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US 2010/0304660 A1Published application
Hybrid Solar Attic Vent
AssigneeBuilding Materials Investment Corporation
InventorsSteven V. Boehling, Brent A. Coats
Life of this patent
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AssigneeBuilding Materials Investment Corporation
InventorsSteven V. Boehling, Brent A. Coats
Estimating the term…
A hybrid solar attic vent comprising a housing configured to be mounted on the roof or in the gable of a building in communication with the attic of the building. A photovoltaic solar panel is positioned to be exposed to sunlight and to power the attic fan when sufficient sunlight is present. An alternative source of energy, which may be the building's AC power, is connected to the fan through an electronic control module. The control module monitors the output of the solar panel and switches the fan's power source from solar power to the alternative source of energy when the solar panel produces insufficient electrical energy to power the fan. A thermostat allows operation of the fan by the alternative power source only when the temperature in the attic is above a predetermined threshold.
A hybrid solar attic vent comprising:
A method of operating an attic ventilation fan powered by a photovoltaic solar panel, the method comprising the steps of:
A hybrid solar attic fan adapted to be powered by solar energy or by an alternate source of energy, the attic fan comprising a housing configured for mounting to a building in communication with an attic of the building, a fan disposed in the housing and configured, when powered, to cause air to move out of the attic, a solar panel coupled to the fan for powering the fan when the solar panel is sunlit, an alternate source of energy for powering the fan when the solar panel is not sunlit, and a control unit configured to switch between power from the solar panel and power from the alternate source of energy according to predetermined conditions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.