# Chicken Coop Solar Panel



## thenick2021 (Nov 29, 2016)

I am looking to find a website where I can research solar panels capable of powering an electric fence around my chicken coop and the water heater inside the coop. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks


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## Bellyman (Jul 6, 2013)

Solar fence chargers have been sold for many years now. Nothing new there. But I don't know anything about water heaters for a chicken coop. (?)


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

You're not going to find anything reasonably priced that will run an electrical heater of any sort.
They simply require too much power to be cost effective.

The fence won't be a problem.

http://www.builditsolar.com/


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## Murby (May 24, 2016)

This is easy.. 
*100 watt solar panel (150 to 200 would be better depending on how cold it gets where you're at and how well your water and coop are insulated)

*Charge Controller rated for the above panels.
*12v Deep Cycle Battery - any deep cycle marine battery would work but a golf cart battery would be better. A car battery would also work but wouldn't have a long life expectancy under this type of application. The constant charge / discharge cycles would probably shorten its life to just a year or two.. a deep cycle would last much longer.

*Thermostat to shut off water heater when water is warm enough.
*240 Volt / 4500 watt electric water heater element from any standard household electric water heater.

You wire up the solar panels to keep the battery charged. You connect the 240 volt electric water heater element to the 12 volt battery through the thermostat. A 240 volt /4500w water heater element running at 12 volts DC from a battery will produce about 14 watts of power... that's enough where it will get very warm to the touch... almost hot, but not quite.. Just hot enough to keep a few gallons of water from freezing on a really cold night. 

Or you could do what I did.. I installed chicken nipples under a 4 gallon pickle bucket and then used a 30 watt light bulb below the bucket (in a cage), to keep the chicken nipples from freezing. The excess heat also keeps the bucket from freezing. 

You simply need enough solar energy to charge the battery so it can power the heating device. The fence charger is a no brainer as they don't hardly pull any power at all.. very very little.

Now if you were trying to do all this an only spend $50 bucks, that's not going to happen. If you searched craigslist or ebay, you could probably get away for around $200... but it would be permanent and work year after year.

Insulation is your friend. My chicken coop is insulated like a home with R14 or something and it stays nice an warm in there even when its 10 below zero outside. So with that in mind, my birds provide a lot of heat and the water heater doesn't require much because even when its bitter cold out, the coop is almost never below 30 degrees inside.


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

Solar fencers have been aroujnd for years. Find one to meet your needs. Heating with solar is expsenive, Depending on your area, you may be better to put in a bubbler. Keep the water moving so it never freezes.


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