How advantageous is having electricity to your coop?

[Folly's place]

I wouldn't want to have a coop without electricity, because of the winter frozen water problem. We had an electrician out to make sure everything is up to code and safe. Way cheaper than a fire!!!
We have a buried line to the coop, and in the coop, outdoor rated outlets and switches, for a couple of overhead lights and heated waterer bases. And a spot for chicks to brood. It's so worth it!
We also have an all-weather hydrant out there for water. No more carrying water to the coop in winter!
This all evolved over several years, as the flock grew, and we got 'more mature'.
Mary

 

[aart]

I wouldn't want to have a coop without electricity, because of the winter frozen water problem.

Me neither!!
Not to mention timed lights and brooder heat.

 

[lazy gardener]

I don't think I'd be keeping chickens without electric in the coop. My electric is a mickey mouse affair: GFCI weatherproof at the house, heavy duty extension cord x 75' to coop, surge protector strip in coop to power: heated water bowl, single 7W CFL, and during chick season, a couple heating pads. I want to run conduit underground this summer, but need to get the better half on board with it.

 

[jthornton]

PVC conduit is cheap and you use THHN wire in conduit. Depending on your amp draw and distance you can calculate the wire size using a voltage drop calculator.

JT

 

[lazy gardener]

Hubby had done A LOT of electrical work in our house, and installed the GFCI on the outside corner of the house, but, he's convinced that we need to hire an electrician to run the conduit. I may simply go ahead and hire an electrician to get the job done! I can do the trenching, and run the wire through the conduit, if I get a little guidance in the matter. Have a guy at my church who might lend his brain and advice to get me started.

 

[jthornton]

Hubby had done A LOT of electrical work in our house, and installed the GFCI on the outside corner of the house, but, he's convinced that we need to hire an electrician to run the conduit. I may simply go ahead and hire an electrician to get the job done! I can do the trenching, and run the wire through the conduit, if I get a little guidance in the matter. Have a guy at my church who might lend his brain and advice to get me started.

If you can dig a trench and toss the pvc conduit in it your good to go. Tell me the watts of everything or amps and the distance and I'll tell you the wire size. THHN is a single conductor so you need to pull 3 for a hot, neutral and ground. Piece of pie... depending on the length of the run sometimes it's easier to lay the wire out and slide each piece of conduit over the wire and cement the joints.

JT

 

[lazy gardener]

I think it's about 75'. I'll be back with you, asking questions when warm weather gets here. We've got about 6' of frost, and 3' of snow on the ground right now! Big concern is about liability.

Heated dog bowl: 60W, Heating pads SunbeamXPress XL x 2 - 3. They are rated at 180W each. I would not be using the dog bowl if using heating pads! Light, 7W CFL. And, some day, I might want to replace my 12V fence charger with one that uses household current. But, if putting a charger on household current would pose a safety issue, or make it more expensive to run power to the coop, I will stick with my current deep cycle battery set up.

 

[nminusyplusm]

If you can dig a trench and toss the pvc conduit in it your good to go. Tell me the watts of everything or amps and the distance and I'll tell you the wire size. THHN is a single conductor so you need to pull 3 for a hot, neutral and ground. Piece of pie... depending on the length of the run sometimes it's easier to lay the wire out and slide each piece of conduit over the wire and cement the joints.

JT

Apologies in advance for a bit of threadjacking to the OP!

JT, I'm doing the same thing and would very much appreciate your advice, if you don't mind? I have a roll of 12-2 UF-B and would like to run it in 3/4" RMC (6" to 12" down?). I'm not going far, about 20' to the coop. Does that sound ok? And I need to put in a new circuit at the main panel, a GFCI circuit? Or would you recommend an AFCI to help prevent a coop fire? Thanks!

 

[jthornton]

I think it's about 75'. I'll be back with you, asking questions when warm weather gets here. We've got about 6' of frost, and 3' of snow on the ground right now! Big concern is about liability.

Heated dog bowl: 60W, Heating pads SunbeamXPress XL x 2 - 3. They are rated at 180W each. I would not be using the dog bowl if using heating pads! Light, 7W CFL. And, some day, I might want to replace my 12V fence charger with one that uses household current. But, if putting a charger on household current would pose a safety issue, or make it more expensive to run power to the coop, I will stick with my current deep cycle battery set up.

That's hardly any load or distance to run. I'd just use some direct bury 12-2 with a ground and put it on a AFCI breaker. Unless your ground is like mine with lots of tiny sharp rocks then I would run THHN inside of 1/2" PVC conduit.

JT

 

[jthornton]

Apologies in advance for a bit of threadjacking to the OP!

JT, I'm doing the same thing and would very much appreciate your advice, if you don't mind? I have a roll of 12-2 UF-B and would like to run it in 3/4" RMC (6" to 12" down?). I'm not going far, about 20' to the coop. Does that sound ok? And I need to put in a new circuit at the main panel, a GFCI circuit? Or would you recommend an AFCI to help prevent a coop fire? Thanks!

You should not run direct bury wire in conduit, you should use THHN. And yea a AFCI is the way to go it's the only one that will prevent a short circuit fire from starting.

JT