Setting Up Barn to be Off-grid

[centrarchid]

I have a barn just over 100 yards from house with multiple poultry housing components. Everything except incubator and brooder are present. Latter will likely be constructed as a stand alone shed in coming years. I want to setup so power comes all from solar during day and stored on batteries for operating lights, a small fan and an air pump when direct solar not sufficient. Will also be setting up a large water storage tank that doubles for use in very small scale aquaculture. Will be asking for advice.

 

[Trish1974]

Definitely following, as I am interested in doing the same.

 

[centrarchid]

This is what I am following now. I know almost nothing about solar setups.

Ultimately I need most power during part of year that I can get the least solar radiation.

 

[aart]

There are(or were) a couple folks here who are pretty well versed in solar.
Hopefully they will chime in.
All's I know is you need lots of collecting and storage capacity.

 

[jthornton]

Howdy Neighbor!

I know you asked about solar but I thought I'd mention that 100 yards is nothing to run an underground cable for electricity to the barn.

As for the solar part use LED lights and anything that uses a lot of power like heaters and pumps will require a huge solar array and battery bank to provide enough power. Not that it can't be done but just beware of the cost. My buddies dad has a huge solar array and it's connected to the grid so on sunny months he gets a credit from the power coop.

JT

 

[centrarchid]

Pump will be a small aquarium pump. I might even go DC on it. Just need enough aeration to turn over a few tanks as they heat each day. This to be a learning experiment rather than an outright cost saver. I have about 300 ft^2 for solar array on south side of barn roof. Half that again if I use upper level. Odds are I will not be able to afford collector needed to cover that area. I also want to use ventilation fans during heat of summer.