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Longevity Of solar powered fan?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by bye civic, May 6, 2017.

  1. bye civic

    bye civic Junior Member

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    I have to leave my priusIV for days at a time in lots without shade cover. i usually press the solar fan button in so it goes on but wondering if this means ill have to replace a part soner than later?

    I like the idea of the fan but ive done tests with thermometers on a sunday summer afternoon with and without the fan and temps are similair...of not the same. i keep electronics (drones and tools) in the car and worry about the high temps over long periods of time. also seems wastefull to run the AC remotly all the time and i cant lower windows as there is usually a rain. any thoughts?
     
    #1 bye civic, May 6, 2017
  2. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    The models with the solar ventilation also swap the normal fan motor for a brushless electronic one, so there's no reason not to expect a good long life from it. That's what it's there for, might as well enjoy it.

    -Chap
     
    #2 ChapmanF, May 6, 2017
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  3. SFO

    SFO Senior Member

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    Always wanted one of those solar fan setups, now I'm not so sure.
     
    #3 SFO, May 6, 2017
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  4. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Yeah the blower motor in SPVS-equipped cars is beefed up because it's expected to run for more hours than a regular Prius.

    It seems odd that you measure similar temperatures. Without a thermometer, I can feel a difference on my skin (which I assume means there must be a large enough difference since our skin isn't exactly super sensitive to minute changes in temperature).
     
    #4 Tideland Prius, May 6, 2017
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  5. bye civic

    bye civic Junior Member

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    let it be know test was conducted on a SUNNY summer day...hell it could have been a sunday as we know thats a good "conduct experiments with the car" day
     
    #5 bye civic, May 6, 2017
  6. SFO

    SFO Senior Member

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    Any chance of retrofitting this beefier version into a gen2?
     
    #6 SFO, May 6, 2017
  7. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    Well, in my experience with computer fans, it's the bearings that go, not brushes. But those fans are made for one purpose, to be cheap! ;)

    But it gets even more worrying. If you sit in the car on an "iffy" day (ambient temp not very warm), the fan starts up, then after perhaps 5 sec. shuts down. Then, after 10-30 sec. or so, starts up again. Almost sounds like a very quiet turbine starting and stopping. Pearl S' fan switch stays -ON- all the time, and I haven't had any problem with the fan (I had to go and type that).

    As far as lowering the interior temp., I don't really notice that, but the cool breeze on my face feels nice if I'm sitting in the car.

    I don't think there is anything to worry about. If the fan is going to fail it'll be the bearings, and they fail from manufacturing defects more often than not, and there is nothing you can do about that. Use it, enjoy it!
     
    #7 David Beale, May 6, 2017
  8. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Still. I had a Gen 2 with a beige interior and my car parked outside the house and the Gen 3 was cooler (even though it had the darker interior).

    Again, it could vary. I'm not saying you're wrong. But remember that the SPVS isn't meant to cool the car below ambient temperature. It's merely venting the air so that hot air doesn't build up (interior temps can easily approach 150°F). So I would think the SPVS would keep the temps below that since it's drawing in cooler outside air (cooler relatively to the air inside the car). But again, YMMV.

    I don't even know if the Gen 2 and Gen 3 motors are the same.
     
    #8 Tideland Prius, May 7, 2017
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  9. bye civic

    bye civic Junior Member

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    i must say ive had to jump my car twice now after leaving car in sun for 2 days. and what a pain to jump that car is! trunk wont open so you have to crawl in back. uff da!
     
    #9 bye civic, Jun 23, 2017
  10. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    Open the hood and jump it at the boost point.

    Remove fuse box cover in front of the driver under the hood by pressing in on the upper portion of the latch and lifting.
    Look in the fuse box. You will see a red piece of plastic that sort of looks like a fuse. It flips up.
    Connect the boost positive there.
    Connect the boost negative to the chassis (any bare metal mounting to the car under the hood, even bolts will do).

    You can "boost" the car using almost any 12VDC source. I've used a gel cell "alarm battery". Just make sure you get the polarity right. It can be very expensive if you don't.
     
    #10 David Beale, Jun 23, 2017
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  11. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Haven't needed to jump the Gen 3 but both times I had to jump the Gen 2, the hood method didn't work and had to directly attach the cables to the battery.
     
    #11 Tideland Prius, Jun 23, 2017
  12. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Can't think of any reason that could be, well except one: I've actually got a small jump pack where the clamps at the cable ends have copper teeth on both sides, but only one side is actually connected to the cable. Combine that with the Prius's front jump point, which only has copper on one side, and it would be possible to clamp the cable on the other way and get nothing.

    -Chap
     
    #12 ChapmanF, Jun 23, 2017
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