Alternative powered barn

[SolarBarn1]

I recently constructed a 4 stall horse barn.  There is no electricity nor water to it.  It greats great sunlight.  My thought is to use 12v LED lighting with 1 or 2 110v ac outlets to run clippers and a washing machine (no dryer).   Are LEDs bright enough to use a primary lighting.  My guess is 1 light per stall, 2 lights in alley way, 1 in tack room, 2 loft, spot outside entrance.   Are LEDs the way to go?  Do I wire for 12v or 110v AC then convert?  Any tips or suggestions would be most appreciated.  

Thanks.

[dbcollen]

Compact flouros are still more watts per lumen than all but the most expensive LEDs. If you intend to run a washing machine (with no water?) then you will need to have an inverter (a big one) and a substantial battery bank. 110 volt CFLs are cheap, use standard fixtures and produce a lot of light. Most of the affordable LED lights are real crap. 12 volt CFLs are available, but they are expensive and don't seem to last very long. If it was my project I would wire it as a standard 110 volt building and use 110 volt CFLs, if you are woried about the standby losses f the inverter then you can switch the inverter on and off with a switch at the door.

Dustin

[SteveCH]

Are you planning PV system? Assuming so, I agree with the other poster: wire for and run 110 v. Yes, it'll take an inverter, but the lights won't add too much usage compared with the washing machine. The higher cost of 12 v. lights, etc., will offset the lower costs of 110 v. wiring. Of course, you could purchase a wash. machine with 12 v. motor, or alter a 110 v. one [newer ones may have digital controls, etc. that would be a hassle or could be]. At least that's what I would do: run everything 110 v. with inverter. If it wasn't for the wash. machine, I would probably be more in favor of the 12 v. lighting. Plus, if you use clippers and other tools 110 v., like you said, and all  horse people need them, you gotta have a decent 110 v. system anyway. Plus, if for any reason you need to run other equipment...tools, etc....it'll be a no-brainer to be able to plug into a regular 110 v. outlet.

[sk windpirate]

Hi Solar Barn

Led's will give off light to find your way around. If you have some outdoor solar walkway lights take a few of then to the barn and check them out.

I use led rope lights in my yard, they give off lots of light, to find your way around. I think i could read by them (Rope lights). You will need some type of battery to store some energy for the cloudy days. "BUT" you may have to wash in the water bowl.

To start a electric motor it takes about 2000+ watts to get it started, then about 1500 to keep it going.  Big inverter

We used a kerosen light for 20 years till we got power in our barn.

[jonas302]

I would agree on the cfls leds will probly work out for me it would be the price and availibilty of 110v cfls then you can wire for higher voltage which will be smaller wire

The washmachine is probly your show stopper I just tried mine on  a 1500 watt cheap inverter it didn't go But there are still some gas powered matags out there

Sounds like a nice barn best of luck to you

[SolarBarn1]

Thanks for the info.  Yeah washing machine without water in the barn.   I'll probably run a hose to it when we have to wash sheets and blankets.  For that matter I could also run an extension cord.

[TheEquineFencer]

Hello, I'm in North Carolina and had a similar problem. I went with the CFL Flood lamps and an inverter. I'm using three 23 watt draw ,75 watt equilivant with conventional lights, flood lamps on 120VAC to power a light pole in the corner of three pastures, it's run off a 12V 105 a/hr deep cycle marine battery. Why not build you something that looks like a walker for the horses with a gear box and a generator and let the horses charge the batteries for excersice? 4 horses = 4 horsepower?

[ghurd]

How much light do you really need in the stall?

Find the feed box?  Like 3 or 6 good 5mm LEDs will do that.  Run them from DC.

Custom made LEDs would be bright enough, but they are not cheap.

I did this solar and LED barn...

http://ghurd.info/solar_pigeon.html

Lose the washer.

If CFLs in the loft, put them in a good fixture intended for the use.

We lost an 80 cow dairy barn when someone broke a loft fixture.

G-

[SolarBarn1]

Wow. That's some pigeon barn.    I am thinking losing the washer is the way to go.

Thanks

[antw]

Get a price on installing mains power to the shed.  If you can run an extension cord to it then mains may be cheap enough.

If you have a problem with a horse in the middle of the night and call in a vet, they will need decent light to work by etc.  Just a thought.

Antony

Off grid two years.

[TheEquineFencer]

Yeah, I saw the bird barn too and thought the same thing. Now if that guy had horses can you imagine what it would look like if he built a horse barn like he does a bird house? Nice bird house!

[ghurd]

He has a horse barn...

It's bigger.

The solar and lights are not as cool.

IIRC, give-or-take, 50~75W PV, old 12V 85AH that won't keep up with the purpose for which it was purchased, a couple #1156, and a small inverter for cordless tools?

The pigeon barn is larger than the pics show.  I think it has 3 windows per side.

Old project. It's been quite a while.

The inverter driven mechanical timer is not a good idea.  1st inverter lost 20 minutes a day.

G-

[TomW]

g;

I run an old style mechanical on/off timer on my Outback for waking up the chickens at 05:30 AM and it loses time but only a few minutes a week. Being a non critical timing event but it is worthy of note.

I never really paid attention to it on grid so not sure if it is the timer or the Outback, to be honest. I notice on the Outback with the chickens because I try to give them a morning treat right after the light comes on to pamper them so they keep the cackle berries coming and about once a week I would twist the dial ahead a few minutes.

Just my experience.

Maybe its time for Hurd Solar to figure out a decent RE [spelled low power DC] timer and / or light sensor.

Joseph, sorry for drifting off topic.

Tom

[ghurd]

hehe.  Outback or a Freedom Jazz $30 special? (nice unit, though a bastard child of a one nite stand between Trace and Heart Interface)

There is an AU outfit with a pretty nice 12VDC timer.  Runs about $80?  He would not spring for it.

I found it strange considering the 6-figure barn was built for those silly birds, and the solar lighting was very un-cheap.

Had $50 in the mechanical timer and cheap inverter.

Light sensor is a piece of cake.

G-