[OP]
Member
As the title suggests I am looking for options on installing a solar powered attic fan.
I want a gable or wall mount, I would like a timer and a thermostat controls.
I am hoping that someone on this forum would have information on what they use or links to information.
Thank you
Mike Hanan
Contributor
Solar power is not really a good idea. You do not want to pump the cool night air out of the attic until the inside air temp is higher then outside. Best to turn the fan on at sunset and leave it run to midnight or latter.
Bill D
Contributor
I installed a powered roof vent 110v. It is thermostatically controlled. Turns on at 105°.
Steve Jenkins, McKinney, TX. 469 742-9694
Always use the word "impossible" with extreme caution
Contributor
One more vote for thermostatically-controlled 110v. I installed 2 of them in houses in Seattle - i.e. more or less your part of the country. If I were going to do it again - that's what I would do again.
[OP]
Member
Thank you all for the information and thoughts.
I have found a solar power fan that has a thermostat, however I can't find one that has a timer.
I agree that I don't want to run the fan in the cool AM.
I do need a timer because I don't want to run the fan when I'm trying to sleep.
I may be able to get electricity to the area where I want to install, that way I could install a hardwired timer.
Does anyone have experience with "quietcool" attic fans?
They seem to be highly rated.
Or is there a better option for a super quiet fan?
Thank you
Mike
Contributor
Typical roof vent fans move about 1100 cubic feet of air per minute. To have a solar fan big enough to move same amount of air would require a very large solar panel. Much bigger than what you see on top of a solar powered fan.
Member
There are some serious drawbacks to roof fans that are usually not discussed. Starting with where they draw the make up air from. If you've got one or more unsealed, or incorrectly sealed holes between the ceiling of the conditioned space and the attic some of the make up air can come from within the conditioned space. Further cooling the shingles can result in little improvement to their overall life span. Depending on how well your house is sealed, it might make more sense to just skip it.
https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com...tilators-green
Contributor
OP is in Oregon so I doubt his summer attic gets very hot.
Bill D
Contributor
All the roofs around here have vents in the soffits so that's where the make up air comes from. A Solar powered vent fan would not run without sun, hence not running at night not an issue. You just want the fan to run some air, just to vent the attic space... not cool the house. If you want a whole house fan to cool the house... that's another topic.Originally Posted by Andrew More
Last edited by Bill George; 07-04-2023 at 8:40 AM.
Retired Guy- Central Iowa.HVAC/R , Cloudray Galvo Fiber , -Windows 10
Contributor
BTW the folks who wrote that attic vents are not needed, should talk to some real people who replace roofs. High attic temps can accelerate asphalt shingle wear. We in the North, an unvented attic will allow moisture build up in the winter, if you live in the North look at your attic in the winter time and see the frost on the roof decking inside, if that moisture is allowed to stay it will rot out your roof decking and also drip down into your insulation and remain. Vented attics solve that problem, and I noted those naysayers are from the South!
Retired Guy- Central Iowa.HVAC/R , Cloudray Galvo Fiber , -Windows 10
Contributor
Not an attic fan, but I have a couple of fans in my ceiling that draw air from the house and blow it up into the attic. I use them at night when it's cool outside and the house is warmer. Of course, you have to leave some windows adjar so that air can get in. I leave a couple of windows in our bedroom open.
This cools the house and the attic, so the attic starts the day off fairly cool. By the end of the day on a hot summer day, the attic has gotten fairly warm, but not screaming hot.
I also have a number of vents in the attic, which lets hot air out, and which is important for the use of those fans. The air I pump up into the attic has to get out fairly easily.
I find this apporach, plus the passive vents in the attic work well for us.
But if I was going to install some roof (attic) fans, I'd sure wire them, and not depend on solar.
Mike
[Oh, one more thing. I use QuietCool (company) fans. They're okay, but they don't move as much air as the "attic fans" we used to use in the south. Those were maybe 40 inches in diameter, however. They're also maybe quieter than those big fans, but they still make noise, and at night, when it's quiet, you notice the noise more. However, I have one of the fans installed on the other side of the house so we don't hear it at night. You do not want to install one right outside your bedroom, like I did with the first one I put in.]
Last edited by Mike Henderson; 07-04-2023 at 10:38 AM.
Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.
Contributor
We installed a quietcool fan in our home last year and love it ! We have had attic fans in our last 4 homes and by far this is the best one we have ever had. Very quiet and has a self sealing louvre system so you don’t have to cover it for the winter. It also has a smaller ceiling cutout foot print which looks nice. The builder and electrician that installed it (new home construction) both asked where I got the fan and the electrician told me when he was back to do the final electrical that he bought one and also loves it ! Would strongly recommend Quietcool !
Last edited by Doug Colombo; 07-04-2023 at 11:48 AM. Reason: Typo
[OP]
Member
Actually I live in the Medford Oregon area.
My attic temps are very hot, especially when the outside temp is close to or over 100 (like it's been for the last 10 days)
An attic fan would help.
Mike
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