Need Advice for Solar System Setup/Requirements


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Old 10-11-19, 10:00 AM
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Need Advice for Solar System Setup/Requirements

Hi all,

I'm not sure if this is the correct area to post this in, but I didn't see a dedicated "solar" area on the forum. Mods, please move this if deemed necessary.

Here's my question(s). What sort of solar setup do I need if I want to power a 125W bulb for at least 6 hours a day and a 80-250W water trough heater 24 hours a day (at least through winter)?

My scenario is that I have a chicken coop that is a fair distance away from the house and any other significant electrical hookup. I would like to make sure that the birds have warmth in the coop and that their water supply isn't freezing. Ideally, I would like to mount a solar panel (or more than one, if necessary) on the roof of the coop, which would charge a batter backup and power a block of outlets where I would plug in the lamp and the heat coil.

I'm a complete novice when it comes to solar, so I really don't know where to start. Any advice is very appreciated.

Thanks!
 
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Old 10-12-19, 03:37 AM
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would probably reconsider running electric out to the coop or atleast get an estimated cost to run electric out to the coop cause it could likely be less expensive to go this route.
 
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Old 10-12-19, 05:21 AM
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I agree that running electricity out to the coop will likely be less expensive. A system to do what you want will be rather large and require a battery bank to power everything during the night and on cloudy days.

If you really want to go solar I would first do the math to see how many watt hours you will consume each day. This will help decide how large a solar array you will need. Then you'll need to decide how long you want to power your devices during bad weather. And finally you might need a "plan B" to power the coop when solar is not able to provide all the electricity needed.
 
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