Moving the "electronic warfare room" outside?

[MTVR]

I'm considering how to minimize the heat that certain components would add to our living environment, so that we don't end up just burning gas in the generator to have the inverter trade BTUs with the air-conditioner that it's powering.

We're planning an air gap between our solar panels and the roof. We're planning for the generator to be outside. We're planning to use a heat pump, so that the heat from the condenser stays outside.

But what about our AC charger, our B2B charger, and our inverter?

Does an MPPT solar charge controller produce heat?

What about putting those things in a ventilated and weather-protected enclosure outside? Would that work?

 

[DiploStrat]

ALL of those toys create heat. Our Magnum inverter/charger rocks along at 150F when trying to keep up with a 12v air conditioner. And, in our case, it is right under the dinette table. The other elements are less of an issue.

If you have a clean sheet of paper:

-- Lithium batteries, water, water lines, pumps, etc. want to be inside the heated envelope.

-- Inverters, chargers, solar controllers, etc. want to be outside, and well vented.

 

[MTVR]

ALL of those toys create heat. Our Magnum inverter/charger rocks along at 150F when trying to keep up with a 12v air conditioner. And, in our case, it is right under the dinette table. The other elements are less of an issue.

If you have a clean sheet of paper:

-- Lithium batteries, water, water lines, pumps, etc. want to be inside the heated envelope.

-- Inverters, chargers, solar controllers, etc. want to be outside, and well vented.

I'm there.

The lithium batteries, fresh water tankage, water lines, and pumps are all inside. Only the grey water tank is outside, and we can just leave the drain open if the ambient temperature is significantly below freezing...

 

[john61ct]

Another approach.

Design your living spaces' ventilation so that the heat producing electronics are close to the exit path.

The fridge efficiency also benefits , near its / their condenser / controls areas is a good place to consider.

 

[MTVR]

There is no exit path with a ductless mini-split.

At some point, it may be hot enough that we simply have to shut off all exterior ventilation and use the mini-split to cool (and re-cool) the air that we've trapped inside our heavily-insulated box.

 

[1000arms]

Another approach.

Design your living spaces' ventilation so that the heat producing electronics are close to the exit path.

The fridge efficiency also benefits , near its / their condenser / controls areas is a good place to consider.

There is no exit path with a ductless mini-split.

At some point, it may be hot enough that we simply have to shut off all exterior ventilation and use the mini-split to cool (and re-cool) the air that we've trapped inside our heavily-insulated box.

If you build your box as well-sealed as I believe you will, you will need to bring in fresh air and exhaust stale air. You could use an air-to-air heat exchanger (air exchanger) to minimize warmed-air/cooled-air losses.

 

[1000arms]

From another thread:

... As of now (subject to change 50 more times before i get to doing it) my solution, is bigger battery bank and more solar to be able to use an electric water heater, and the simple tried and true Espar D2 for cabin heat. ...

You might look at using a "Heat Pump Water Heater" if you can find one in the shape/size you need to keep the center of gravity down. It would fit right in with what you have listed, and, in the right conditions, use a lot less electricity to heat the water.

... ... ...

For those filing US tax returns, there may be a federal tax credit on solar panels and heat pump water heaters, for the primary or secondary home.

The IRS states " A home includes a house, condominium, cooperative, mobile home, house trailer, boat, or similar property that has sleeping, cooking, and toilet facilities." under "Qualified home" at

Publication 936 (2024), Home Mortgage Interest Deduction | Internal Revenue Service

www.irs.gov

For solar federal tax credit info, see

https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2020/01/f70/Guide%20to%20Federal%20Tax%20Credit%20for%20Residential%20Solar%20PV.pdf

... ... ...

To avoid hijacking this thread, I started a new thread:

https://expeditionportal.com/forum/...al-tax-credit-for-solar-photovoltaics.216722/

 

[1000arms]

The "heat pump water heaters" are sometimes called "hybrid water heaters" because they can fall back to "traditional electric water heater" straight resistance heating in high demand times.

 

[MTVR]

If you build your box as well-sealed as I believe you will, you will need to bring in fresh air and exhaust stale air. You could use an air-to-air heat exchanger (air exchanger) to minimize warmed-air/cooled-air losses.

Yes, under most circumstances we will be able to ventilate.

 

[1000arms]

Yes, under most circumstances we will be able to ventilate.

You can heat or cool your box without airflow if nothing living is in the box breathing in oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide and water vapor, but as soon as that breathing in the sealed box starts, you will need to change the air. Plan your system so that you can turn it on whenever something breathing is inside. If you, your wife, and your dog are out for a stroll, or in the cab driving, you could turn off the airflow to save energy.

 

[john61ct]

Yes, often the biggest problem is humidity being too high inside the box.

Once mold takes hold, watch out, the key is prevention, and usually that means increasing air exchange with the outdoors whether ambient temps are high or low.

 

[MTVR]

As I said, under most circumstances, we will ventilate.

And the heat pump dehumidifies, so it won't be getting swampy in there.

I have an extensive background in mechanical auto repair, so I am well aware of what happens when people switch to recirc/max and leave it there continuously for no reason. Ironically, they get used to the smell as the mold slowly grows, and most of the people in their life are too polite to let them know that they smell like urine..

 

[john61ct]

So all I'm saying, is plan the ventilation design so that waste heat will be expelled in the same way as your stale air. Small PS style fans are silent and use very little power, rpm can even be pwm controlled

 

[jonyjoe101]

on my 12 volt fridge, I added a 120mm fan to the compressor exhaust and using 4" inch flexible ducting vent it up through the roof vent. Before the fridge plastic vent was getting over 110 degrees, heating up the entire fridge. Now its cool to the touch. I'm going to isolate the solar charge controller area and also vent to the roof. The charge controller gets extremely hot when outputting 12 amps.

The back of the van which is very well insulated gets up to 94 degrees parked in the sun, anything that puts out heat makes it worst and the swampcooler can only do so much for the heat. Flexible ducting takes up space but is an option when you can't relocate your devices.