Archive for the Solar Air Conditioning category.
Apr 16
I am building a small cabin in the woods, which will be off grid, and I was considering not Air Conditioning it at all, because I am building it entirely in the shade of a forest, and it has large overhanging eaves, high ceilings, and I will have ceiling fans in the upstairs loft, to vent the hot air out the high clerestory windows, and to suck air in from the cool north side of the house downstairs.
But it gets very muggy here, and very hot in August, and I was thinking I might want to run an air conditioner for an hour or so each day during that month. Also, air conditioners dehumidify the air, so I was thinking it might be nice to open the windows at night and then seal them in the morning and then run the air conditioner in late afternoon a bit, and then open the windows again at night. Just to make it less miserable.
It gets up to 104 degrees Fahrenheit in August, usually several times, but in the shaded wooded area where I am putting the cabin, it will only get up to maybe 90 in the shaded woods, and 80 in the house midday, if I keep the windows closed starting in the morning. I can deal with 80 degrees inside, but I know it will creep towards 90 later in the day, and I was thinking an air conditioner would help.
The solar panels are going to be set up in a clearing in the woods, where they will get sunlight almost the whole day, from 8 am until probably 4pm in the summer. I only need 6 100 watt solar panels to run everything else in the cabin (all the l.e.d. lights, the Sundanzer fridge and freezer, the fans, the stereo, etc.), because I am buying all very efficient appliances, or running them on propane (stove, backup water heater) or wood.
I don’t want to spend $3,000 on solar panels to run a small a/c, so I am just wondering if there are any small a/c units that will at least sort of cool my house, getting it down to 80 degrees or so in the afternoons. The house is 17 feet by 29 feet, with a second floor loft that is 17 feet by 12 feet. It’s basically all one room, aside from the bathroom.
I am having a hard time finding out how many watts these small air conditioners use. The spec sheets usually just list their "cooling watts," but I don’t know what that means. I am hoping I can buy a couple more 100 watt solar panels, and have that cover it, but is that possible?
The only solar ready a/c units I could find were either thousands of dollars or only worked in dry climates.
The cheapest way to run air conditioning is with a geothermal heat pump. The cheapest way to install that is using a body of water like a lake.
First you would have to properly size the air conditioner for the space. If it is not sized properly you may be closing windows and then you would still have to sit in front of the ac to even get some relief. Once you sized the unit you need to get your solar electricity to match.
Your space is 17 x 29 plus 17 x 12 which gives a total of 697 sq ft according to the chart here: http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/home/heating_cooling/window_ac.html you need a minimum of a 14,000 BTU AC. With cathedral ceilings and high humidity you will need to size even larger and closer to an 18,000 to 24,000 btu AC. Now you are no longer talking about a small AC unit.
This 18,000 btu AC: http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&productId=100527420&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=100527420&cm_mmc=shopping-_-google-_-D29X-_-100527420&locStoreNum=6175&marketID=373 draws 9 amps at 120 volts or 1080 watts = another 10 panels for the time you are using them or some electric storage that you can charge all day and use only for an hour of heavier use. Or how about a ceiling fan instead?
Apr 7
A quick google search found the SolaCool evaporative system (link below) but an evaporative system isn’t always viable in a very humid climate. Essentially, any a/c system is "solar powered" if you have a photovoltaic system installed in your home. In effect, solar power works best at the time of day when you most need a/c.
With net metering you don’t need a bank of batteries to benefit from solar power.
The best solution is to design the architecture of a building to use natural convection currents caused by sunshine, but most existing homes are not that way. I have seen some great designs in Arizona that do this.
Mar 17
!–[if !vml]–>We have become so reliant on Air Conditioning and heating that we sometimes forget to take advantage of the inherent good design found in our historic homes. As the weather gets more pleasant this fall, consider taking a few steps to operate your historic house more energy efficiently, and save some money in the process. The following are some ideas to consider:
1. Unstick any windows that are painted shut. It is almost a universal trait of old homes to have at least one window that won’t budge, but when more than half aren’t functioning, it’s time to take action. A web search for “windows painted shut” brings up countless websites with step-by-step instructions for loosening stuck windows, including HGTV and This Old House (they offer a video). Releasing a stuck window is not rocket science, but it generally requires some muscle and patience. Professional help can be called in, particularly if you need to reattach the counter weights; just beware of anyone telling you to replace your wood windows. There are good contractors in the area that can repair your windows, preserving the character and integrity of your home as well as keeping dollars in your pocket.
2. Install wood framed screens on windows if they are missing. You are more likely to open those unstuck windows if you arenât worried about welts from mosquitoes. As a bonus, wood window screens add historic character and an additional accent color to the building exterior.
3. Install wood screen doors on all exterior doors. Wood screen doors should be heavy duty since they open and close as often as the primary door; if the model you see is made with thin, finger-jointed wood or comes with a diagonal wire support, donât expect it to function properly for more than a season or two. Choose self closing spring hinges rather than ugly vacuum bars for a more authentic design for your historic home.
4. Install awnings, operable shutters or blinds over openings on south and west elevations. When appropriate for your house style, they provide a nice architectural accent in addition to functioning as a shading device. Close shutters and blinds during the hottest parts of the day.
5. Install ceiling fans and use in conjunction with open windows and doors.
6. Install a solar powered ventilation fan in the attic to help remove excess heat. Turned on by a temperature sensor, this relatively inexpensive project will help reduce your cooling load next summer.
7. Caulk or foam-seal penetrations into your house (where the cable enters, water lines penetrate, etc.) and install weather-stripping around windows and doors. Air infiltration is good when you can control it by opening windows and doors, but bad when the air you paid to heat or cool escapes.
8. Insulate your attic space; most heat loss and gain comes through your roof. If you expose exterior wall framing during remodeling, install insulation as part of the project. Donât remove plaster walls just to insulate though; plaster is a surprisingly good insulator and reduces noise transmission from room to room.
9. Plant some shade trees on the south and west sides of the house. Trees are a long term investment in the environment, providing cleaner air, habitat for wildlife, reducing soil erosion and sheltering from the sun. Your historic house has shown that it appeals to multiple generations already, so even though the trees you plant today may not have much effect on energy bills for a while, the next owners will thank you.
10. Sit on your front porch rather than watch TV in the early evening a few nights a week. We tend to decorate our porches with inviting rocking chairs and beautiful potted flowers, but rarely take advantage of the peaceful atmosphere they provide. In addition to the pleasure of a cool, relaxing evening, you might find one of the other benefits of living in a historic home: friendly conversation with your neighbors.
Jo-Anne Peck
http://www.articlesbase.com/remodeling-articles/making-the-most-of-our-quotgreenquot-historic-homes-680403.html
Mar 10
One of the more popular uses of solar power in the home is the solar attic fan.
As its name implies, a solar attic fan is powered and activated by sunlight. It is installed into the roof of the attic, with its panels facing the sky.
Why would one need a solar-powered attic fan?
Well, for that matter, what is the purpose of an attic fan?
Since heat rises, all of the heat in a home tends to rise up into the attic. If this heat has no easy outlet, it will simply get stuck up there. This causes the over-heating. When combined with a lack of proper ventilation, this leads to dampness, mildew, and the the like.
Furthermore, when the accumulated attic heat is not allowed to escape, the temperature of the entire home rises.
While there are some circumstances under which you want to warm up your home, there are other circumstances under which you would prefer to cool it down. A lack of sufficient ventilation in a hot attic can make matters difficult. Thus, an attic fan can play an important role in allowing you to control the temperature of your home.
Okay, now that we understand what the purpose of this fan is, why would we want it to be solar-powered?
The first answer is obvious - to use greener energy and to avoid using energy sources which damage the environment.
By using solar power for the fan, we can also save a bit of money on electricity.
But a more pragmatic reason for using a solar powered fan is the simple fact that it is basically “wireless.” You won’t have to worry about installing electrical wires and cables into your attic, in order to run your fan.
Solar-powered fans are relatively simple to install into one’s attic. But if you aren’t an enthusiastic DIYer ready to climb onto your roof with a knife and a hammer, you will probably want to get someone else to do it.
When installing a solar-powered fan into the roof, one has to actually cut a hole into the roof and install the fan in that spot. It’s smart to install it on the south facing side, which will receive more sun (unless you live in the Southern Hemisphere, in which case you would obviously install it on the north side). There is a certain degree of skill involved, as is normally the case when one considers the prospect of climbing up on the roof, removing shingles and roofing material, and cutting a hole through to the other side without damaging any rafters.
But overall the process does not take a long time, for someone who knows what they’re doing. The installation of the fan should be well worth the trouble in the long run, particularly if you live in a hot climate. It will run at virtually no running cost, while reducing the overall level of heat in your home. That reduces the costs involved with cooling your home (using less energy-efficient methods, such as Air Conditioning).
So, even if you don’t give a hoot about the environment, a solar attic fan might be a very worthwhile financial investment. Providing you do have an attic.
Anna
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/solar-attic-fans-715918.html
Feb 24
The small solar-power generator for homes is waiting to be built as of today, 2008. Parts and components for a solar power generator have been invented, developed, and are in operation for many years, but the full electrical equipment that powers up a home, has not been integrated and is not ready for the market place.
The home power generator (HPG) based on sun heat requires a small solar dish to collect the heat, a small Stirling engine capable of moving a 3 KWh electrical generator, the power generator and a battery system to store one or two days generated electricity. The battery bank would then supply 24/7 electricity to any outlet upon demand. An additional gas heater installation can be included to backup the lack of sun light, making the system a reliable alternative. Components for this home power generator have yet to be integrated into an appliance homeowners can buy at Sears, Home Depot or other stores, and have it installed. Larger Power Generators using Stirling Engine are a reality and have been developed by Infinia Corporation for the California Solar Plant.
CENTRALIZED POWER GENERATION
Large power generation and distribution companies, are staying away from the home markets. There are 44 companies in the United States that generate and distribute electricity, with 403 billion in revenues, making profits of 36 billion p/year, who wish to continue charging each consumer forever. Developing technology for homes can hurt their central power generation business. Although their plans may include the diversification of their power source, such as: nuclear, hydro, solar, thermal power, as well as, continuing the use of coal, natural gas, oil, it does not include the home power generation market.
Sunlight is the only energy available to all homes, free of charge, provided by God and nature. If sunlight was harness by each consumer to power up their home, central power generators and distributors may not be needed. Other power generating technologies coming from thermal power, hydro or nuclear power, are innocuous to these utility companies, because home owners will never use these energy sources to generate their own power. Thus we can expect that current power utility companies will continue to use these traditional sources of energy extensively, and will defer and try to derail home solar technology as much as they can, as long as they can.
When no other alternative existed for obtaining electricity as we have had in the past, electricity supplied from these large plants was welcomed. But today, with so many more technologies available, large power generation plants and centralized business model is highly inefficient because: 1. consumers pay more and forever, to these virtual monopolies; 2. homes need to be within the reach of the electrical grids, remote country homes not tied to the grid need to find other ways to power up their home; 3. flying electrical cables through the streets provide for visual contamination and make streets and neighborhoods look bad; 4. the land used for laying down the high tension cables is about 3%; 99% of the power generated comes from contaminating fuels, either fossil fuels or radioactive materials; and lastly the expensive investment plant model inhibits poor countries from obtaining electricity. In essence the centralized power plants have American paying electricity forever, and are the direct cause for poverty and starvation in the world. Please read on Poverty generation: http://www.articlesbase.com/politics-articles/poverty-and-the-new-world-order-809385.html
We need to understand that insisting in generating electricity via very large plants, without the development of the Home Power Generator, creates world poverty, inhibits poor countries from obtaining electricity, inhibits people in those countries to produce food and make products to generate an income which can sustain themselves, and comes back to the USA in terms of the help we need to provide but always as charity.Â
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
Since FPL, Duque Energy, Constellation Energy and the other 39 companies are incapable of developing the HPG, other investors are need to develop this light weight Solar power generation industry. , similar to the Air conditioning manufacturing plants. Development and fabrication of the HPG would be the integration of the 4 components, which can be produced or outsourced by the investor, making the investment accessible to smaller investors. The HPG appliance will be maintenance free, operating cost free, can be sold all over the world, to power up homes and eliminating the electricity cost of those using it.
Juan Trevino
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-opportunities-articles/compact-electric-power-generator-for-the-home-based-on-solar-energy-725300.html
Feb 17
Daily headlines make everyone aware of the dangerous situation in which our environment must operate. The human population has historically overtaxed its natural resources and today we are seeing the long-term effects of this selfish behavior. While many people try to reduce their âcarbon footprintâ by recycling, spending their money in more effective ways and eating a more âearth friendlyâ diet, one of the most important practices we should all begin is improving our energy efficiency.
One of the most well developed methods of becoming energy efficient is through the use of renewable energies such as outdoor solar lights. In fact solar power is the best developed and most broadly applied of the modern energy technologies and almost anyone can use it to reduce their traditional energy consumption.
How? It is actually quite simple to recognize the ways in which the sunâs energy can be put to use in even the most basic methods. For example, during the hot summer months a home owner or apartment dweller could close all window blinds, curtains or shades to reduce their need for air conditioning or home cooling. (Imagine a summer without warnings about ârolling blackoutsâ because everyone has to keep their air conditioner turned to its highest settings simply because they allowed the sun to pound into the room all day long.) Alternately during the winter months they could easily rely on the sunâs warmth to heat up a room during the earlier hours of the day and then close the blinds before dusk in order to capture the remaining heat.
Those who have the financial means can use solar energy in a significantly wider number of ways, and not just to heat their domestic hot water or supply their homes with some energy. While such functions are ideally where all home owners should be headed, currently the materials and equipment required to convert a homeâs energy supply entirely to a solar powered system are not within everyoneâs budget or ability. Home owners can however employ a wide number of solar powered LED lights and appliances (including radios, solar landscape lights, ovens and attic fans) as an effective approach towards energy efficiency.
Finally, solar power has finally reached the automobile industry and several major manufacturers have promised consumers that they will make cars with rooftop solar panels available by the year 2010. While such vehicles may not be fully powered through solar energy it is clearly a step towards a healthier planet.
Jonathan Gal
http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/the-importance-of-solar-energy-to-our-everyday-lives-734197.html
Nov 9
The vehicle (passenger class) is already constructed which absolutely exhausted me financially and i need help finishing it and finding a viable marketing means .The vehicle uses no fossile fuels ,no batteries ,no solar power ,no electricity . NONDISCLOSURE FORM REQUIRED for futher details . Will be virtually maintance free and last approximately 2,000,000 highway miles .The current configuration is passenger (5 persons) but can be made a sport vehicle with little retooling necessary . The vehicle will be designated 0.00 emissions . Funds needed to develope " build" (creature comforts) i.e. Air Conditioning ets…any help would be greatly appreciated and might be financially vialble for the individual that provides necessary information .Projected completion amount approximately 75,000 . Thank You Paul M. Maxwell Innovative Technologies
Go to this website and use the search feature on the right to find investors:
http://www.vfinance.com/home.asp?ToolPage=venca.asp
Sounds like a very interesting project… good luck!
Oct 22
So if an average home roof in North America is covered with solar panels, how much does the shade from the panels reduce the demand for cooling via other methods, i.e. Air Conditioning? I’m not looking for how much power they generate, but how much power they save strictly from the shade they provide.
Found the site listed in the source. It compares different roofing material and the temperature rise resulting. One could imagine that the solar panels would be smooth. The other source goes on to say cooler roofing material can reduce air conditioning costs 10-20%.
Oct 22
So if an average home roof in North America is covered with solar panels, how much does the shade from the panels reduce the demand for cooling via other methods, i.e. air conditioning? I’m not looking for how much power they generate, but how much power they save strictly from the shade they provide.
Found the site listed in the source. It compares different roofing material and the temperature rise resulting. One could imagine that the solar panels would be smooth. The other source goes on to say cooler roofing material can reduce Air Conditioning costs 10-20%.
Oct 7
suppose a person wants to do central a.c. (air condition) of his home by solar energy can he do it ? Please tell me the process. Will he have to pay the extra bill to electricity office for it or not
Yes, it can be done. Solar power is actually very powerful. As mentioned above it is very costly, but this is if you purchase pre-made solar panels ( which typically fetch $1000-$3000 each depending on the brand).
There are now ways to produce solar panels on your own. It’s actually really cheap (under $200) and easy to do. Building them is basically nothing more than a weekend project and is very much easily accomplished with a blueprint aide.
Check out http://inhomesolarenergy.com - Great Guide there for making them on your own.
Like I said, it’s much cheaper than buying them from a manufacturer.
