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Old 07-09-14, 10:02 AM   #1
kbonk
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Default PV assisted heat pump

Anyone have any insight on how they are doing this? I assume this has been discussed on this form somewhere. DC Solar Air Conditioner Heat Pump | Solar Air Conditioning | Solar Heating | Manufacturers

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Old 07-10-14, 06:56 AM   #2
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Will those panels provide power for your other needs, on days when the mini-split isn't being used?

It seems like you could DIY, if you had a grid tie PV system and, a mini-split cooling/heating system too.

I'm using mini-splits.. All I would need to do is call the solar guys and presto, I'm all set.
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Old 07-10-14, 11:43 AM   #3
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Hi Xringer,
I also have mini splits tied to grid. I personally love the idea of make hay or ac when the sun shines. what solar guys are you talking about?
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Old 07-10-14, 02:06 PM   #4
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The guys that keep knocking on my door, trying to sell me some PV..
They have been all over the neighborhood, selling PV like crazy.
When one person on a street gets a roof full, everyone else jumps on the bandwagon..

No one on our street has installed PV so far..

One guy was going to. Want them on the back roof, be unseen from the street..
But, it was northwest facing and had trees on the west side..
Nothing was installed..
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Old 07-10-14, 03:39 PM   #5
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@ 1$ a watt might make some cents
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Old 07-18-14, 05:24 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kbonk View Post
@ 1$ a watt might make some cents
haha, funny.

Don't expect $1/w for a system quite yet. These HP guys are pretty coy about how the technology works. I suspect there is a circuit that compares the DC from the panels and the rectified AC and maximizes the panel power to the system. It is interesting, though not much use for heating, I suspect.
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Old 07-18-14, 08:56 AM   #7
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We discussed this stuff a few years back. IIRC, I looked over a bunch of inverter mini-split
controller circuits.
I found that no real AC power was being used. Just about everything used DC from
diode array that converts the main 240AC into DC.

I think my Sanyo units have one tiny AC transformer that supplies a small amount
of digital circuits, which might be the power-fail detect, for the CPU, so it does an orderly shutdown.?.

IMHO, it won't be very hard to hack most new model inverter MS to use DC only..
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Old 07-20-14, 12:17 PM   #8
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Here's another mini that uses solar heating for a ammonia chiller. Remember propane powered refrigerators? This could be significantly more effective, as its easier to make heat with the sun. The caveat is finding someone experienced enough to repair it.
Solar Air Conditioning | Solar Cooling & AC | Solar Absorption Chillers & Air Conditioners
I saw the pv powered mini splits at the Lennox distributor. The list price was around $4k and included panels. Everything was DC.
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Old 07-20-14, 12:47 PM   #9
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$4k sounds okay, but is that for a little 10 or 12k BUTh system?
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Old 07-21-14, 12:34 AM   #10
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Probably. The price point is usually between 12 and 18kbtu. Honesetly the cost for high efficiency on a normal mini is so low I'd go with a normal one. 12kbtu 17 seer is under 1K, 21 seer is just a little more. I've had good luck at ac wholesalers.

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