Solar Panel ON/OFF Fan Switch - Turn OFF or leave it ON

I can't find a reason to ever turn it off. If it's hot outside, I want it on. And if it's cold outside, it doesn't run anyway (has a thermostat), so as far I'm concerned, it could have just been hardwired. Maybe I'll find out different in the winter, but from what I've read, it just won't run in the winter anyway.

 

we live in central Florida and leave it On. like rachelseven said, it's wired to a thermostat.

 

I also leave mine on at all times.

 

Hi Nemrut, I have not turned my Solar Panel off and I have no intention of ever turning it off. In Denver, the Winter sun can make the car hot enough to trigger the fan, so I'll keep the switch in the On position. --TK

 

Is the air brought in by the solar-powered fan filtered? I don't want dirty or pollen-filled LA air getting on my AC coils.

 

At what temperature is the solar fan triggered?

 

Good question and not covered in owners manual. Several points here.

1. You have to turn the solar switch on when the Power button is on! Otherwise it won't register that you want it to work.

2. It is recommended that you turn it off so as to not pull in pollutants and dust when driving. My assumption is that this would only apply when driving while not using the A/C cause it isn't hot enough out. Any venting (hot or cold would pull outside air through the filter for then heating or cooling I assmue) but I can see if the temp is just right and you do not want any heat or cooling, then you might want to turn it off, but I'd just forget to turn it on again before powering down the vehicle so I just do like everybody else and leave it always on!

3. I thought I remember that it is triggered temp wise by the setting of your inside temp. but I'm not at all sure about this and at what temp above that setting (assuming full sun power availability) it kicks in. Sounds like a study needs to be done!

 

Seems to me that mine turns off itself when I turn on the car. Are you saying the solar could run while you're driving?

 

No, only that the status of the air vents will remain unchanged (according to manual p. 283.)

So, let's say that your A/C is set to auto and recirc. and your button for SR is on (you turned it on when the car was on (Power button was green). Your climate control was set to 78.

During the day, parked in the sun, the inside temp got hot enough that it triggered the solar venting (pulling ouside air in).

You get out of work at 9 pm (you worked late) and the car had time to cool down to the outside temp of approx 76 (notice cooler than your auto setting of 78. Its dark now (assuming you are not in Alaska in the summer). Your A/C will not start when you start the car cause it is cooler out than 78. Maybe your heat will (i don't know), but normal outside air will be vented in because the status of the air vents will remain unchanged under these circumstances I believe, thus potentially pulling inside outside pollutants, etc. You might not want this to occur right now cause you are comfortable with the current temp. Maybe by turning off the SR now you can save some wear and tear on the filter (which in SR models is supposed to be changed earlier than in regular models due to the increased overall airflow through them over their lifetimes!

 

Hi PriusRos, The inside temp has to be 86 or higher.

I cannot remember where I saw this: it was either in an online configuration page or on the DVD that came with my owners manuals. --TK

 

Thanks!

I need to get myself a thermometer. Maybe it's not been working that much because it just hasn't been that hot.

 

This is why I need a thermometer (which I can't seem to find anywhere). It's not exactly been cool -- and 85 degrees is certainly not frosty -- but it hasn't been like an oven, either.

But, as reported in another thread, today it did work. It wasn't a sunny day -- in fact it was quite overcast -- but I guess the interior was warm enough to trigger the fan. It ran for at least a minute, until I got tired of waiting and turned the car on.

 

System operation is actually determined by ambient temperature, not interior. Ambient temperature has to be in between 20 to 40°C (68 to 104°F). This is what TMC say, btw.

 

Why wouldn't it work above 104 degrees F?

 

Couldn't tell you, but that's what the specs say.