I'm about to become a foster parent and need to move my home gym into the garage. The problem is that my garage in Arizona can get extremely hot, often reaching around 130°F. I'm looking to install a single AC unit for cooling and want to connect it to a low-voltage solar panel system, possibly with a battery. How should I figure out what I need for this project? Budget isn't a huge issue since I earn a decent income.
3 Answers
To get started, you'll want to do some calculations. If your garage has a window, consider using an inverter AC unit like the Midea U—it’s pretty efficient. You’ll need to check how many watts the unit consumes over time in watt-hours and pick a solar panel, battery, and charge controller that can keep up with your needs based on how long you’ll be running the AC.
For your project, definitely go with a mini split. The EG4 is a solid choice, but keep in mind that if it’s cloudy or dark, it will need to draw power from the grid. A solar setup with an inverter mini split could give you a better return on investment!
I recommend looking into an EG4 Hybrid Mini Split system. It’s great because you can run it solely on solar panels during the day—no need for a regular electrical hookup. It works really well in high temperatures!