Solar > Inverter > Fan (no battery)

[Watashi]

I have a 120v / 1A 16" exhaust fan. I want to run this fan directly from a solar panel, I'm thinking about 250 watt panel, to an inverter. I also have a variable speed controller, I'm wondering if this will act as a regulator for voltage/amp spikes or will another regulator be needed?

The above minimal system will only need to be running for the summer, then I will be upgrading to more panels and a 500A battery bank to take on bigger power demands (small cabin) in the future.

I would also like suggestions on panels, I'd like to stay between $1-1.50/watt. As a first time solar buyer it's sort of intimidating, should I buy online? somewhere local? where?(san diego).

Thank you for any information!

[Mike90250]

Solar panels produce DC which varys moment by moment. Your fan looks to need AC. There is only one, $5,000 inverter that can produce 120vac from 500VDC PV panels.

It'd be much easier if you locate a box of 24VDC fans, and connected them to the PV panel.

[Watashi]

Yes I under stand the DC to AC conversion needed, I'm thinking of an inverter like this. I'm not sure where you're figuring 500VDC, I'd like a 24v 8amp'ish (250W) panel, to the inverter to the speed controller to the fan, the fan is only 120 watts. The only 500 I reference was to the amp/hr of a future battery bank. The fan is only 120 watts.

I just realized Inverter will also work at a voltage range of 21-30V and have safety shut down outside of that Vrange, so voltage spikes aren't really an issue, or are they? The inverter is acting as my VAC regulator of sorts.

[PNjunction]

Many think that a cheap inverter will run just fine without a battery, and find out the hard way.

Even if it did, that cheap inverter is an MSW, or Modified-Square-Wave which your motor will not like. Oh, it may run, but will run slower and hotter than normal, which is already a drawback for an attic fan.

There's more to it, so read the faqs and stickies since this is a pretty common question.

Also, count your blessings in regards to today's power per watt. I come from the era when it was $10 / watt, so stuff today is ridiculously cheap. Much like me paying over $500 back in the day for a 9600-baud landline modem.

[Sunking]

You have to have a charge controller and battery period to run an inverter. Accept it.

[Shockah]

Get a DC fan...

Here is a 50W panel running a 30W marine bilge blower/fan.

b.jpg

[Shockah]

.........

I would also like suggestions on panels, I'd like to stay between $1-1.50/watt. As a first time solar buyer it's sort of intimidating, should I buy online? somewhere local? where?(san diego).

Thank you for any information!

http://www.solartown.com/store/catalog/crystalline-modules/