Coop about to go off grid

[2 Beauts]

I can't wait to hear about this! I just posted questions about the same thing on the new sufficentself.com.

I too want to run a fan, maybe a heat light in winter, and motion sensor lights, but I have no idea where to begin.

 

[Timmo]

Quote:
Hmm. I can chime in a little here. You can set up a simple solar battery system fairly easily.

You need:

1) A PV panel (photovoltaic panel consisting of cells that convert sunlight into direct current, not a 'passive collector' which is just a heat sink.) You can buy these, or build your own if you know what you're doing and can solder. There's a bit of math involved in choosing the right one though, based on how much power you need, and how much sun you get. This is probably the most expensive part, too. If you add a heliostat (tracking device) it can get complicated and quite costly for larger systems.

2) A deep cycle battery, or many, depending on your needs and charging ability. Regular car batteries won't work very well.

3) A charge controller to take care of the battery. It charges the battery when needed (while the sun's out), and turns off when the battery is charged.

4) DC appliances...fans, lights, water pumps, chicken door motors, etc.

If you need AC to run household appliances, you'll need an inverter to convert the battery DC into AC.

You won't be able to do much with a heat light in the winter, though. Unless you invest some serious money into your system. Generating heat with electricity uses lots and lots of power that a cheap solar set-up for DC lights and fans won't be able to handle for very long, especially with the shorter days of winter.

There's tons of stuff online about this, and tons of sites that sell electrical components from which you can build your own on the cheap.

It's a great subject and worth looking into.



Edited to add: OOPS! Not trying to hijack the thread....sorry if it looked that way karanleaf! I'd love to hear more about the set-up you mentioned in your barn, and more about your planned wind generator! I'm really into this stuff, great job!

 

[CATRAY44]

That is amazing! What a blessing to have such talent!!!

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

Quote:
As well, what did it cost? Can you add more panels to it later on for more juice?

 

[PurpleChicken]

I'm gonna sound like a jerk here and I'm sorry for it. Well, maybe not.
Alternative energies are so "in style" now that anyone who posts something
about it immediately gets the "cool" from the masses.

That tiny panel is worth about 40 watts max. 15 would be more likely but I
can't judge from the pic. Pump that low wattage DC into a charge controller,
battery, and then inverter, and you lose more energy in heat than you produce.

I asked a simple question "What is the wattage of that panel and what will it run?"
but yet I get no answer other than "It will diffently run a fan he tested on a fan
before setting it up boy it really had that fan a humming.." What???

That little panel could produce no more than $.15 of electricity per day.

Added: I think it's sweet that you appreciate the tinkering your hubby did.

 

[CritterHill]

Quote:
Ok, I'll give you another reason I've been watching this thread (aside from the cool factor). Our coop is so far from our house, I think DH will have an aneurysm if I ask him to run electric out there for heat in the winters.

I was hoping a little solar panel may be the solution. But we are so heavily wooded, I don't think it makes sense. So maybe just in the winter when there are no leaves on the trees (that's when I need the heat anyway, right)? But then Timmo had to burst that bubble.

Anyway, where I was going with this ramble, was that another reason I could see for small solar setups is that you don't have to run an electric line out...

See here for pics of my coop if you want to see the shade we have to contend with:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=53446

 

[Buster]

Quote:
This is one of the reasons that I haven't checked farther into alternative energies. They are generally so expensive for the amount of energy that they produce that it is hard for the general public to afford it. I have a hard time band wagon jumping on that type of thing. It's neat that you are in a position to do that type of thing. I am not against alternative energies, just waiting for the price to come down and the efficiency to go up.

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
Ok, I'll give you another reason I've been watching this thread (aside from the cool factor). Our coop is so far from our house, I think DH will have an aneurysm if I ask him to run electric out there for heat in the winters.

I was hoping a little solar panel may be the solution. But we are so heavily wooded, I don't think it makes sense. So maybe just in the winter when there are no leaves on the trees (that's when I need the heat anyway, right)? But then Timmo had to burst that bubble.

Anyway, where I was going with this ramble, was that another reason I could see for small solar setups is that you don't have to run an electric line out...

See here for pics of my coop if you want to see the shade we have to contend with:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=53446

There is definately a "Cool" factor in this stuff. It's the reason I study and research
it like I do.

Your need of adding a tiny bit of power to your coop because it's too far to run
an extention cord is a perfect use of this technology.


My coop/barn would need a 2000 watt array of solar panels to power it.


Passive solar heating provides the greatest benefit to any coop but that's
for another thread.

 

[karanleaf]

Quote:
As well, what did it cost? Can you add more panels to it later on for more juice?

DH says :Answer
The panel is 5 watts but you can put what ever size panel you want . a 5watt panel will charge a 12 volt battery in couple of days. Depending on available sunlight and battery condition. As far as what you can run on it, and for how long, depends on how much draw the light bulb or fan has and the amp hour rating of the battery.




Our plans were no more than to run light and small fan to circulate air. It would not run heat, that would be a bigger application.

Then we read then next 3 posts after:
My answer:
I'm Sorry as far as PurpleChicken is concerned: Alternative energies are so "in style" now that anyone who posts something
about it immediately gets the "cool" from the masses.

That maybe true for some but not those who have used it for practial purposes all along.

PurpleChicken : I asked a simple question "What is the wattage of that panel and what will it run?"
but yet I get no answer other than "It will diffently run a fan he tested on a fan
before setting it up boy it really had that fan a humming.." What???

My Answer: I believe I did say the it would be later on this evening before we were returning home. If you were expecting an answer just as soon as you finished your post then maybe you should have given me a phone number........ I did say I was not the tech in this household or in other words I could not speak for him or explain the workings of it.......
Yes I am sorry that you sounded like a jerk.......

Now DH doesn't even want to go any futher here to explain actually he doesn't even want me to answer this post as he figured someone would come in and throw answers at it then break down and tear it apart. ...... Pretty much the way you did...

Thank you very much....

NO MATTER WHAT YOU MIGHT THINK MR NEGATIVE PURPLECHICKEN
I am still very proud of My Dear Husband and his hard work. And I will continue to brag and show his acomplishments.

I hope some day you may see it is much brighter when you don't look at the world through the fog of negativity. un

PS Timmo DH says you are right on track with your line of thought, thanks for looking forward instead of tearing things apart. You are the kind of people that look for the answers and try to apply them to good use

 

[Solsken Farm]

Every little bit helps Karenleaf!your hubby is awesome! My Dh rolls his eyes whenever I ask for any help on my coops, stalls, fencing. So yours is wonderful!

Don't be upset by PC, he can be so unPC sometimes.

(He is just pointing out the oilman's view of alternative energy.

Quote:
No wonder you need so much wattage.

Purple Chicken's Chicken