Solar Fan - help!

[spacemanspif]

I need help guys. Since my heater delete last summer I’m noticing condensation on the inside of my windshield this winter. This is in my Monte Carlo, not the Focid. I want to set up a solar panel in the windshield and run a fan or 2 to circulate air inside the car, blowing over a tub of damp-rid to remove moisture. I see people using old computer fans with a panel but they are usually lacking info on the panel. I’m totally green to the solar world so please use small words lol. I don’t want to mess with batteries, just “sun out, fan running” type simple setup.

Do I math out the fan needs then source a panel? Or will any panel work with any fan?

Links to sites and videos appreciated...

Anyone got old computer fans or small solar panels they want to sell?

I saw a panel with suction cups on amazon that would work physically but not sure delivers what I would need.

Thanks,

[Stubby79]

Ahh...silly question, but why did you delete your heater? Core go and not worth replacing?

Computer fans are probably cheapest...probably the bigger, the better. You just need to make sure your solar panel puts out enough watts to run it. Not sure if you need to worry about too much power/voltage (a 12v solar panel will tend to put out 18v+ full sun, no load), but I would say more is better...you can always make a small dump load...like your car's battery. A simple diode could do that.

I'd start by finding out how many watts I need and probably look for a 12v panel that's rated at twice that, so it will hopefully work in low-light.

[freebeard]

Did the panel you saw up the Amazon look like this?



VW part number 1C0 915 687. Max power 3.2W, 18.8V, 170mA.

They shipped in New Beetles and were supposed to be returned to VW from the dealer. I saw a stack of them at a swap meet at $15ea.

Plug this into you cigar lighter and run the dashboard fan. If it's under-spec the car battery will buffer it.

[spacemanspif]

Stubby: it’s a fair weather car that hadn’t had AC for a decade and for the sake of engine room and “racecar” the heater box got the ax too.

Freebeard: similar but had some kind of wings...might have been on google images and I’ve confused the 2 as well.

Considering the small space, I think almost any fan will create enough circulation to keep things from going stale. So I’ll have to pirate a fan from something to get the specs I need the get a panel to suit the fans needs...

[spacemanspif]

What do you guys think of this package?

https://m.ebay.com/itm/Solar-Panel-P...-/273012034253

I feel like it could be one of the needs perfect sunlight to run type...

[Stubby79]

5-watts output is pretty tiny...probably won't do that under glass or on a less than perfectly sunny day, and then your fan doesn't work.

OTOH, if the fan can go full out on 5 watts, it might circulate "fine" at 2 or 3 watts. Big if though.