In this video
- Dave introduces the original Airspool solar hybrid mini-split running at Airspool's Las Vegas headquarters.
- A 12,000 BTU (1-ton) unit heats a stairwell using only 4 solar panels (380 watts apiece) with no batteries, inverter, or voltage controller.
- Grid power automatically supplements the system through a standard 120V plug whenever it's cloudy, rainy, or there's no sun.
- Simple MC4 clips connect the solar panels, the same style used on standard rooftop solar installs.
- The outdoor condenser runs under 52 decibels even with other shop noise nearby.
Questions this video answers
Does a solar air conditioner need batteries or an inverter to work?
No. In this demo, the Airspool unit runs directly off four click-in 380-watt solar panels with no batteries, inverter, or voltage controller. When there's no sun, it automatically pulls from the grid instead.
How many solar panels does it take to run a mini-split air conditioner?
The 12,000 BTU (1-ton) unit shown in the video runs on just four 380-watt solar panels, connected with standard MC4 clips.
What happens to my solar mini-split when it's cloudy or at night?
The unit automatically switches to grid power through a normal 120V plug, so heating and cooling continue without interruption even without sun.
How loud is an Airspool outdoor unit?
The outdoor condenser runs under 52 decibels, quiet enough that only mild ambient noise from a neighboring shop is noticeable in the video.
Can a solar mini-split heat a home in cold weather, not just cool it?
Yes. In the video, the unit heats a stairwell to about 72°F (22°C) while it's 52°F outside, running entirely on free solar power at the time.
Do I need net metering to run a solar air conditioner?
No. The system shown doesn't require net metering, batteries, or a separate solar inverter. It's a direct hybrid connection between the solar panels and the mini-split, with the grid as backup.
How do the solar panels physically connect to the mini-split?
The panels attach using standard black MC4 connectors, the same clips used on typical rooftop solar setups, while a separate yellow cord handles the 120V grid backup connection.
Transcript
Read the full transcript
Hello, I'm Dave. I'm in a formerly abandoned building in downtown Las Vegas, which we have reclaimed to become the Airspool solar-powered air conditioning world headquarters. This unit, in this case, is heating up the stairs here because it's 52 degrees outside, and you'll see it's set to 22 degrees Celsius, so that's around 72 Fahrenheit. The green solar panels show that it's running off of solar right now, so all the heat we're getting up here right now is blissfully off of free solar. Nothing's better in the winter than free heat, and nothing's better in the summer than free air conditioning, and that unit does it both.
And here is the attic that needs a little bit of room for improvement, and those are them: those four solar panels, 380 watts apiece, are running that hybrid mini-split. There's a little bit of ambient noise from the radiator repair shop here, but this bad boy of an outside unit is clocking in at under 52 decibels. You can maybe see the fans moving. It's doing its job, kicking out, in this case, since it's winter, kicking the cold air outside as it pulls heat in.
You'll see we don't have a lot of cloud cover here today, as in zero cloud cover, but that's not atypical for Las Vegas. When it is cloudy or rainy, though, there's a plug, and that plug is 110 volt, 115, 120, whatever you want to call it, a normal plug. It plugs in about the same location as the solar panel. You see those black clips? Those are normal MC4 clips for attaching the solar panels, and then the yellow cord is where the 120 power plugs in.
So if you have an interest in solar-powered air conditioning, we'd like to help you out and have a shot at working with you. Check out Airspool.com. Thank you.
