Sharp will launch its first DC powered air-conditioner later this year. Marketed to the solar home crowd, this and other DC appliances may find their way into your RV.
With the increasing use of solar panels worldwide, manufacturers are beginning to explore more and more DC devices for the home. The major advantage is a further 5%-10% increase of efficiency in locations powered by solar panels.
Ordinarily these panels produce a 12V DC current that is converted into 110V AC, to be used by the home’s appliances, which often convert it back to 12V internally. Each conversion causes a substantial efficiency loss, that can be avoided with these DC-to-DC devices.
The RV Electrical System is structurally different from the solar home, yet these future efficiency improvements will greatly enhance the off-grid lifestyle.
The announcement doesn’t include any specifications of amperage use, which, very likely will be high and in the RV environment, such an air-conditioner may be feasible only in combination with a Lithium battery bank.
Sharp aims to release an air conditioner powered by direct-current (DC) electricity in 2015.