Make:

The fan only runs when the solar cell doesn't see the sun? That doesn't make much sense. I can understand why he did it to lower the expense by using a solar garden light, but I would mainly need the fan when the solar cell would see light and have it turn off when the car is in shade.

I'd like one that i could slip into my sunroof, between the movable shade and the glass. I never use the sunroof anyway but now I could leave the fan in there all the time and use a pressure switch to turn on the fan when the sunroof is opened to the vent position. pop it open, the fan turns on, close the sunroof, the fan turns off, and never worry about draining the battery.

that's it. I'm gonna start looking for parts.

is there a moderator checking these posts? what's with the sex ads?

My rudementary knowledge of thermodynamics leads me to believe that both the commercial and DIY versions of this device are far too small to remove a significantly noticeable amount of heated air from the comparably huge interior of the vehicle.
Since the motor only runs when there is a lack of sunlight (I'm assuming it was chosen to run like this based on the assumption that direct sun will heat the air in the car at a greater rate than this fan can exhaust it), I suspect having the windows open a crack would exchange the same, if not more, heat from the car than having them all closed with this device attached.
But I'm just guessing... *shrug*

I saw this fan on late night tv the other night. Didn't a kid on American Inventor try to do something like this (and get voted off?) I think it was the doggy air conditioner.

Whatever happened to opening the friggin window? Or even turning on the car's vents. This has to be one of the most ghetto things I've seen on Make.

Whatever happened to opening the friggin window? Or even turning on the car's vents. This has to be one of the most ghetto things I've seen on Make.

I think it's supposed to be used in a parked car so it's not too hot when you return. But that thing looks waaay ghetto and it's only 6 dollars if you already have the expensive solar cell which is like advertising a "free car*"

* just add car

I just saw the ad for the actual product.
Unlike the DIY one, it runs when the sun hits it.
It claims to bring temp down from 107 to 75

Subscribe today, save 42% and get web access to MAKE free. MAKE Digital Edition is available only to subscribers.

$34.95 / 1 year
(4 Quarterly Issues)

Subscribe now