Solar Ventilation Fans

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Solar Ventilation Fans

Ventilation fans are an integral part of any building. It is almost unimaginable to think of modern homes without a provision for ventilation fans in bathrooms, kitchens, attics and garages. However, there is a huge consumption of power that takes place due to the constant use of exhaust fans. No doubt, these fans are required to make sure fresh air is circulated in indoor spaces; however, the consumption of electricity is a cause for concern.

What are Solar Ventilation Fans?

To combat the problem of huge electricity consumption with the use of regular fans, solar ventilation fans were invented. These fans work in the same manner as a regular exhaust fan, but make use of energy from the sun to work. Just like regular ones, these fans also come with blades that create suction when they rotate, removing stale air from a room and introducing fresh air.

Types of Solar Ventilation Fans

These fans may be of two types.
  • The first type of solar ventilation fans works only when there is enough sunlight. When the sun shines outside and the sunlight is bright enough to produce the required solar energy, the solar cells on the ventilation fan make use of this energy to complete a circuit. Once the circuit is completed, the fan functions as a regular one.

  • When there is insufficient sunlight, the first type of solar ventilation fans would not work. For regions that tend to be dark and cloudy more often, a solar battery is provided along with the fan that stores energy from the sun’s rays. Such fans can be used any time of the year, as long as the battery is always charged.

  • Dual solar ventilation fans work on solar power as well as electricity. Hence, when the sunlight is sufficient, you can save on electricity. But when it is not sufficient to charge the battery, electricity may be used to run the ventilation fan.

Advantages of Solar Ventilation Fans

The advantages of ventilation fans that run on solar power are many. The most obvious one of course, is the absence of the use of electricity. This not only conserves power for the long run, but also helps in reducing electricity bills. There are several other benefits of using these fans, apart from environmental and economic ones.

Solar ventilation fans may be used for bathrooms, kitchens, attics and garages as well. The important thing is to make sure the installation of these fans is done on an exterior wall.

The performance of solar ventilation fans may either 10 Watt or 20 Watt and higher in capacity. The former is of course, less expensive when compared to the latter. You need to choose the fan with the appropriate capacity to suit the size of the room. 10 Watt fans are capable of producing around 850 CFM of air flow, where as higher capacity fans can produce up to 1550 CFM. Based on these factors and the size of the room, you would need to select the right fan.

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