Can the Onan QD 8000 CM44RR Charge My Battery Bank While Running My 18K BTU Mini-Split?

Updated 07/02/2025 | Published 06/17/2025

Question:

We’re living full-time in a 45foot Renegade Verona LE motorhome with a lithium battery bank and a 48V inverter/charger setup. Our senville mini-split draws around 1,600W at peak. Will the Cummins diesel Onan QD 8000 CM44RR support both charging and A/C loads at altitude ~6,200 ft in Flagstaff?

asked by: Karen

Expert Reply:

Absolutely! The Onan QD 8000 Generator # CM44RR is built for high-demand, full-time applications like yours. We’ve seen off-grid Class A's and C's using this generator to power residential HVAC and still top off a lithium battery bank at the same time. With a 66.6A output at 120V, it has plenty of headroom to run your 18K BTU mini-split and simultaneously recharge your batteries via a 48V inverter/charger. The dual vent ac system you have draws only ~17a max, and only about 3.5a-10a when cooling on average.

And great thinking on altitude, the QD 8000 is turbocharged, so it maintains performance above 6,000 feet without derating. Perfect for Flagstaff or anywhere else you’re climbing high.

Do you already have your battery charger and inverter picked out and installed?

expert reply by: Andrew N

Onan QD8000 Generator
(click to enlarge)

Issac

7/2/2025

We’ve been running a similar setup; Victron inverter with a lithium bank and a 12K BTU mini-split. The QD 8000 hasn’t let us down once, even during peak summer in Arizona.

Andrew N.

7/2/2025

@Issac Love hearing that! That’s a solid, high-demand setup and it’s great that the QD 8000 is performing reliably for you. Sounds like you’ve got your power system dialed in - thanks for the firsthand insight!