Solar swamp cooler or mini split ac?

nobody928
nobody928 Solar Expert Posts: 62 ✭✭✭✭
Summer is just around the corner. I only have 560 watt system so I am not sure what is feasable.

What is the best design for a solar swamp cooler? Watt kind of watt draw do you think I would be looking at for a swamp cooler?


What are the watt draw off of the mini split systems?

Comments

  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Solar swamp cooler or mini split ac?

    What's the humidity situation? If it's low, swamp cooler. If high humidity, mini-split, but I think you will need more power (PV) for it.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Solar swamp cooler or mini split ac?
    nobody928 wrote: »
    Summer is just around the corner. I only have 560 watt system so I am not sure what is feasible.
    What is the best design for a solar swamp cooler? Watt kind of watt draw do you think I would be looking at for a swamp cooler?

    Swamp coolers depend on a dry environment, you can 'make' a swamp cooler in several different ways as simple as running a fan through a wicking material. Keeping it free of mold/mildew and calcium deposits is the trick. Search around on YouTube and see peoples different designs. I saw a cleaver design with a dollar store chamois, and dish pans, chamois cut in strips down the middle, to an inch from the top and bottom, and hung from the dish pan above a 10" fan, with pieces of electric conuit (any thing would work) between the slits so the air blew between the chamois strips easily at the bottom and harder at the top. it would be a cheap design to try.
    nobody928 wrote: »
    What are the watt draw off of the mini split systems?

    I doubt you'll run a mini split on such a minimal system. I ran a 'window shaker' on a 1000 watt array for a while and could stay even with the batteries running about 4-5 hours an evening(on thermostat in a room designed just for air conditioning, thick well insulated walls, small room), with next to nothing else running, I increased the system to 1700 watts and was able to run longer during the day once batteries were fully charged. I had minmal storage so I might have been able to run longer during the night, but didn't want to replace the 4 GC batteries, until their time had come...
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,731 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Solar swamp cooler or mini split ac?
    nobody928 wrote: »
    Summer is just around the corner. I only have 560 watt system so I am not sure what is feasable.

    What is the best design for a solar swamp cooler? Watt kind of watt draw do you think I would be looking at for a swamp cooler?


    What are the watt draw off of the mini split systems?

    The minimum solar to run a mini-split in low power mode (300 to 600 watts) on the split is about 1 KW of solar. The other requirement is an array that is tracked or separate arrays positioned for long hours of operation. To get around this requirement you would need a larger battery bank and the ability to charge it properly.

    At some point if you live in an area with high humidity or places that do not cool off at night, a generator or much larger solar/battery system is required.

    Generally a 1 ton or less mini split works really well if it can be powered. The goal is to run it at 7 or 8 AM or so and get ahead of the heat gain of the home.

    With an array pointing at the sun there is plenty of power to run past 7 PM without using the battery. It still is to me one of the wonders of the world for heating and cooling.
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
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  • inetdog
    inetdog Solar Expert Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Solar swamp cooler or mini split ac?
    nobody928 wrote: »
    Summer is just around the corner. I only have 560 watt system so I am not sure what is feasable.

    What is the best design for a solar swamp cooler? Watt kind of watt draw do you think I would be looking at for a swamp cooler?


    What are the watt draw off of the mini split systems?

    One thing to keep in mind when looking at an evaporative cooler is that you are not recirculating air at all but rather drawing outside air, cooking it and blowing it through the house to places (like open windows) where it can vent back to the outside.

    As a result the power drain for the air handler (fan) of a swamp cooler will be higher than the fan-only drain of the mini-split and you will probably be running it for a longer period of time.

    The swamp cooler also makes a good vent fan for use when the nighttime outside temps get low enough. You do not save much energy by not running the water during those times, but the results may be more comfortable.

    A two speed 1/2 or 3/4 HP motor (at ~1000W per HP energy input) would be common for a whole house swamp cooler. For a single room it could be much smaller.
    SMA SB 3000, old BP panels.