battery powered air conditioner?

bmet
bmet Solar Expert Posts: 630 ✭✭
in Energy Use & Conservation #1
Needs ice, but would it be practical?

Anyone have any experience with these?
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  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?

    Personally, I wouldn't expect much from it. Perhaps a little breeze on your face and that would be it. "requires two ( 8 ) D cell batteries" What does that mean, two D cells, or 2 packs of 8 D cells for a total of 16 D cells every 4 hours?
    Photos can make things look deceivingly large.
    And 4 pounds of ice? That's less than 2 litres of ice. Might be better to wrap the ice in a towel, hold it against your body / face and save $120.00.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?

    You can buy a fan that blows air over ice for a lot less than $120. That's all this thing is.
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  • Slappy
    Slappy Solar Expert Posts: 251 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?

    use an ice chest, cut 2 holes, place muffin fan in one of the holes, hook to 12 volt battery, and bing-go.....P.S. dont for get the ice. :D
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  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?
    Slappy wrote: »
    use an ice chest, cut 2 holes, place muffin fan in one of the holes, hook to 12 volt battery, and bing-go.....P.S. dont for get the ice. :D

    Seriously, an excellent idea! The ice chest would collect the water from the melting ice, AND hold one heck of a lot more than 2 litres of ice!!!!!!
    The ice could be placed on a screen to hold it up out of the meltwater where the air could continue to flow over / through the ice, crushed or otherwise, as it gradually melts away.
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  • Slappy
    Slappy Solar Expert Posts: 251 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYS9YhAlwhM&feature=related

    here is a vid back in 2008 of a person making one with a 50 qt cooler with a styro foam top, so no holes is cut into the cooler, and also so you can use "ice packs" to cut down on the humidity. But their is many different way to do it. My train of thinking is just use on what ya got laying around the house. The vid is kind of slow going. but he gets into details on his set up.
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  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?

    Agree Slappy, re using what's laying around etc. The humidity may not be a big problem. Look at the way a "normal" AC works, as the warm moist air hits the cold evaporator, the moisture condenses out on it and drains to the bottom. The evaporator remains wet, collecting more moisture. So I would expect the same thing with ice. the warm moist air hitting the cold ice would give up it's moisture to the cold surface and drain down with the meltwater, to collect, or drain below. Should be ideal as long as there's a steady supply of ice. I might just try one out this coming (hopefully) Summer. Might be interesting to see how the energy consumption would compare between a relatively low power draw of a freezer running 24 hrs to make ice, and the far bigger draw of a standard AC for a couple of hours when it gets too hot. My system won't run an AC, but it will run a freezer. Interesting idea indeed. On second thought, once the batteries are topped up, my solar might just run a small AC without sucking down the batteries, as long as the sun shines.
    I gotta stop thinking out loud! Hahaha
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  • DavidOH
    DavidOH Solar Expert Posts: 112 ✭✭✭
    #8
    Battery powered air conditioner? Yes!

    Here is the one I looked at last year:
    http://www.instructables.com/id/Portable-12V-Air-Conditioner---Cheap-and-easy!/

    Not a bad job. Simple enough that I could do it. :D

    For the price they are asking, I haven't seen any worth buying.
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  • SCharles
    SCharles Solar Expert Posts: 123 ✭✭
    #9
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?
    Slappy wrote: »
    use an ice chest, cut 2 holes, place muffin fan in one of the holes, hook to 12 volt battery, and bing-go.....P.S. dont for get the ice. :D

    These are available commercially for use in small aircraft. And I guess automobiles without a/c. I have never used one or flown with one, but people who have say they work great, as long as the ice lasts.

    Of course, you will pay a premium to buy one ready-made.
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #10
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?

    actually i think i can make that more efficient and viable. put the ice in a glass and put in some water and drink it. cost $0.00
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  • techntrek
    techntrek Solar Expert Posts: 1,372 ✭✭✭
    #11
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?
    waynefromnscanada wrote: »
    On second thought, once the batteries are topped up, my solar might just run a small AC without sucking down the batteries, as long as the sun shines.

    Someone else here has been doing exactly that, using a mini-split A/C and their mid-day surplus. I've seriously considered replacing the energy hog A/C in my camper with a mini-split so I can run it for 2 nights from 5-6 batteries.
    4.5 kw APC UPS powered by a Prius, 12 kw Generac, Honda EU3000is
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  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    #12
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?
    techntrek wrote: »
    Someone else here has been doing exactly that, using a mini-split A/C and their mid-day surplus. I've seriously considered replacing the energy hog A/C in my camper with a mini-split so I can run it for 2 nights from 5-6 batteries.
    Thanks! Gonna have to look into a mini-split :)
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  • techntrek
    techntrek Solar Expert Posts: 1,372 ✭✭✭
    #13
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?

    Several good threads here about them. I think they are in the Energy Conservation sub-forum.
    4.5 kw APC UPS powered by a Prius, 12 kw Generac, Honda EU3000is
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #14
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?

    Sanyo mini split AC (inverter/variable speed)
    RV A/C System--Would Sanyo Mini-Split work?
    Mitsubishi mini-split 26 SEER
    More panels & window AC or efficient mini split AC?
    magnum me2012
    Is Running and Air Conditioner possible with solar power?
    GFCIs and surge protectors
    Shop A/C... DC Air Conditioner?
    solar air conditioning
    Honda eu2000i gererator, question before I buy

    The above list is the first page of results from Google using:
    • mini split sanyo site:wind-sun.com
    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #15
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?

    Do battery powered air conditioners still require filters? I haven't heard of a battery powered air conditioner before. I was just curious. What kind of batteries do they take?
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #16
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?
    Backpacker351 wrote: »
    Do battery powered air conditioners still require filters?

    yes, unless it doesn't belong to me.

    I haven't heard of a battery powered air conditioner before. I was just curious.

    learning something new is always nice.

    What kind of batteries do they take?

    i was tempted to be a smart *ss here and say aa. ok, i still will be.
    big ones.

    seriously now, was this to be this lame just to put a link to a business in for selling filters? another violation and you could be banned, but for now you get a warning.
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  • raydias
    raydias Solar Expert Posts: 68 ✭✭✭✭
    #17
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?

    I cam across this the other day.

    DC powered

    http://www.securusair.com/

    The heat pump that produces hot water is interesting
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  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    #18
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?

    Pretty nice for off grid guys like in AZ. No AC conversion is lost in the direct to battery setup.

    Will be interesting to see how this plays out.
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #19
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?

    there have been battery powered air conditioners for a long time now, but they weren't geared for home use. most were for rvs and 18 wheel truck usage, but they will and have to work off of dc. we try to adapt the cheaper home units to dc and is usually by way of inverting the dc power from batteries which adds a conversion step and a bit of inefficiency.
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  • techntrek
    techntrek Solar Expert Posts: 1,372 ✭✭✭
    #20
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?

    Yup, that is an interesting unit. Unfortunately the tech specs don't list minimum amp useage, and I would only want a 3/4 ton unit - half that unit's size.
    4.5 kw APC UPS powered by a Prius, 12 kw Generac, Honda EU3000is
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  • Slappy
    Slappy Solar Expert Posts: 251 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #21
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?

    there is also the "SplitCool DC18" google search that, did not wont to post link. it is a 18000 btu heat pump that runs off a 48 volt dc system. it is a mini split, but it runs DC only with out the conversion of AC.
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  • Dr. Strangelove
    Dr. Strangelove Solar Expert Posts: 49 ✭
    #22
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?
    techntrek wrote: »
    Yup, that is an interesting unit. Unfortunately the tech specs don't list minimum amp useage, and I would only want a 3/4 ton unit - half that unit's size.

    If you click on the link at the bottom of the page on the "Heat Recovery Unit" you get a PDF from "SolCool.net" which lists 3600, 5000, 8600, 11000, and 17000 BTU air conditioners. SolCool.net seems to redirect to securusair.com, which is registered to Louis Rodriguez, at a POB out of Rialto, CA. My guess is that he is only a distributor and not the manufacturer. I think it would be interesting to find out more. Hope that helped.
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  • ggunn
    ggunn Solar Expert Posts: 1,973 ✭✭✭
    #23
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?

    There was a concert hall in New Orleans that I used to go to eons ago whose AC system was like this. They drove a semi trailer full of blocks of ice up to the building and connected what looked like dryer vent hose (but much larger) from a port in the side of the trailer to a circular hole in the side of the building over the stage that had a big fan in it. They opened the back doors of the trailer and turned on the fan. We were glad to have it, but it made everything a little damp, especially if it was raining. Louisiana, you know.
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  • Seven
    Seven Solar Expert Posts: 292 ✭✭
    #24
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?

    If you have ice in a cooler and put a couple holes and a fan in it(with ice), could you not take a small chest freezer and do the same thing? If you had a couple of blocks of ice in it to begin with, and the hole and fan were small, it seems you could cool a small area like this. You would probably want the back of the freezer insulated from the room you were trying to cool, but that could be done with a partition made of foam insulation board. Just thinking out loud.
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  • techntrek
    techntrek Solar Expert Posts: 1,372 ✭✭✭
    #25
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?
    Dr. Strangelove wrote: »
    If you click on the link at the bottom of the page on the "Heat Recovery Unit" you get a PDF from "SolCool.net" which lists 3600, 5000, 8600, 11000, and 17000 BTU air conditioners.

    Thanks. They use R134 so I wouldn't expect them to be as efficient as the R410a units, and w/o any specs in that pdf its hard to say either way...
    4.5 kw APC UPS powered by a Prius, 12 kw Generac, Honda EU3000is
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  • ggunn
    ggunn Solar Expert Posts: 1,973 ✭✭✭
    #26
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?
    Backpacker351 wrote: »
    Do battery powered air conditioners still require filters? I haven't heard of a battery powered air conditioner before. I was just curious. What kind of batteries do they take?

    If you are talking about the air filters which are to keep dirt from accumulating on the coils, I don't see how whether an A/C is powered from the grid or from batteries would make a difference. The coils of an A/C which cool the air get wet from condensation, and if the air passing over the coils is clean, the water drips down into a pan and is drained away. If there is dust in the air, though, it gets into the water on the coils and makes mud, which dries in place and clogs up the air spaces between the coils, which causes all sorts of problems. Hence filters.
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  • Dr. Strangelove
    Dr. Strangelove Solar Expert Posts: 49 ✭
    #27
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?

    Here's some more information on DC split-air units: Renewable Air Conditioning

    Careful inspection reveals that the "Securus" unit is clearly a re-labled "SplitCool DC18" from Solar Panels Plus.

    Edit: The "Securus" "heat recovery unit" also bears quite a close resemblance to the HotSpot from HotSpot Energy.

    I have no relation to any of the above.
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  • RCinFLA
    RCinFLA Solar Expert Posts: 1,485 ✭✭✭✭
    #28
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?

    A/C in the 1920's.
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  • ggunn
    ggunn Solar Expert Posts: 1,973 ✭✭✭
    #29
    Re: battery powered air conditioner?
    RCinFLA wrote: »
    A/C in the 1920's.
    And again in the 2020's, the way we are going. ;)
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