very small solar system reccomendations?

[jvnn]

I have a slightly different problem than the norm.

My off-grid cabin is used a few times a year, but we want to run sonic mouse repellers while we're gone.
We also like running a single CF light when we visit.
I already have a 12V inverter.

I'm thinking a 12V deep cycle battery and a small solar trickle charge would do the trick...

Any suggestions for battery and small solar cell/controller?
(would I need a charge controller or could I size the solar cell small enough to not worry?)
Ideally cheap, ideally the battery can be found on a local store shelf, but reality often overrides ideals.

Thanks! - Joel

[DamonHD]

If you cannot supervise it for most of the time then I'd have thought that a simple reliable solar controller with Low Voltage Disconnect (LVD) to prevent overcharging and excessive drain would be a good investment (I've been happy with my Morningstar controllers), and a 'maintenance free' sealed battery since you aren't going to be around to maintain it.

But you should listen to people who know what they're doing, unlike me!

Rgds

Damon

[ghurd]

You can save your money by Not buying the sonic mouse repellers.
Tried every type and brand we could get, and none work (scare mouse) more than a day.

Then you don't need the LVD!

Running the mouse repeller may be an expensive idea, even if you found one that actually scares mice.
24/7?  The repeller does not use as much power as the inverter wastes.  Running the inverter will take a lot of power (or solar panel) in itself.
A small panel will not keep up.  The LVD shuts down the inverter when the battery is "Way Too Low" to be good for it, and turn the load back on before the battery is fully charged again, so the battery will be in a constant state of undercharge which will ruin it.  And when you get to the cabin, the battery will be too low to get much use from it.
So it will take a lot of panel watts to reliably keep the battery at a decent SoC with the (useless) mouse repeller in the system.

I also like MorningStar controllers.
If you get the SS-xx version, there is a jumper to set it for SLA.  That can be used just fine on a FLA that is not heavily loaded every day.  It will use less much water than in the FLA setting.  Batteries with MorningStar controllers do not use much water anyway.

My suggestion would be a mono or poly crystalline panel of 40 or 50W, with an SG-4 controller, a 110 or 120AH FLA, and skip the mouse repeller.
Why...
The SG-4 uses the same charging parameters as the larger SS-xx, but is optimized for SLA.  I don't see any real operating difference in small systems with FLAs, compared to an SS-xx set for FLA.
50W panels are often cheaper than 40W panels, but either is big enough.
The ~110AH FLAs only cost a bit more than the ~80AH, but the ~110AH can have a considerably longer service life in a small system.

I am quite confident in saying the repellers do not work. At all.
The former location of the electronics shop was in a non working ~100 stanchion dairy barn. 
Built a couple nice rooms in the hay loft.
The work room was about 9x15'?
Had maybe 6 of those mouse repellers running, and maybe a dozen unbaited regular old mouse traps along the walls.
In daylight, with 2 working and talking adults, frequent visitors, no food around, and multiple rodent repellers, it was not uncommon to catch 30 mice in the regular traps in a 6 hour work day.
G-

[Norm]

 The former location of the electronics shop was in a non working ~100 stanchion dairy barn. 
Built a couple nice rooms in the hay loft.
The work room was about 9x15'?
Had maybe 6 of those mouse repellers running, and maybe a dozen unbaited regular old mouse traps along the walls.
In daylight, with 2 working and talking adults, frequent visitors, no food around, and multiple rodent repellers, it was not uncommon to catch 30 mice in the regular traps in a 6 hour work day.
G-

Don't scare them away...put 'em to work !
30 mice caught in live traps x 30 =900 live mice
Put in 'squirrel cages' = 900 mouse power would run a computer and lights ?

Norm

[Volvo farmer]

Why use electricity for something that doesn't work? How many mice are in a gallon anyway?

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/easterly110.html

[wooferhound]

I have tried the rodent repellers that you plug into the wall without success.

Also . . .
Using an inverter on a small solar power system is just wasting your power. Use the power straight off of the battery and power 12 volt DC lights, fans, radios, cell chargers and more.

[Rover]

For the rodents , go Caddyshack and use C4 . (honestly I find posion bait works ,dcon? sp?  if you are not woried about other animals)

For lighting , I've recently had good luck with these bulbs,  12 volt 36 LED SMDs  e27 base.

http://cgi.ebay.com/DC-12V-36-SMD-LED-Light-Bulb-Lamp-5W-20W-CFL-BRIGHT-RV-/390224566278?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5adb325806

Have one running in the front yard, expect to buy more , not the cheapest, but do work, If converting an existing lamp, remember center positive on the fixture, should be the black hot wire in the US.

[jvnn]

Lots of great suggestions guys!  Thanks!

One note, the mouse repeller I have runs on 12VDC so the inverter is out of the picture except when running the light.

I'll have to look at you guys' battery and solar suggestions and figure out where to buy...

Probably have to rig up some kind of trap as Volvo Farmer suggests, although it seems like the mouse signs have been fewer when the repeller is running.
This is a small cabin - 8' X16'.

Thanks - Joel

[thirteen]

There is an article in the recent Mother Earth Magazine for getting rid of mice. I read it at my daughters place and they said to use cotton balls shoaked up in mint. Put them in your walls and outlets. It came out this month but since I have the best memory in the world you had better look it up. I may have the best memory but it is short.

[Clifford]

My grandmother used to like the electric mouse repellents.  I just thought they were annoying, as I could hear them all too well, and they didn't seem to rid the house & outbuildings of mice.

I tried a solar mole chaser this summer...  absolutely no discernible effect when planted in the mole-hills (except for the one mole-hill it was planted in seemed to be ok). 

I had a tiny windmill mole-chaser, and at least no moles moved into my garden area.

As far as a small solar system.

Mom & Dad used to have a trailer that they ran on 12V power.  For the occasional weekend use, they just had a flexible trickle-charging solar panel tossed up on the roof.  I think it was fine.  I don't know about running applications when not in use though.

[harley1782000]

A 410 is kind of fun with mice and chipmunks.

Jim

[ghurd]

A 410 is kind of fun with mice and chipmunks.

I disagree.
It results in the better half yelling "Stop doing that in the house!"

She was upset enough that I quit... bringing chipmunks in the house.
G-

[zap]

"Stop doing that in the house!"

hehehe

[kenl]

A cat is the only thing I've found for ridding yourself of rodents.