Will a tiny Coleman solar panel power a 12 volt muffin fan reliably?

[ClydesdaleKevin]

From another post, it dawned on me that I already have a little Coleman battery tender solar panel that we used to put in the window of our Jeep Cherokee, but won't work with the Wrangler and its flat windshield. 

I'm adding a 12 volt muffin fan to the power compartment to blow over the cooling fins of the charge controller because of mounting option restrictions, and was going to run it right from battery power through a switch and a 1 amp fuse, but am now looking at a solar option so it comes on with the sun, and goes off when it gets dark.

I can't run it through the huge Canadian Solar panels just installed, since they put out over 30 volts.

I found the manual for the little Coleman solar panel...and its fully weatherproof!  So mounting it up on the roof, like on the fridge vent, or even on my extra Z brackets, which would keep the wire run a lot shorter, would be fairly easy to do.

Power rating of the little panel is up to 1.25 watts, with a current of 83 mAmps @ 15 volts.

The muffin fan is rated at 12 volts DC, voltage range of 10.2 to 13.8 volts.  Rated current 0.32 amps, rated power of 3.84W max.

Think the little panel will reliably power the fan?  Raining cats and dogs today so I can't test the theory, but I think it would work.

What do y'all think?

Kev

[gadgetman]

The solar puts out 83 ma at 15v so thats full sun max.

Your fan draws 320ma max so even at 50% of that 160ma I dont think the solar of 83ma will even start that fan.

Just my guess, Let us know

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Thanks guys, old solved topic though.  I ended up buying a 48 volt muffin fan for my 705 watt solar panel system to keep the charge controller cool, so the 12 volt muffin fan is going to go in the stove hood to replace the loud and inefficient stock fan...it moves more air at way less amps, and way less noise!

The little Coleman solar panel sits on the hood of the Jeep when we tow it to keep a trickle charge on the Jeep battery, since it has to power the Brake Buddy when we travel. 

Kev

[alexsmith]

The ability of a Coleman solar panel to power a 12-volt muffin fan will depend on several factors, including the wattage and amperage output of the solar panel, the power requirements of the fan, and the conditions under which the panel and fan will operate.

Firstly, you will need to determine the power requirements of the muffin fan. This information can typically be found in the fan's user manual or on the label on the fan itself. You will want to look for the wattage or amperage rating of the fan, as this will help you determine the minimum power output required from the solar panel.

Once you have determined the power requirements of the fan, you will need to compare them to the wattage and amperage output of the Coleman solar panel. If the solar panel's output is greater than the power requirements of the fan, then it should be able to power the fan reliably.

However, keep in mind that the reliability of the power supply will also depend on the conditions under which the panel and fan will operate. For example, if the solar panel is exposed to direct sunlight for most of the day, it will likely be able to provide a consistent power supply to the fan. However, if the panel is only exposed to partial sunlight or shaded for part of the day, the power supply may be less reliable. It's unlikely that a tiny Coleman solar panel would reliably power a 12-volt muffin fan. The use of a 202 watt solar panel would be more suitable for powering a device of that nature.

In summary, whether a Coleman solar panel can reliably power a 12-volt muffin fan will depend on the power requirements of the fan, the wattage and amperage output of the solar panel, and the conditions under which the panel and fan will operate. It's important to ensure that the solar panel is capable of providing enough power to meet the fan's requirements and that the panel and fan are placed in optimal conditions for solar power generation.

[alexsmith]

Yes, it can work without the battery but if you get a 14v solar panel of 3 or 4 amps then it can work during the day without a battery. but if it is below the 202-watt solar panel or higher than 14 volts your fan will work for some time after that that can get burned cuz of the excessive RPM of the motor. Plus you can use flexible solar panels which will be a good alternative to get maximum productivity.