Trigger Mike Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 I am trying to find a way to use solar to power a heat lamp for a chicken house that is too far for regular electricity. Is there such a thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kajun Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 If you are expecting the lamp to provide warmth for the chickens I don't think you are going to find it in solar...unless you have a pretty large solar array charging batteries and using some kind of DC heater. Even then the amount of heat would not be very much. How far away is the 'regular electricity?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trigger Mike Posted October 31, 2013 Author Share Posted October 31, 2013 about 75 yards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Solar cells have a very low wattage output. You'd need way too many to get enough power for a heat source.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yul Lose Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 You would probably be better off getting electric run to the chicken house. Solar generates no electricity at night and the output is minimized in cloudy or rainy weather during the day. I installed a solar system on my home and it does a very good job and my electric bill is now very low or nonexistent. This time of year though the output is diminished by shorter days and cloudier weather. I don't have batteries on my system but the excess power goes into the power grid and I receive a wholesale price for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack N. Water Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Move the chickens closer to the electric outlet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirty Dan Dawkins Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 about 75 yards Start digging. Cheaper and solar does have long term maintenance. You will find more uses for power I am sure. Trencher is about $125 to $225 a day ( with higher price for TORO Dingo) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kajun Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Trigger Mike....how many watts is the heat lamp rated for? If you are only talking about 75 yards (225 ft) a 500 watt light would run fine on a piece of #12 UF cable. UF cable is like Romex (NM) cable only it is suitable for burying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Dan Troop 70448 Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 We raised chickens in Illinois. BlueJeans had couple hundred. Except one time when we had a severe cold and high wind of minus -50 wind chill, we never used lamps nor lost any chickens. We had of course enclosed chicken coop, with hen boxes, and poles so chickens could sit off the floor. Floor was dirt, with wood shavings spread. Did caulk all windows and openings. Only time we used heat lamps, actually we used "infrared lamp bulbs" was on young chicks, or baby goats. The horse barn, cattle barn kept pretty warm just from their heat, and when mucking daily, be stripped to T-shirt within an hour. MT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Trigger Mike....how many watts is the heat lamp rated for? If you are only talking about 75 yards (225 ft) a 500 watt light would run fine on a piece of #12 UF cable. UF cable is like Romex (NM) cable only it is suitable for burying. Yup. That will work fine. and i the long run you'll be glad you did it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Put'm in the oven------Where they belong. LG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Brules Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 Don't know how many chickens you have, but you should consider low wattage "pig heaters", which are flat pieces of rubber with heat wiring inside. I'm pretty sure they draw less power than lamps and several of them would provide adequate heat inside of an enclosure, if the enclosure were insulated in some way. That, along with the birds'combined body heat should keep them alive. I'm not a fan of "direct bury" wire, but it's out there. However I'd run conduit and individual wire. If you have a 200' (or so) run, you might get away with #12 wire, but once you have power "down there," you will begin to put other demands on it. So, I suggest you ditch the run to a minimum of 2 feet and run 1" grey plastic conduit. (Note: I suggest you do this work yourself, otherwise "the help" likely will fail to glue the pipe joints.). Install a 1/8" or 1/4" pull rope in the pipe as you assemble the pipe. I suggest you run 4 strands of #8 wire (red/white/black/bare copper). Be smart! Install the wire inside the pipe run on top of the ground first and make sure there's no problems with that. THEN, push the pipe into the ditch and bury. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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