# cost for solar for trailer



## gwithrow (Feb 5, 2005)

we have just purchased a used trailer that will be used as a guest house here on the farm, we have an easy water hook up, via a gravity system, but electric will be very costly to run out there...soooo I am wondering if some one can give me a ballpark idea of the cost to do a solar system to power lights, a fan maybe even a small AC unit...this would be used occasionally, so I also question if that is a problem? this is a small trailer, 28 x12.....we don't like the noise of a generator so that is out....unless there was a really quiet model, that might work, but I love the idea of putting solar panels on the roof and going that route...for cold weather use, we might also have to think of some 'take the chill off' solution...thanks in advance for any ideas!


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

gwithrow said:


> we have just purchased a used trailer that will be used as a guest house here on the farm, we have an easy water hook up, via a gravity system, but electric will be very costly to run out there...soooo I am wondering if some one can give me a ballpark idea of the cost to do a solar system to power lights, a fan maybe even a small AC unit...this would be used occasionally, so I also question if that is a problem? this is a small trailer, 28 x12.....we don't like the noise of a generator so that is out....unless there was a really quiet model, that might work, but I love the idea of putting solar panels on the roof and going that route...for cold weather use, we might also have to think of some 'take the chill off' solution...thanks in advance for any ideas!


Really need a better idea as to how watt-hours you need in a day to give you an idea for cost. You can expect around $12 to $20 per watt for an off-grid system. The smaller the higher. One thing you might be able to do is oversize the battery bank and undersize the array a little since this is only a part time system. You will lose the ablity to use the trailer for more than 1 or 2 days doing that as it will need idle days to charge back up or a gennerator to fill the cap.

Also you will most likely have to forget about the AC or use it only when you have a generator running. Even small window units use more power than you can cheaply produce. If you need the AC the cheapest route would be a generator. You can have a battery bank for the lights so you don't have to listen to it all night long. Just when charging the batteries or running the AC.


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## gwithrow (Feb 5, 2005)

hadn't thought about the gen for the AC...but if the AC is wanted then you aren't listening to outside noises anyway....mainly we need to power lights and a fan...we can use propane for cooking, if wanted and any heat necessary...and perhaps even a small on demand hot water heater for using the shower.....any ideas on cost? say to do up to 10 lights for reading, games etc...and the fan....this could be used for a week or so at a time, but most use would be a weekend at a time...we want to be able to weigh out the cost for solar vs...running an electric underground line at least 500-1000 feet....also suggestions for a decent generator? we have an on demand one for the 'big' house....for the other I would want very reliable, and as quiet as possible...size suggestions? thanks...


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

Considering cost ONLY, you're probably going to find running that underground line a lot cheaper.

Using even a low end figure and keeping everything DC, you're probably looking at couple thousand, minimum.....then you have battery maintenance to contend with, and eventual replacement....

Cost wise, the buried AC is probably the route to go. 

COOLwise, and to be more self sufficient, go solar


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

You would be farther ahead to use propane for hot water and any heating you may need.

To give an idea, I need:

lights - number (10), wattage of each bulb, longest you expect each to be on in a day
Fan - wattage or amps-voltage, maximum you would expect to run in a day
...same for any other electrical loads.

Then I need you to look here and tell me the nearest location to you. That is so I can get an idea how much insolation (sun hours) is available to you.

I would also like to know about your planned useage.

1. Seasonal usage or year-round? if seasonal, which seasons?
2. How many days in a row do you plan on using it? or daily?

Without knowing that would be like me telling you what size pants to buy without knowing your measurements. Some people can get by with a minimal system like we have on our camp trailer. It consists of 1 -51 watt panel and 260 amphours of batteries and cost under $1k. Others seem to need larger systems that can easily run $10K to $20K for their trailers. All depends on how much power you want to use and if you are willing to use a generator to backup the system if you fall short.

WWW


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Good news and some not so good news

. 1. Yes its quite do able even for the AC

. 2. You best be sitting down when you hear the price tag for a system that can handle AC.

You might well then think that running the grid hard wire was then cheap.

Forget the AC and then we'll have a different ballgame.

Why 10 lights ?? . . .Not all on at once I hope......
Heat . .propane ? . .carefull many furnace fans are nasty energy hogs..


as you can see . .theres many many factors to answer before a good and reasonable answer can be given................


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## gwithrow (Feb 5, 2005)

thanks to you all who offered input, you are right, and I can see that I really don't know yet what the need will be for power....pretty sure about the fan, and some lights...and now I think perhaps we would be better off to do propane for hot water and heat...so that would leave the lights and microwave and maybe AC.......however it is really intended as an overflow, camping cabin...nothing permanent...so AC or lack thereof might keep it that way!!...I was thinking maybe a small solar unit would be cool to do instead of a noisy generator....for now, we will see once we get the unit here.....a whole nuther problem......but once it is on site we can evaluate what we really need...you all are so willing to share and offer suggestions, I really appreciate it...


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## gwithrow (Feb 5, 2005)

ok, unit is in place...tied down and ready to clean and use....we would like to enable the power for lights, a radio and a fan...there are two ceiling fans in there, but even a small oscillating one would be great....maybe the microwave...hot water and heat can be handled by putting in propane ....however the unit is all electric....and it would be easy to just plug in it...the power co doesn't really want to put in two poles and run the line...they maybe would .......but then we are dealing with inspectors and all that means...if necessary we will do that, but I don't want them to really be involved telling me how to do septic and then the water hook ups....seems to me that if there is no water out there as far as they are concerned they don't need to worry about septic...so that could happen AFTER the power is inspected.....the power engineer said he thought we should just run the line down off our house box, maybe 300 feet....underground across the pasture....to a box, wire it up and leave the inspectors out of it.....soooooo....

here is my question: Where can we order the no. 2 Aluminum wire at a cost that won't kill us...and can we do this so that we will be safe using the electric? or should we go back to some alternative power source...??? I do appreciate all who have offered their thoughts here, cost is a factor, we would really like to use at least lights, micro wave and a fan and radio..... I guess the bottom line, is well....the bottom line...cost to be able to fully use this unit, hot water, and lights and maybe a small heater....no AC....if it is bitter cold out, guests will stay in the 'big' house, this will be for three season use....thank you thank you......


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Might be a good time to call in your electrician friend.

Spend the buck and do it right...


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## PD-Riverman (May 24, 2007)

gwithrow said:


> we have just purchased a used trailer that will be used as a guest house here on the farm, we have an easy water hook up, via a gravity system, but electric will be very costly to run out there...soooo I am wondering if some one can give me a ballpark idea of the cost to do a solar system to power lights, a fan maybe even a small AC unit...this would be used occasionally, so I also question if that is a problem? this is a small trailer, 28 x12.....we don't like the noise of a generator so that is out....unless there was a really quiet model, that might work, but I love the idea of putting solar panels on the roof and going that route...for cold weather use, we might also have to think of some 'take the chill off' solution...thanks in advance for any ideas!


If you are going to use this building just once in a while you can do like I done for a long time, But I used my building/camper every night for 2 years before I got some solar panels. I got a small trailer and put some golf cart batteries on it hooked them up and charged them at the on-grid shop, took my golf cart and pulled them 1/2 mile to the camper had a inverter big enough---plugged in the camper wire. Then I could run the lights, microwave etc, plus a small window AC in the bedroom only at night and could do this for 3 nights (had 6 batteries)before I had to pull it back and recharge. Worked great for me, then I found some solar panels at a deal, just hooked them to the batteries on the trailer. Good Luck

PS You can also do this with a battery operated golfcart if you will set it up so you can plug in your inverter(safely) to the batteries. This way you just drive the golfcart to your trailer---plug up your inverter to it


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