That solar powered window fan looks really cool. I'll see if I can find one and give it a shot. There is no shade at the parking lot at work. Combining this with a front window reflector may help keep the temps down. Every degree helps.

The only problem is those sudden summer thundershowers.. I hate leaving windows open due to that risk.

-G

 

If one could find a way to add Peltier Juctions powered by solar cells, that would be one killer product.

Peltier Junctions are semiconductors that pump heat without any moving parts and employing only DC current.

 

A Peltier would be nice, and powering it from a larger panel in the rear window would likely provide all the power needed (especially if you use more solar cells in parallel rather than series), but you still need someplace to dump the heat.

 

Yes, that is precisely the problem....how to transfer the inside heat to the outside.

 

I'm thinking about adding an extra small circulation fan to mine -- one that I could wire to the battery and switch on on hot days. It might be important to have some sort of timer cutoff thoguh so I don't kill the battery by leaving it on for a long time. In the trunk on the left side ('03) there's a one-way valve that allows air to circulate out behind the left rear wheel-well. I'm thinking about adding a similar vent to the right side, near where the battery circulation fan dumps air into the trunk. Oddly enough, there is no pathway for that hot air to escape outside the car, like there is on the left hand side, so it seems like that fan wouldn't do a lot of good. I would place a duct around my extra one-way port, then place the fan inside the duct to actually blow the air out. If I ever have a problem with the battery overheating (not charging 100% on hot days), I'd also activate this extra fan.

I've been toying with this as an alternative to specifically keep the car (and the battery) cooler on hot days without cracking the windows, as I worry about sudden rain screwing up my upholstery. This is the first summer where I've had to park for long periods of time in non-shaded parking lots.

 

well, i'm not gonna buy the car cover cus I know i'm lazy and won't use it. Now, that suggestion for recirculated air seems to be a fine one... haven't tried it yet but I will next time. How would one know about knowing the temp outside and inside the car though if the car doesn't come with a thermometer... are there any aftermarket thermometers that look nice?

and on a completley different subject..... thinking about cooling, I've been toying with the idea of adding a computer to the car and replacing the console (or at least the radio to begin with). In your opinion, what would be the best place for the computer to sit either in the car or trunk of car and where exactly? Considering the heat of my town and the heat the cpu will produce, i'm looking for a place where air can circulate without any obstructions but be safe for the comp.

 

If you don't want to mess with thermometers, just assume that after five minutes it's safe to switch to recirculate mode. I would think that in five minutes the A/C could equalize the temperatures in almost any climate.