tiny solar AC

lamplight
lamplight Solar Expert Posts: 368 ✭✭✭✭✭✭

Comments

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: tiny solar AC

    I wonder if the smallest/cheapest/most efficient window mounted AC unit you can find would work? I noticed that the 120 VAC unit was "still in development".

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • n3qik
    n3qik Solar Expert Posts: 741 ✭✭
  • lamplight
    lamplight Solar Expert Posts: 368 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: tiny solar AC

    Bill, yes i can run a small ac unit off the solar but its pushing the limits of my system. with 525W pv & 600w inverter i have a small ac unit that uses around 200-500w depending on settings, so it does work in full sun, barely. i had to get a sine wave UPS to handle the initial powerdraw which used to trip the inverter sometimes last yr when i ran it. the really hot days have been hazy too so havent been able to run AC on solar much so far this yr.

    never heard of the thermoelectric coolers, that is pretty neat. i dont supposethat could cool a small rm with a fan? that seems like its stretching it, but then thats what the device i linked to does: stretching things as its only designed to cool a sleeping "chamber", still low wattage cooling is appealing
  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    Re: tiny solar AC
    n3qik wrote: »

    From the brochure: The compressors we are currently using to power the cooling system can be run off either a 12-volt or a 24-volt battery bank...

    Cheers,

    Bad Apple
  • lamplight
    lamplight Solar Expert Posts: 368 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: tiny solar AC

    so its like a regular ac window unit only smaller and the ability to run off 12 or 24v? either way very cool
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: tiny solar AC
    n3qik wrote: »

    Thermoelectric-Peltier-Cooler are very inefficient. A small compressor unit is at least 3x better.
    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 ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: tiny solar AC

    It looks like the product isn't available yet. Question is where is the heat vented to? Just back into the room? Sounds like a bit of "vaporware" here. Hasn't there been a bunch of negative discussion here on Sun Frost fridges? Maybe I am mistaken.

    Tony
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: tiny solar AC
    icarus wrote: »
    It looks like the product isn't available yet. Question is where is the heat vented to? Just back into the room? Sounds like a bit of "vaporware" here. Hasn't there been a bunch of negative discussion here on Sun Frost fridges? Maybe I am mistaken.

    Tony

    noooo.... you are not mistaken. (very expensive unit costs, and not much less power than a good energy star fridge).

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • Windsun
    Windsun Solar Expert Posts: 1,164 ✭✭
    Re: tiny solar AC
    icarus wrote: »
    It looks like the product isn't available yet. Question is where is the heat vented to? Just back into the room? Sounds like a bit of "vaporware" here. Hasn't there been a bunch of negative discussion here on Sun Frost fridges? Maybe I am mistaken.

    Tony

    Notice that we refuse to sell their products :cool:
  • lamplight
    lamplight Solar Expert Posts: 368 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: tiny solar AC

    ahh.... i never read the fridge threads :(
  • FreeBrrd
    FreeBrrd Solar Expert Posts: 116 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: tiny solar AC

    What about swamp cooler instead of air conditioner? I use an AC one at home since the weather is hotter than it used to be here. I can't stand the dry air from air conditioning. The little portable swamp cooler works great. My AC one wouldn't work for solar (actually I don't have any idea of power used on it), but this one online is supposed to work great http://www.swampy.net/wb.html I haven't tried it. It wouldn't work for a whole house, but this idea of just cooling your sleeping area, it should work great. You have to add water, but it comes with a float so you can use a 5 gallon jug. Mine uses about 1 gallon / day run 24/7. They say that "it'll run 50 to 80 hours on a fully charged 105 amp hour Deep Cycle Battery". Of course no idea of what they are draining it to. It doesn't look to bad, @ 12 volts low is 0.9 amps, medium is 1.3 amps, high is 1.6 amps. I think on medium run 24/7, it comes to 31.20 amp/hours per day.

    Plants sure prefer swamp cooler over air conditioning. Has to be where it's not tooo humid.
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: tiny solar AC
    FreeBrrd wrote: »
    What about swamp cooler instead of air conditioner?

    <snip>

    Plants sure prefer swamp cooler over air conditioning. Has to be where it's not tooo humid.

    For low humidity areas, a swamp cooler is a good investment. Higher humidity, they don't work. over about 60% RH, there is little cooling effect from them.
    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 ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

  • Mangas
    Mangas Solar Expert Posts: 547 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: tiny solar AC

    Before I decided on my central A/C units, I considered Freus.
    Ranch Off Grid System & Custom Home: 2 x pair stacked Schneider XW 5548+ Plus inverters (4), 2 x Schneider MPPT 80-600 Charge Controllers, 2 Xanbus AGS Generator Start and Air Extraction System Controllers, 64 Trojan L16 REB 6v 375 AH Flooded Cel Batteries w/Water Miser Caps, 44 x 185 Sharp Solar Panels, Cummins Onan RS20 KW Propane Water Cooled Genset, ICF Custom House Construction, all appliances, Central A/C, 2 x High Efficiency Variable Speed three ton Central A/C 220v compressors, 2 x Propane furnaces, 2 x Variable Speed Air Handlers, 2 x HD WiFi HVAC Zoned System Controllers