# How about this retrofit.... Solar Sunroof?



## mhoepfin (Dec 20, 2007)

The solar paneled sunroof is what dreams are made of in the hot summer here in the south.
Was wondering what would be involved in doing a retrofit. 
Could it be as easy as removing the existing sunroof, putting in one with the solar panels and hooking up a connector?


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## Robbie.Harrell (Nov 30, 2007)

*Re: How about this retrofit.... Solar Sunroof? (mhoepfin)*

This is gonna sound dumb, But what does the solar sunroof do?


_Modified by Robbie.Harrell at 3:01 PM 8-9-2008_


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## mhoepfin (Dec 20, 2007)

*Re: How about this retrofit.... Solar Sunroof? (Robbie.Harrell)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Robbie.Harrell* »_This is gonna sound dunb, But what does the solar sunroof do?

Powers a fan to recirculate air in the car when it is parked.


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## Highline (Mar 13, 2003)

The only drawback is that the solar roof is not transparent.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: How about this retrofit.... Solar Sunroof? (mhoepfin)*


_Quote, originally posted by *mhoepfin* »_Was wondering what would be involved in doing a retrofit. 

I believe that the retrofit of the solar glass panel is quite simple. A new wiring harness will have to be created and laid to take the power from the solar panel to the appropriate location.
If you refer to the attached wiring diagram (see the third page), you will see that a few additional components will be needed: The J355 control module for solar operation (likely this is a slave of the roof electronic controller), and the J309 Solar Cell Separation Relay. Additional wiring provisions will have to be laid to bring power from fuse SD 17 and Fuse SD 31 to the solar cell separation relay. For sure, NAR vehicles don't have SD 17. We do have SD 31, but likely no wire as illustrated on track 39 of the sunroof diagram.
The $64,000 question is whether the existing NAR controllers will support this feature. I *think *that they will, but I am not certain.
It would make for an interesting project, certainly worthwhile for anyone who lives in a very hot and sunny region (e.g. Arizona or similar). I think it would require a great deal of time to carry out the first implementation. Once the trail has been blazed, the retrofit should be fairly simple schematically, but will likely be fairly complex due to the level of disassembly required: For starters, the whole interior roof panel is going to have to come out to allow the new wiring harness to be laid, and likely the forward left hand A pillar cover will also have to be removed to allow a wire to be laid there. It's the interior disassembly that is going to be both time-consuming and risky.
But - having said that - interior disassembly is fun and entertaining.








Michael


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: (Highline)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Highline* »_The only drawback is that the solar roof is not transparent.

One could argue that if you live in a region where you could benefit from a solar sunroof, you wouldn't want the damn thing to be transparent.








Michael


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: (PanEuropean)*

Here's what it looks like:


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## Highline (Mar 13, 2003)

*Re: (PanEuropean)*


_Quote, originally posted by *PanEuropean* »_
One could argue that if you live in a region where you could benefit from a solar sunroof, you wouldn't want the damn thing to be transparent.








Michael

That's true but I like to slide open the cover at night or when it's a rainy day ... but those are things I can live without if I had the option in my car but it was never offered on the Passats sold here. 
The Phaetons here come with it though.


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## mhoepfin (Dec 20, 2007)

I have nightmares of those disassembly pictures.


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## remrem (Jan 20, 2008)

*Re: (PanEuropean)*

Just curious: I assume the solar array is used to suppy power to a system that exhausts the hot cabin air, but by what method is the hot air exhausted? Is the solar array simply powering up the climate control system fan, or is there more to it? Just wondering how it works.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: (remrem)*

All Phaetons have provision for continuous cabin air exhaust by way of one way vent openings that are provided behind the rear bumper cover. The cabin air enters the area under the trunk floor by way of the two apertures you can see at the base of the rear seat cushion, on either side of the transmission tunnel. The air then flows through the spare tire well and out the vents.
It is necessary to make this kind of provision on any vehicle that has an airbag system, otherwise, the front and rear windows would be blown out when an airbag (or multiple airbags) deployed. 
The solar powered recirculation system simply brings outside air (ambient temperature air) into the vehicle through the normal HVAC air inlets, and uses it to displace heated air inside the vehicle out through the air exhaust provisions. In other words, it combats the 'hothouse' effect that happens when you park a car in the sun.
Michael


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## rps (May 2, 2006)

*Re: How about this retrofit.... Solar Sunroof? (mhoepfin)*

I live in South FLorida and had a solar roof panel on my previous car( Audi A6 2.7T)---doesn't really "cool" the interior but definitely makes it more comfortable. I was disappointed that the Phaeton didn't come with this feature.
Richard


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## Highline (Mar 13, 2003)

*Re: How about this retrofit.... Solar Sunroof? (rps)*


_Quote, originally posted by *rps* »_... I was disappointed that the Phaeton didn't come with this feature.
Richard

Considering the price you (buyers in North America) paid, you don't have to.


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## remrem (Jan 20, 2008)

*Re: (PanEuropean)*

Thanks for the explanation and photo Michael. I had noticed that one-way vent in my spare tire well before, but didn't understand its purpose, now I do. 
The hot air being displaced and exhausted while the car is parked in the sun seems a simple yet elegant concept. During these "dog days of Summer" it sure would be nice to have. 
Now that I'm thinking about it, I believe I saw in a catalog some years ago a portable version of a device that worked on the same principle. So, as I've been writing this post, I just did a quick Google search and came upon this: 
http://www.brucemedical.com/ik1605.html
Is this perhaps a cheap and easy way to put the principle to work for us hot and sweaty NAR owners? These gimmicky things always look too good to be true, so I tend to be skeptical. Anyone out there ever try one of these things?



_Modified by remrem at 1:23 PM 8-11-2008_


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## remrem (Jan 20, 2008)

*Re: (remrem)*

Uh-oh. I just found the aforementioned product and several other ones like it on Amazon. 
http://www.amazon.com/Trillium...LXTN2
The customer reviews were scathing! Like I said, too good to be true.


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## derrickonline (Feb 9, 2008)

*Re: (remrem)*

The unit you showed on the picture (the small one you clip to your glass. I thought it was too good to be true as well as it was shown on some AS SEEN ON TV sort of commericial. I went to infomercialratings or infomercialreviews and it was a total scam which made sense.
That little fan was actually going to keep your car cool in 90+ degree temperature...not happening. The reviews are quite funny to read.


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