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Cooling electronics
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rthorntn:
Hi,

So I have two off-grid inverters, these are not outdoor rated. 

The inverters sit in a small weatherproof cabinet (~80x80x20cm) attached to an outside wall.  There are two fast 80mm AC fans moving air through.

On a hot sunny day the inverters are busy and their temperature goes over 65°C quite a bit.  I worry that the temperatures are shortening the inverters lifetime.

Now I'm starting to think that getting cooled air (below ambient) into this cabinet might be a good idea as those hot parts of the day also provide a lot of solar energy to drive a small AC unit for free.

Has anyone seen an outdoor rated small AC that would be useful for this purpose (that doesn't cost the earth), I envisage a small box (under 30x30x30cm) that mounts on the wall and has two pipes coming out of it, basically cabinet out (warm air) and cabinet in (cool air) pipes.

Thanks.
Richard
Zero999:
Many electronic parts are fine at high temperatures: some semiconductors, such as MOSFETs, can take as high as 175°C without being damaged.

Does it have any smart capability? Some inverters can communicate via Ethernet. Does it have a diagnostic tool for monitoring the temperature?
magic:
Wouldn't it be simpler to get more airflow in there with larger fans?
jonpaul:
Air Cond power will eat into solar and inverter load.

Just larger fans as 80 mm is tiny.

j
SeanB:
Yes simplest is to add an external cabinet, which provides shade, and which has a pair of 120mm AC fans to move lots of air across them, from the bottom air inlet to top air outlet. Shade from the sun with an awning of some sort mounted 300mm above it, and with white outside, and it should run cooler.

Have seen a bank of Sunny Boy inverters at a large commercial solar install that have, in the locked wire mesh enclosure that protects them, a trio of Big Ass fans that provide extra cooling for them, seeing as that area reaches 40C ambient due to it being concrete and tar paved outside. Around 16 of the largest inverters all there, providing a big part of the power for the complex.
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