running extension cords to coops

[dianer29]

Uzuri Would you be able to send me link on the solar shed light LCD that you purchased a few months back,if you are satisfied with it and it does the trick ? My husband and are having a heck of a time with that as well as finding a solar attic fan that will run 24 7/prob does not exist. We are in tropics/heavy heavy loads of rain and need proper ventilation .Electric rates sky high and not feasible. We do not have much time as Silkies will be 5 weeks old next week and I just had to buy a bigger brooder/cardboard boxes to place them in. We need to coop them real soon.

 

[AkTomboy]

Okay I admit I didnt read all the pages but you can run your cords inside of a rubber hose. It will protect it from the weather and keep things much safter. Also I would get a huge rated long cord instead of hooking two together. I had to do it a few years ago when we needed an emergency stall for a bad owner who had their mare foal in FEB!!! Our coldest month that also has the most wind!!! Just my two pennies.

 

[ldemmert]

Watch out for chewing animals like rabbits if you use an unprotected extension cord. I used one successfully most of the winter but came out one morning to yellow confetti and no power. Something had chewed the yellow insulation right down to the copper wire. There went a beautiful agricultural 100' heavy duty extension cord. We could salvage about 25'. Didn't see a smoking bunny anywhere around although nothing would have made me happier.

 

[Hoosiermomma]

Quote:
I believe most septic lines are atleast 12" deep, electric lines should be a minimum of 18" down but you should be able to get away with aslittle as 6" deep for the electric if you put the wire in a conduit. you would only need the conduit where the septic lines are the you could go down to a good depth. There is always a way. to be honest I use a few ext cords inside my house, but I know the risks and have every intention of running lines properly. eventualy

I would love to try it but with my luck I'm sure I would hit something while digging.

Is there a such thing as solar heat lamps?

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Not unless you want to spend MANY thousands of dollars on the system -- a heatlamp is a considerable current draw, thus you would need some good-sized panels and a significant array of batteries to store enough juice to power a heatlamp even just overnight.

Have you priced out running an overhead power line, which would solve all your problems? Or if there is a fenceline or suchlike running out to near where the coops are maybe run aboveground conduit-protected wire that way (you did not hear that from me - but it would be much safer than the extension cord octopus you are contemplating)

GOod luck, have fun, be safe,

Pat

 

[gsim]

I would buy a roll of housewire as long as needed. Get 12-2 with ground (designated 12-2 AWG) and have your husband connect a male plug at one end and a box with 4 outlets at the other end. simply put the box end in a garbage bag for now to keep dry. You will have a capacity of 20 amps. You can power up to 2400 watts. Does not have to be outdoors use wire. Can be ordinary indoors housewire and lie out there for a decade and be ok.

I ran water and power and even a telephone line to my coop area before starting the coop. Was running line for garden anyway, so just did it all to be done with it. I have a weather proof dual outlet in run and two outlets in henhouse itself. Also installed two dual 40-W flourescent shop lights while I was at it. Needed power anyway down there to power the fence charger around the 185' run.

 

[wildorchid053]

where ours connect dh wraps them with black electrical tape to keep the water out when it rains and snows