Solar Powered Doghouse Exhaust Fans---How Do They Work?


Dog Palace Solar Exhaust Fan kit.

How does solar power work?

Solar panels capture the sun's energy and use it to make electricity.

The sun releases energy called photons, and the photons travel to earth. When photons hit a solar cell (solar panels are made up of lots of solar cells), electrons are knocked loose from the photons' atoms.

The electrical circuits formed by the solar cells generate electricity when the loose electrons flow through them.

The silicon solar cells are able to make electrical circuits because they have positive and negative sides, just like a battery--this in and of itself creates an electric field. When conductors (objects or materials that allow the flow of electrical charge; commonly metal) are attached to each side of the solar cell, that forms the electrical circuit for the loose electrons to flow through! Science is wild.

Now, if you're really into understanding how this works, read on! If you got what you came for, feel free to scroll past.

So, solar panels generate Direct Current (DC) electricity. DC electricity flows in one direction around a circuit. This works well for computers, LEDs, and electric vehicles. DC electricity is very stable.

However, the United States uses Alternating Current (AC) electricity for our grid (as it's cheaper to transmit over long distances), so we have to use something called a solar inverter to convert the DC generated by the solar panels into AC for our power grid.

AC current electricity quite literally switches direction periodically as electrons are alternately pushed and pulled. AC also allows for an easy change of voltage (via transformers), which saves power companies lots of money. It's more efficient to use high voltages to transmit power over longer distances, and then it can be switched back to lower voltages for distribution and safety.

Both have value and sometimes serve better than the other in differing circumstances.

And, fun fact, that's part of how the famous band AC/DC got their name! They or someone in their families are rumored to have spotted "AC/DC" on the side of an appliance (possibly a sewing machine or a vacuum cleaner) and that was that.

What is a solar-powered exhaust fan?

A: An exhaust fan works to remove the dog's body-heat from the doghouse. ASL experimented with air conditioning years ago, but it proved too noisy and the dogs were afraid to get into a doghouse that made that much noise. Our ball-bearing exhaust fan is whisper-quiet and long-lasting, so there should be no concern about it waking up your pooch from their midday nap. The exhaust fan takes the cooler air from outside and circulates that into the doghouse and the dog's body-heat gets circulated out.

The solar fan installed on a grey CRB.

How does a solar-powered exhaust fan work?

The solar-powered doghouse exhaust fans require full sunlight in order to give your pets a cooling, indirect breeze during the day. So if you're purchasing this exhaust fan, you'll want to make sure your doghouse has access to full sunlight or that you can safely place the solar panel nearby, if you don't have a cord-chewer, as the exhaust fan comes with an 8-foot cord for remote solar panel location. If 8 feet isn't long enough, we also separately sell longer cords. Additionally, the exhaust vents provide passive exhaust when the sun isn't shining.

Look at this glorious solar fan installed on the DP Hunter.

Is the solar panel compatible with the heated floor mat?

It is not compatible with the heated floor mat, as the heated floor mat needs to be able to work regardless of how sunny it is outside (because in winter, sunny doesn't always mean warm!), and if you live in a snowy climate, you can't depend on the sun always being available in winter. That's why the design of the heated floor mat requires connection to a power source.

Should I buy the large or small solar fan?

The large solar fan is designed to fit over the triangular window on the Dog Palace and the CRB Palace.  The small solar fan is designed to fit over the small rectangular window of the DP Hunter.  Small and large are not interchangeable on our houses.

What are the dimensions of the solar panel and fan?

A: For the Dog Palace and the CRB, the size of the fan is 9.5" by 6.5" and it weights 3.5 pounds. For the DP Hunter, the fan is 7" by 5.75" and weighs 3.3 pounds. The solar panels for the CRB and Dog Palace are 6" by 11.5", and the solar panel for the DP Hunter is 6" by 9.87". All our panels are 5/8" thick.

Direct sunlight on this baby means your pooch or cool cat can feel easy-breezy in hot weather.

How do you install the solar exhaust fan?

All you have to do is attach the exhaust fan to an opening on the doghouse (with ASL houses, the window on the back of the doghouse) and place the solar panel on top of the house or use the extension cord to place it somewhere else it can receive direct sunlight. Both pieces can be secured with provided screws. The vents close easily with the twist of a knob for winter protection, so you don't have to worry about it letting cold air in or warm air out during colder months.

The exhaust fan installed on the DP Hunter.

Will this exhaust fan work on different brands of dog houses?

This exhaust fan can be used on any other doghouse that has a flat wall mounting surface. In ASL dog houses, the exhaust fan replaces the entire house air up to five times per minute. We can't make that same estimate for other dog houses because their dimensions will differ from ours, but the fans will still function.

What should I do if my pup is an eager chewer?

A: The voltage is low and safe for the fan and panel, so if you've got an eager chewer, they shouldn't get injured. You can try to stymie the chewing of cords (and other objects) by first understanding why your dog chews. Puppies chew to relieve the pain of teething, and older dogs chew to keep their jaws strong and gums healthy. It's also a coping mechanism for boredom, anxiety, and frustration. It's natural and healthy for dogs to chew. They don't understand why you don't want your nice shoes or cords all mangled   it feels good on their teeth. So, what can you do to encourage them to chew things other than your shoes or cords? Well, we actually have a whole article about it. There are lots of options that are good for your pup (and your cords).



Photo credit: Judy McClure

Written by: Skye Isabella Rose Iwanski

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