solar panel lighting???

[sniper338]

So we put a two 48 inch bulb full spectrum/grow/plant light in our shed for the quail at 14 hours a day... BAM!!!!! Eggs galor!!!! = electric bill jumped $160 that month... cant afford that on birds...

so we have been wondering about hooking up a solar panel and 110 volt power inverter to run the lights... or just one bulb as that worked fine too... any ideas on how this works? Price? I aint got winders in the shed so no sunlight goes in it...

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

So we put a two 48 inch bulb full spectrum/grow/plant light in our shed for the quail at 14 hours a day... BAM!!!!! Eggs galor!!!! = electric bill jumped $160 that month... cant afford that on birds...

so we have been wondering about hooking up a solar panel and 110 volt power inverter to run the lights... or just one bulb as that worked fine too... any ideas on how this works? Price? I aint got winders in the shed so no sunlight goes in it...

Well, you definitely need to figure out something that will work as they do need lighting - not just for laying purposes, but because living their lives in darkness 24/7 is a no-go. Is the shed such that you can cut and put in widows? Having natural light will benefit the birds and will help alleviate the financial cost for supplemental lighting (ie you could use your electric lighting for a couple of hours on either side of the natural daylight cycle rather than 14 hours straight).

 

[sniper338]

That would be ideal... but gf wont let me put a window in the shed at this time yet...

basically i need to run a 110 volt 40 watt bulb for 14-15 hours a day.... and need to figure out what that would take to do...

 

[sniper338]

A window would be a s***load cheaper... lol i know... but gotta make her happy..

 

[acacia987]

how much does your utility company charge per kWh ??

something seems off.
40 watts x 14 hours a day x 30 days = 16800 watts hour

16800/1000 = 16.8 Kwh

my rate is .13 cents per kWh. About 2 bucks a month to run that 40 watt bulb for 14 hours a day for 30 days.

 

[jeff spahn]

Before you go to all that expense think about a skylight. A Solatube or similar skylight would be much easier and cheaper than a solar panel, inverter, wiring, permit, installation.

 

[sniper338]

Yeah the electric was up over $150 when we had the lights going full time...