Solar Powered Heat Pumps (Air Conditioning & Heating)

Need a Solar Hybrid Heater?

Do you need a solar hybrid heater for your off-grid home or cabin? No one wants to talk about solar air conditioning in the fall and winter months, but this EG4 solar hybrid unit also offers heat. Warm your off-grid space this winter with no batteries or AC connections required.

How do Solar Heat Pumps work?

Active solar heat pump systems have solar panels mounted on a roof or south-facing wall. These collectors absorb the sun's radiation and, using DC voltage generated from the solar panels, power a DC condenser/compressor to produce radiant heat. A solar heat pump can heat your home or off-grid cabin for free throughout the year while the sun is shining.

Benefits of using a Solar Heat Pump.

A solar-powered heat pump is a machine representing the integration of a heat pump and thermal solar panels in a single integrated system. This unique solar hybrid heat pump can accept DC power directly from your solar panels without the need for an inverter, charge controller, or batteries. Solar DC power replaces AC power from the grid and can cut daytime energy costs for heating by up to 100%.

The solar heat pump system is designed for hybrid operation, with solar providing most or all of the energy needed during daylight hours. This is an incredible cost saving over grid-power AC. Even propane heaters require fuel, stoves require wood or pellets, and fireplaces call for wood. With a solar heater keeping your cabin or home warm throughout daylight hours, you are saving money, not spending it on propane, wood, or grid-power AC.

However, to keep your off-grid space warm in the evening and overnight, supplementing a wood stove or propane heater for those hours will guarantee a comfortable temperature when the sun isn’t shining.

Many governments have an energy incentive program that can help subsidize your initial costs of purchasing and installing your solar heat pump. These units help lower your carbon footprint over time by reducing air and water pollution that result from using fossil fuels for heating or cooling.

EG4 solar heat pumps require very little maintenance and, once installed, are a safe alternative to burning fossil fuels. No toxic gases are being used, no carbon dioxide is created, and no concerns over combustion.

Installing my Solar Heat Pump System

An off-grid lifestyle demands more hands-on know-how, including installing your off-grid appliances. However, if you’re unsure about installing a Plug & Play EG4 heat pump system, Canadian Off-Grid Depot has experienced and certified installers who can install your EG4 solar heat pump system.

For a solar heater to work, connect between three to six solar panels (290-360w per panel) in series where the sun is most visible throughout the day. The sun feeds the external solar panel’s DC energy, and this energy runs the internal heat pump. For extra power during overcast conditions, transient clouds, or at night the EG4 solar heat pump can also connect to 220v (208v-240v) AC power if available on site. The AC feature means no need for expensive batteries for solar energy storage.

Your EG4 solar heat pump can be used with all-DC, all-AC, or AC-DC combinations where the unit (if also connected to AC power) can blend both power sources with a preference towards using all available DC power it pulls from the solar panels.

Suppose you opt to include a battery storage system to take advantage of capturing solar energy during the day to continue heating your off-grid space overnight. In that case, we sell and install various battery banks. Canadian Off-Grid Depot carries Volthium solar storage batteries, which come in many sizes to suit your budget and power needs. We source our batteries from Volthium, located in Quebec, and we have them in 12, 24, and 48-volt capacities. Compatible with all inverters on the market, the Volthium solar storage batteries can also be stacked on top of each other or fixed to the wall thanks to its anchoring system. There is no limit to how many solar storage batteries you can connect to your heat pump system. If you have an existing solar system with 240v capabilities, you can tie your EG4 solar heat pump system into it.

Serving Southern Ontario, Canadian Off-Grid Depot sells, delivers, and installs solar appliances, so they operate at peak efficiency. These solar heat pump systems should only be serviced by a qualified solar heating professional. To answer all your questions on off-grid solar heat pumps, contact us.