Posts Tagged ‘photovoltaic’
Photovoltaic performance
I had a chance to experiment with a photovoltaic cell to see how the performance varied with sun position. I found it easy to decrease the performance of the photo cell by 10% by pointing the cell slightly off a direct angle of incidence with the sun. It was a lot harder to cut the performance below 50% by changing the orientation of the photo cell. The 2V cell I used was normally matched with a 1.5V battery. There was a nominal voltage produced no matter what (clouds, pointing way off from the sun etc.)
solar powered exhaust fan
[caption id="attachment_107" align="alignright" width="300" caption="installed fan"][/caption] I just installed a photovoltaic exhaust fan on my attic. I bought it from Lowe's for $230. I wished it moved more air than it does but definitely noticed a lower pressure and temperature in my attic which means better indoor air quality plus reduced air conditioning bills. Even with code required attic vents already present, pressure in the attic climbs dramatically in Florida to the point where hot dusty attic air pushes it's way into the house through tiny openings in the ceiling. This is even worse when a bathroom fan or dryer is operating. The quality of the fan housing was very good. It was easy to install. I did have to install it upside down in order to get the best angle for Florida's summer time sun.
