Re: Can I buy a battery operated air con for cars?

Air con??? Con Air??

Not for very long at one time, with a 12 V automotive battery of reasonable size. Air conditioner pumps are typically belt-driven rather than electrical accessories because they do a lot of work -- in the old days the rule of thumb was 10-15 horsepower, though more efficient compressors have dropped that into the single digit range. Throw in some inefficiencies and you've got a whole lotta amps at 12 V dc.

I think hybrids used to generally use a belt-driven compressor but now some of the more advanced ones use a husky inverter and an electric compressor.

Note here that user expectations of performance play a role too -- automobile A/C systems have MUCH more cooling capacity, compared to the size of the "room," than you'd find in a house. There's a lot of "greenhouse effect" with all those windows, and people then want the thing cooled down in a hurry.

Cheers,

--Joe

A/C systems require gobs of power. The battery technology of today is inadequate for that task...