# Question about small Solar Panels, etc....



## Beltane (Nov 27, 2005)

We just finished our chicken coop and we would like to install a solar panel on the roof in order to power a small light bulb and perhaps a fan. The light bulb would probably be on most of the time in the winter since it can get pretty chilly here.

What type/wattage solar panel do we need to obtain? Will a 5W panel do the trick? I know that it would need to charge a 12V deep cell marine battery, and then from that point we would use DC to power the light. We were told that something like this would not need an inverter to AC since so much power is lost in the conversion.

Many Thanks ~

Laurie


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

someone drilled holes in his roof and inserted those cheapy solar lawn lights.Light is in the coop,solar panel on its top is outside.

They also make various sized solar powered fans.

Then you dont even need a battery.

And it should be true deep cell battery,2- 6 volters if you are going the 12 volt route,about 50-60 each.(Edit-Costco price a couple years ago)

Seriously doubt 5 watts will do much charging a battery.

BooBoo


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

You can pretty much forget about producing heat from a solar powered light. It ain't going to happen. You would need a pretty good solar array to charge bank of 6 6v golf cart batteries. That would give you around 600 wat hour a day. That means you could run a single 100 watt bulb 6 hours if you are lucky.
6 golf cart batteries.....$1200+-
solar panels....... couple $1000?
100 watt bulb....?  

Get chickens that can take the cold. We have buff orps. and dark cornish. Buff roosters get frost bite on their combs now and then. The cornish don't (pea combs). both lay eggs (not the roosters  ) right through the winter.


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Not shure where you got that $1200 for colf cart bats......But without trying very hard you can find a price of a tad under $100 bucks per.
And for a $1000 bucks you can get a pair of 85 watter's--(PV)

No the five watt is far short of what you would need.

And think about how many cloudy days in a row you get in your neck of the woods in the winter.


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## Beltane (Nov 27, 2005)

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone...I guess I have some more research and thinking to do....


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

Yep. sorry bad math. I got my batteries for $110 per. I thought of that the next day at work.
You could use passive solar and a heat mass (like 50 gal drums full of water). We have chickens (Dark Cornish and Buff Orpingtons) and they do well here where it gets down to zero in the winter. The buffs have gotten frostbite on their combs a time or two, but the cornish haven't(pea combs). But, both lay eggs all winter.


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## Countrybumpkin (May 12, 2002)

We also bought on of those 3 solar light kits, mounted a light in each coop, and one in the walkway, and mounted the panel on the roof...did it last year, and we still get about 9 hrs light each light! not bad for $30!


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## Tango (Aug 19, 2002)

Beltane if your coop is draft proof and you provide hay and feed your chickens before bed, they should be fine. Solar doesn't heat efficiently. As for lighting without heating, I have the new LED solar lights. They give a white light rather than the amber light of landscaping lights. These things are excellent. They're more costly at $20 per but with two you should have plenty of bright light in your chicken coop to see with. They don't require anything else, fully self-contained and you can replace the batteries with any rechargeable battery when the ones that come with, expire.


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

Tango said:


> Beltane if your coop is draft proof and you provide hay and feed your chickens before bed, they should be fine. Solar doesn't heat efficiently. As for lighting without heating, I have the new LED solar lights. They give a white light rather than the amber light of landscaping lights. These things are excellent. They're more costly at $20 per but with two you should have plenty of bright light in your chicken coop to see with. They don't require anything else, fully self-contained and you can replace the batteries with any rechargeable battery when the ones that come with, expire.


Link please to your lights?

BooBoo


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## Tango (Aug 19, 2002)

mightybooboo said:


> Link please to your lights?
> 
> BooBoo


BooBoo I can't find them online and I've searched several possible google generated links. I bought them at Lowe's locally but neither Lowes nor Home Depot have them online. They are LED deck lights that resemble the post lights but without the post. I'm on my way to town and will stop at Lowe's to see if they have a website. Have been meaning to buy a couple more to put one on every column on my front porch. I have four now and am delighted with them. Sure hope they haven't discontinued them for being too good  Doesn't it always seem like when a product is great it is discontinued and replaced with some crappy thing?


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## SolarGary (Sep 8, 2005)

Hi,

If all you want is heat, then you want solar heating collectors, not solar electric collectors. 

10 sqft of solar electric (PV) collector will produce about 1700 BTU per day of heat, and would cost about $500 for the PV panels.

10 sqft of solar air collector will produce about 7500 BTU per day, and (if you build it) would cost about $30.

So, for producing heat, the solar thermal collectors are about (7500/1700)($500/$30) = 75 times more cost effective than PV!

A small version of this one might work well:
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/SpaceHeating/solar_barn_project.htm
No moving parts, and no electricity or controls needed.

It would help to add some thermal mass to keep the coop from cooling off fast at night. For this collector, adding water filled tubes (say 4 inch PVC) or water containers (say hanging 5 gal buckets) at ceiling level just above the outlet vents will heat the water to about 100+F during the day. The containers radiate at night to keep things warmer. 
Insulation and providing only as much ventilation as the chickens need would also help a lot. 

Another thought would be to add a south facing window for solar gain, and give your chickens a view as well!

Gary


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## 12vman (Feb 17, 2004)

Maybe these could be used to light up something..

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92402


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## Tango (Aug 19, 2002)

My initial suspicions are correct. The Lowes stockman said they "remerchandised" a couple of months ago :flame: They have a similar one also made by Malibu but is $9 more and a little fancier, which wouldn't go well on a log house... I'll check out the other Lowes when I can and see if I can pick up a couple more if they still have some. Sorry boo!


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

Go Figure! :Bawling: 

Thanks Marcia.

BooBoo


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