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Here's the specs:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Toshiba-10-0...WA64502095
7.5 amps at 115 volts = 862 watts but when measured with "kill-a-watt" runs on the 500 watt side. I don't know if 862 is supposed to be the "max" wattage but I can tell you that startup wattage is a lot higher than that.
These are mad amateur scientist readings, not scientific ones. But it runs without complaints on a 12v PV system.
eta: info
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Wow. I'm shocked. I'm shocked. I'm surprised. <Woody Allen movie>
I guess I just crossed off AC off grid long ago and never revisited. Thanks!
Cheers,
Kirt
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I run a dehumidifier all day when sunny, otherwise the resource goes to waste. The dehumidifier draws about 450 watts.
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I'm running my new portable A/C unit from Smiths on an 1800 watt Yamaha generator from Costco. If next summer is as hot as this one I'm going on the grid and getting whole house A/C. This heat is too much at sea level.
Terracore, thanks for the info on the portable unit BTU's. Interesting.
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"I guess I just crossed off AC off grid long ago and never revisited. Thanks!"
Re-reading this I started second-guessing myself and remembered the "under 500 watt" figure I had in my head was for a smaller unit in the bedroom. The 10,000 BTU unit referenced above just tested at 590 watts on medium (the setting I normally use) and 609 watts on high.
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Punatic007, if you mostly run AC during the day you might just consider more solar panels. I hear running AC on HELCO is brutal...
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I took my 8k btu unit back to Kevin at Smith's and exchanged it for a 10k btu unit. No extra charge. Needed an oddball part for another appliance and Kevin dug one up and gave it to me. Mahalo Kevin!
Assume the best and ask questions.
Punaweb moderator
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Those guys at Smiths are awesome.
Randomq, that's a good suggestion, thanks.
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During the winter if you don't use the A/C you can use the unused solar power to grow things indoors with LED grow lights. We grow romaine and salad mixes that do best in winter and being inside we don't have to worry about RLW or other pest problems.
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Admittedly it is a 10x higher initial investment but some of the modern split systems are 2 or 3 times more efficient which could mean the difference between running off grid or not.
Also they do make the portable ones with 2 pipes to bring in outside air for heat rejection instead of using conditioned air for that. More expensive of course.
