How advantageous is having electricity to your coop?

[Molpet]

I'm not an electrician but no matter what source anyone goes with i cannot stress using conduit enough! Not a flimsy plastic either, something sturdy and chew proof. Conduit from beginning to end, no plastic outlet boxes metal with covers are going to be your best friends. Does not hurt to install a ground rod either. Mice will love your electric system and so will inscects so do it the very best you can. Even if it is just extension cords, still stick those suckers in a pipe!

ground feedback loop from different grounds can happen.. shows up in electronics , like computers , stereos , fluorescent lights, some incubators

 

[jthornton]

Three+ 100' extension cords would also be pretty pricey! I also feel better about the 12V wiring vs. 120V for fire safety.

At $20 a pop for a 100' cord I'd think 3 of them is less than a good deep cycle battery. Have you ever seen the video of the guy welding with a 12v battery? There is enough power in a 12v battery to cut steel with not to mention starting a fire!

If your only using it for a few days a year when the temps drop below freezing you can't beat a cord just pick it up when the temps go up. If your really worried put it in rigid conduit buried in concrete... and I'm not saying permanent power to a coop should be a cord just for those days when you need to keep the water from freezing.

JT

 

[jthornton]

I might add that an 850 CCA battery can put out 10,200 watts of power at once and a 2 amp 120 volt is only 240 watts. Pretty big difference when you compare the power between the two. And if you plug the cord into a AFCI outlet ($30) if you have an arc the outlet trips.

JT