Run A Heat Pump On Solar Power

SR Martin

Anyone know if you can run an a/c unit and heat pump from a solar panel (s) on the roof. I realize the ability to lower one's electric bill is nice but are they powerful enough to run the heat pump in an area like northern new jersey? I figured at 40 or 45 degrees, have the heat pump turn off and switch to the gas furnace and with the solar panel, the heating bill might not be too bad in 40 - 50 degree days like the ones we will have next month. I have plenty of southerly facing roof (34'x16') or so and am tempted... Thanks in advance. Sean

mdshunk

Yes, it is possible to run anything that runs on electricity off a solar grid. The more power you need, the more solar cells, storage batteries, and bigger inverter you need. To run a heat pump, you'll need a hell of a lot of batteries and quite a big inverter. It would also help if your house was located a lot closer to the sun.

If you care to post your zip code, I could run some rough numbers to let you know what size of a solar system we're talking about to run your heat pump effectively when the outdoor temp is 45 or greater (as per your spec).

SR Martin

Zip is 07052. Don't know the useage but house when finished (am building now) will be about 4900 sq feet (including a walkout basement, running two 5 ton systems). Appreciate the help. Sean

TimNJ

My friend is building off grid in CO and the company doing his solar made them list absolutely EVERYTHING they had that used electricity to calculate the requirements. All appliances had to be top of the line Energy Star rated. No "phantom phase" allowed. They will need about 16 panels, have a 15KW backup generator, and only do heavy draw chores (vacuuming, laundry) during the peak of the day. I think it is costing him about $30,000 for the system.

mdshunk

For that amount of lifestyle interruption, it would be cheaper and easier to become Amish!

747

I would contact the U.S. dept of energy in D.C. and ask if there are any financial incentives through them for the use of solar power. I bet there is.

TimNJ

He already checked and there are tax rebates for solar but there is a time limit. I think he is going to just make it under the wire.

Anti-wingnut

Yea, that would run a heat pump, for about 35 seconds every other day.

MechAcc

Only saw these at the 2009 AHR Expo have no experience on them.




Lennox Solar Assist Heat Pump

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beenthere

As far as I know. The solar panel only runs the fan motor.

Electric_Light

Photovoltaic is not the only way. There's steam engine and absorption type chiller often used with gas fired cooling system.

Static Design

I hope he has a huge roof because it will be covered in solar panels to try to run a heat pump.

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hvaclover

Saving on your eletric bill cost money.


Rant: I watch all these shows that show how to switch from the grid to solar ect, and they try to make you feel guilty if you don't do it.

Then when you find out what theses systems cost to run, only the wealthy can afford to make the switch.

These damn guys who scream GREEN are a bunch of hypocrites and liars.

The bottom line is the technology is not there yet price wise or application so not everybody can afford it.

I just love people telling me how to change my ways to save power bur the tree huggers never have an answer what the little guy is going to do if everybody is pushed into using solar cells.....END OF RANT.

PS Ed Begley Jr is a joke...

TimNJ

Well that was one OLD post revived here. If you are offgrid then what is your choice besides a generator? If you are in civilization then you don't need all those batteries. Here in NJ you can make money by going solar.

neolitic

http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6440925.html
http://www.courierpress.com/news/201...green-efforts/

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hvaclover

Again, as I said before, it's the little guy who is going to suffer. Do you think a guy making 15 bucks an hour could afford to put hybrid addition on his home?

hvaclover

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Trade: hvac

Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: suburbs of detroit mi
Posts: 104


Again, as I said before, it's the little guy who is going to suffer. Do you think a guy making 15 bucks an hour could afford to put hybrid addition on his home?

Your links are publicly funded facilities.

How can you possibly compare that to what I am talking about?

The biggest and loudest advocates of alternative energy are the guys with the deepest pockets.

Ever see Al gore's crib?

look at the left of the home. Those are a/c units.
THE MAN WITH THE PLAN has a hack for hvac contractor.
In case any one reading this doe not get the irony of it all, it's simple: Those out door units bunched together are recirculating hot air of the other unit. Makes the electric bill cost heap big wampum.

In other words wasting electricity like he owned the power company.

And some folks wanted this guy for president???????

naptown CR

Really that's what you think?
Then explain why I do this every day. Maybe not often for the 15 dollar an hour guy who lives in a rented apartment or house but for normal middle class families.
By the way after credits, grants, energy savings and sales of REC's these systems pay themselves off in an average of 5 years. Produce a return on investment between 15 and 20% and have a lifespan of 25-30 years.

hvaclover

You ain't sayin' nothing if you don't have that guy making $15 an hour as a customer cause that is what John Q Publice is, the common man making $15 an hour. You have what the market calls "High End" customers. They don't represent the average working guy.

Now remember, we are talking about getting off the grid e completely which would entail using all solar panels, battery back up for sunless days, Appliances all capable of working on dc ..... yeah right....my city council would never grant the variance for the eyesore all the panels would cause.

How many panel to keep up with a two ton ac in 90* weather?
And you are going to tell me that the $15 guy is going to be able to afford this?
It's strictly a rich man's market you are catering to.

It can be compared to when electricity was first offered to the public in the late 19th century; only the rich could afford to have their homes wired and powered.

Edison could make no head way on selling electric power to the urban working man and the rural and farm population.

So Edison ran the infrastructure and hooked them up for free and made money on supplying power and selling electric appliances. He recouped his infrastructure investment and re named his company General Electric.

But Edison had a lot of competition who were unscrupulous so the the Feds came in and broke up rip off companies and formed utilities. This was especially true out West. Thus was the the Hoover dam born and the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Rigt now only the rich can afford to fall off the grid. And the technology it takes to do it is cumbersome and has no curb appeal. You got a long way to go when you can thump your chest and say "I am helping to save the world". When in reality you are only saving the "Rich and Famous" cause they are the only ones who can afford the privlidge.

i'll just plug along and help the real working make make an honest difference cause he goes into debt to afford that 16 SEER ac he is buying .

neolitic

You are also missing the point
that the system is orders of magnitude
less expensive than even 5 years ago.
Like your pocket calculator, the more
of these things that are manufactured
the less expensive they become.
The HP-35 scientific calculator I bought
in 1973 for $495 can be purchased at any
drugstore for $10 or $15 today.......
The UNIVAC of the '50s cost millions
and was less useful than a chip in a
child's toy today.

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