Solar Powered Coop

[kloverdarling]

Will definitely find a better light for this, so far so good on not dipping below needed on power and today is actually sunny so I will get some good hours on the panel which have been lacking. I started with what I had around and figured I would figure out the bugs along the way.

 

[stevethack]

A 25 watt light burning for 2 hours = 50 watt-hours...a 20 watt solar panel will be lucky (that's day in..day out..cloudy/clear) to push 10 watts average for 6 hours=60 watt-hours per day. The inverter uses 3.6watts in standby (and switching them off/on a lot is what normally cooks them ...as well as surges) for 24 hours= 86.4 watt-hours. Ignoring the automatic door cuz it's small...the inverter burns far more just idling. Looks like you have about 1/2 or slightly less capability in that 20 watt solar panel....even IF it was on a 35 degree slant to the south to make it work far better...actually just even close to it's rating. Roof top flat would be even better output overall if it had all day sunlight exposure, but the 35 degree tilt to the south if exposed over 3/4 of the day is best.

I would switch to 12volt LED lamp(s)..about 3 LED "watts" would be about right (it's times approx 8 for watts to watts conversion LED to incandescent..times 2 to 3 for LED to florescent). Research (and my #2 pencil/big chief) shows 1-red 1 watt LED lamp (less fighting when cooped up days in a row) and 2-white 1 watt LED lamps (more eggs) with associated 12volt DC to LED "driver"--(1 driver for all lamps...all from ebay) would do that at only 6 watt-hours usage @ a cost of approx $5 max if you assemble it yourself with parts from China/Ebay..You could order enough LED's and drivers to make 5 "lamps: for less then $20....maybe another 12vdc timer controller (probably ebay or your local camper dealers) for automatic operation. But these won't produce heat like an incandescent. Both good and bad?
It's "possible" if using a really lightweight door (not sure now safe from local critters it might be though) to use a 12vdc automotive trunk/door electric lock operator (Caddy trunks have a "kind-of" long throw operator) to operate the door with a simple daylight/dark 12vdc control (there are those about.. ) There's probably even 12VDC automatic coop doors out there??
So you could chunk the inverter unless you are just set on using one and have more then enough average day to cloudy day input to run the coop all on 12 volts DC with the existing panel..
Watts is watts... but watt-hours are how ya figure solar power used with time thrown in the equation. It's not enough power being used to try and figure it out in kilo-watt hours like your normal electric meter measures. It would look like .060KW or less.
Steve.

 

[CalgaryFarmer]

Thanks Steve and welcome. I knew someone could set this out better than I could.

 

[stevethack]

Well... when I saw the post it peaked my interest. I have three 8 year old 15 watt each Harbor Freight solar panels (working still nicely but only about 80% original output) sitting out there just hooked to 2 old Trojan 105's that are toast . This got me to thinking.. lol

 

[CalgaryFarmer]

Sorry Steve, but I am going to bend your ear now that you have "volunteered" yourself as an expert, or at least more solar-knowledgeable than your average backyard chicken enthusiast!

The real energy user for a coop is the water heater in the winter. I know it will depend on the amount of water, surface area exposure, how cold and insulation of the container, etc, but ... what do you think would be a reasonable minimum solar set-up to keep the water from freezing in the winter in Colorado or central Alberta?

 

[kloverdarling]

I am definitely changing the lighting asap. And as for the coop door I am looking at the paperwork that came with it and I can switch the power directly over to DC with the controller that came with. They say I would only need a 5w panel and smaller battery to run the door by itself. So I do believe with the lighting change as well I will be set with what I have and could ditch the inverter. Thanks for all the advice guys! It's a huge help!

 

[stevethack]

One of the 12 volt 15-20 watt heater patches (or a dog bowl?). Not a light bulb! since they "waste" part of the energy in light you don't need for this application. Talking about a light in a cookie tin type heater here.. About a minimum of 80 watts of panel per heater (day in..day out...cloudy...clear)...and a cheap car battery. Car battery is cuz they are just flat cheaper.. and are used with just a partial discharge and recharge daily...just like what you would do with your vehicle battery. Now I know every last one has heard of not using vehicle batteries for solar....BUT!!!...this is a 5-6 month max usage a year...part time discharge and recharge just like vehicle usage....deep charge batteries die in that usage fairly quick (no deep discharge at any regular times).... for their initial cost it's a lose-lose.
I would look at those Thermo Plug devices set to come on auto at 35-40 degrees...it's a simple thermostat snap action disk/or flat bi-metalic strip like used in heat tapes...should work in low amp draw 12 volt DC uses too? At least 1/4 of what they are rated for AC amps or so max. Bi-metalic switches don't differentiate much between AC or DC amps.. but somewhat reduced ratings on DC (it's the "break" switching action problem...not the "make" action necessarily)
Insulate around the watering device..probably metal only in case of mis-hap.
Out in full sunlight with a fair amount of sunshine you can do what a lot of folks do...put a small tire in a low tub of water. The sunlight melts the water every day close to the black tire in surprizingly low temps. Put a small clear plastic tent over it with just the smallest hole your fowl can get thru...they will of course crowd into it and just sit too.. lol
There's a lot of stuff a feller...or young lady... can do to keep the water mostly liquid in zero degree temps for the local fowl population.
Steve.

 

[kloverdarling]

Ditched the inverter for this project, and wired the coop door to the battery directly. At this point I've back them off the extra light and am not using it now. I will however do something dc for winter lighting near the nesting boxes.