RV air conditioner of 15000 BTU would only sustain for a time of 30 minutes once the power is lost, and the addition of a portable power station can extend the air conditioner’s service to 5 to 10 hours, depending on the capacity of the power station.
Removing foreign bodies from the air for ailing persons
Whether outdoor or indoor, air conditioners play a crucial role in removing stagnant air, which contains foreign bodies, dust particles, etc., which is vital to maintain the health of a possibly ill person. So, during power outages, the stagnant air could pose difficulties to the patient’s health when the air conditioner fails to function. An efficient portable power station for air conditioners can address and solve this scenario.
Having the assistance of a portable power station for indoor and outdoor air conditioners ensures a constant supply of power to the ACs, facilitating the consistent removal of stagnant air and, thereby, keeping the health of possibly ill persons under continuous check.
How to choose a portable power station for air conditioners?
Capacity and output wattage
To decide on the capacity of the portable power station for air conditioners, the voltage and wattage of the air conditioner should be considered. On average, an air conditioner would require around 1000 Watts of power per hour, and thus, the portable power station should at least be providing an output wattage of 2000 Watts. Because during emergencies or longer hours of power loss, the power station may have to accommodate other devices along with the air conditioner. Thus, an extra window of battery capacity would be ideal for the uninterrupted functioning of the air conditioners.
Generally, a 2000 Watts portable power station can power up to a 4000 BTU air conditioner unit for up to 7 hours. If the power requirement of the AC increases, the number of hours for which a 2000 W power station could operate it would proportionally reduce. Or else a portable power station with a higher battery capacity should be incorporated.
Output port
Regarding the output ports of the portable power station for air conditioners, it is essential to have a port that suits the power requirement of the concerned air conditioner unit. If the air conditioners are either central or split, used in homes, the power requirement, especially the starting power requirement, is exceptionally high. They must be connected to output ports that can provide 120 Volts at least. As the other household equipment is not power-hungry like the ACs, it is better to have a portable power station with a dedicated port for air conditioners and regular ports for the other equipment.
But when it comes to portable air conditioners, no high-power-yielding outlets are required as their power demand is less, and thus, the portable power stations used are expected to have regular AC and DC outlets. When purchasing portable power stations for portable air conditioners, it is advisable to have the maximum number of outlets, as during emergency power outages, especially during summertime, the air conditioner would be in full-time use and thus will be occupying one outlet for the entire time and therefore, more output ports would be required to operate other devices along.
Recharge time
For portable power stations for household air conditioners, it is essential to have a lesser recharge time, preferably under two hours, as these air conditioners require a constant power supply. It would also be better if those power stations supported pass-through charging so that the air conditioners need not be removed from the port even while the power station is being recharged.
But when it comes to portable air conditioners, they primarily function on rechargeable batteries, and most portable AC models can keep working for six to eight hours even after the power runs out. Thus, the portable power stations for the portable ACs can have a recharge time of two to eight hours, and it also does not matter much, even if they don’t support pass-through charging.
Power source
Portable power stations’ most common power sources are solar and rechargeable battery packs. Although both are ideal and reliable, it is better to have a battery-powered portable power station when it comes to continuous use of air conditioners, such as when outdoors during emergencies or extended power outages. Because battery-powered power stations usually take much lesser time to recharge and often support pass-through charging, which is beneficial for air conditioners as a continuous power supply is ensured.
Solar-powered portable power stations are ideal for operating air conditioners at night. Because solar-powered power stations take around eight or more hours to get charged entirely and need a high amount of solar energy, too, it would be ideal for charging them throughout the day when sunlight is available and put to use in operating air conditioners throughout the night.
Dimensions and net weight
While buying a portable power station for a portable air conditioner, dimensions or total weight should be closely monitored. An average portable air conditioner weighs around 30 pounds, and an average portable power station weighs a minimum of 10 pounds. If the total weight of both the power station and the air conditioner goes above 50 pounds, it would be tough for an individual to carry them or even handle them. So, according to the weight, dimensions, and power requirements of the air conditioner, the weight and size of the portable power station should be adjusted.
But as far as the household air conditioners are concerned, the portable power stations can be heavier as no movement is required, and only bigger power stations would be able to provide enough power to feed the power-hungry air conditioners at home.
Conclusion
Being extremely power-hungry pieces of equipment, air conditioners require around 1000 Watts to provide 1 ton of cooling impact. This constant requirement of a high amount of power demands a portable power station of higher output capacity. Especially if the portable power station is being purchased for central and split air conditioning units, power stations of around 3000 Watts would be necessary.
But the portable air conditioning units built for smaller spaces like RVs or camp tents produce comparatively lesser cooling and, thus, require only less power which spans around 1000 Watts. Other air conditioners, like window ACs, RV ACs, hybrid ACs, etc., require around 500 Watts to 1500 Watts.
A quality portable power station for the air conditioners enables the user to cope with the change in temperature and humidity and helps maintain ideal airflow and ventilation. Even in power outages and load-shedding, having a portable power station handy would ensure continuous hours of service from the air conditioners.
Rate This Article
