How can I make a solar powered car venting system like the Prius has?

rollandelliott
rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
in General Solar Power Topics #1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CchHIy7JgvA&feature=relmfu

I'm guessing I could buy a Small solar panel and hook it into my car's exsisting vent fans and then have some sort of second hole to provide cross ventilation.

The second hole could be a sun roof, passive roof vent or fan powered roof vent.

Has anyone done this or have ideas for the products one would need to buy to accomplish this "cool" idea.

I thought this was discussed in the past, but did a search and could not find it.
· Share on Twitter

Comments

  • techntrek
    techntrek Solar Expert Posts: 1,372 ✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: How can I make a solar powered car venting system like the Prius has?

    You won't need a 2nd hole, all modern cars have hidden exhaust vents, usually behind the rear bumper. You'll probably need to use a small computer biscuit fan, the one in your dash will need tons of PV to get it to run even on low.
    4.5 kw APC UPS powered by a Prius, 12 kw Generac, Honda EU3000is
    · Share on Twitter
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: How can I make a solar powered car venting system like the Prius has?

    i'm not so sure of the usefulness of that over just cracking open the windows about an inch or more and allow natural convection to occur. one could argue that pressurizing the car could force the hot air out, but a tiny fan won't cut it for doing this imo as cars aren't very airtight and a large fan would be needed to push that air out. if keeping the car locked and secure is priority then how do you propose to vacate the excess heat that accumulated in the upper part of the car? a sunroof may serve this purpose and this alone will do better than a solar powered fan.

    i better add here that one better prevent the sun from entering into the car via the sunroof too as this could counter your efforts. i'm not sure if they make something commercially to reflect it out of a sunroof, but even tin foil would work. this applies to all windows and they do make reflective solutions for those windows.
    · Share on Twitter
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: How can I make a solar powered car venting system like the Prius has?

    You know they actually sell these solar-powered vent fans for vehicles that go in the window.
    Example from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Solar-Powered-Auto-Cooling-System/dp/B006Y43KVW

    Don't consider this a recommendation or endorsement as I rather doubt they are all that efficacious.
    · Share on Twitter
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: How can I make a solar powered car venting system like the Prius has?

    coot,
    that might work, but i don't know for sure. if something happens to the solar intensity, then that window will not exspell the hot air, not even by convection to the outside. it would be cheaper than other efforts involving small pvs and fans and may be worth a try. it should be compared to leaving a window cracked open and temps measured for both.
    · Share on Twitter
  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    #6
    Re: How can I make a solar powered car venting system like the Prius has?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOdWdfe-xJs

    those things don't work.

    Maybe I'll just get a sunroof installed and some reflective window film and some PC fans as someone mentioned. can't find out how much power those PC fans eat up? so I can get a properly sized solar panel?
    · Share on Twitter
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: How can I make a solar powered car venting system like the Prius has?

    forget the fans as they won't move that much air and would draw electric unnecessarily.

    if you still want to experiment with the fans then try radio shack or if you know of a hamfest in your area coming up soon and even some old pcs can have some. this is a larger fan at $10 and is 12v at .35a, but is online only. pay there at the store and have them ship to you or the store for free.
    http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2454976#
    · Share on Twitter
  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    #8
    Re: How can I make a solar powered car venting system like the Prius has?

    OK, thanks for all the tips, I'll post some photos when I get around to it, right now I am swamped with too many projects. !
    · Share on Twitter
  • techntrek
    techntrek Solar Expert Posts: 1,372 ✭✭✭
    #9
    Re: How can I make a solar powered car venting system like the Prius has?

    Muffin fans move lots of air. Just one will vent a car nicely. Lots of cheap fans here, and these guys post actual milliamp measurements for everything they sell. I've been buying from them since the 80's (they sell everything). http://www.sciplus.com/category.cfm/subsection/18/category/175
    4.5 kw APC UPS powered by a Prius, 12 kw Generac, Honda EU3000is
    · Share on Twitter
  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    #10
    Re: How can I make a solar powered car venting system like the Prius has?
    techntrek wrote: »
    Muffin fans move lots of air. Just one will vent a car nicely. Lots of cheap fans here, and these guys post actual milliamp measurements for everything they sell. I've been buying from them since the 80's (they sell everything). http://www.sciplus.com/category.cfm/subsection/18/category/175

    Yes, they will move a relatively lot of air, but not nearly enough to cool a car sitting in the hot sun. Even with the engine running and the car's vent fan on high, it really doesn't do much of anything temp wise. That's why automotive AC is so popular. There's just no comparison between a computer or muffin fan compared to a hi power AC.
    · Share on Twitter

Categories