Heat from the solar inverter.

[ericmark]

I am sure the inverter its self has overheat-protection etc. But the flat under the house is getting rather warm, we have no opening windows, only ventilation is the bathroom extractor, and normally not a problem, built into the hillside as it is, it neither gets super hot nor cold.

The space would have been a garage, before turned into a granny flat, so opening patio doors and turning on a fan which blows the air around in a circle and out the kitchen door, would quickly cool the rooms if outside air was cool. But it isn't, the outside air is hot, not helped by the slabs laid outside so we have a flat area for a BBQ, not a problem at the moment as the flat is rarely used.

However, plan is, when we get old, we will move to flat, and daughter will live in main house, so at some time in the future, we will want it cooler. Moving the inverter outside would help, but it's a lot of work, so a vent seems a better idea. But would want some automated control.

So looking for ideas. Inverter in the corner so we have a composite panel next to it. Behind the chair. Google Earth shows or rather does not show, how the flat is protected from the sun to some extent by trees, so we have time, is that the answer, a tree close to the flat so shaded more?

Looking for ideas, before we have to live in the flat.

 

[Murdochcat]

How warm does the room get?

Our inverter is in the hall cupboard, and leaving the door ajar has capped the temperature at 29 degrees, whilst the hall room stat has registered 28 degrees

 

[ericmark]

So flat is the warmest area where I have thermometers. There are also thermostats, hall TRV 23°C wall thermostat 26°C living room TRVs 27°C and 25.1°C wall thermostat 27.5°C the dinning room TRV 21°C the rest are not readable online, so don't know the temperature, but flat is in spite of the door being left open the warmest place in the house, at 29.2°C.

However before solar, it was likely coolest group of rooms in the house. It would have been cooler than the dinning room, in the flats kitchen the inverter near the door, and the thermostat is at the back of the kitchen, mainly there so I can see when cool enough to start brewing again, which is why I know before solar, the flat would remain at 18°C or below so I could start a brew, if within first 5 days the brew goes above 20°C it can result in a bitter after-taste, so brewing stops this time of the year.

Had it not been for the brewing, I would be unaware of temperatures on previous years. The solar installers wanted to fit the inverter and batteries in the loft, thank goodness I didn't let them do that.

I know the flat ceiling has loads of insulation so no too much heat raises to living room, but some must of course.

 

[trucrio61]

If the inverter is what's changed, I'd look at removing that heat directly rather than trying to cool the whole flat. A thermostatically controlled vent or small extractor near the inverter would likely be much more effective and cheaper than relying on outside air or additional shading.

 

[ericmark]

If the inverter is what's changed, I'd look at removing that heat directly rather than trying to cool the whole flat. A thermostatically controlled vent or small extractor near the inverter would likely be much more effective and cheaper than relying on outside air or additional shading.

I am looking at this, the problem is if I make a cover and fit fans etc. If this fails the inverter may overheat. So looking at a chimney of some sorts so it does not need a fan.