Running a yard off grid - any expriences?

[ajn1610]

I'm interested in making my yard as ecologically sound as possible (and save money in the long term). I'm already collecting rain water, I'm interested in hearing if anyone has any experiences of using renewable power sources like solar, wind or bio digesters. I read an article once about a yard (dressage I think) that used biogas from manure but I can't remember where it was. Any pearls of wisdom from you lovely people?

 

[texenstar]

Hi!

I can't help with the renewable power sources but I run a horse sitting business and one of my client's yards was 'off the grid'. The biggest problem I had was the water supply. Plenty of water in winter but in the summer there was not enough rainwater for even two horses and I had to fill containers and cart them up. Plus there was no vehicle access D: D: so it was not one of my favourite jobs to do! I think they ran their lights off a care battery, however, I have heard lots about people using solar powered lights too

So all in all. Make sure you have a back up plan for water supply

Good luck!

 

[cauda equina]

A bore hole might sort out the water; no idea of the likely cost though

 

[Meredith]

https://www.facebook.com/LowerBuckt...b.10157189521050713/10157189465970713/?type=3

If link works ....this is a digester that uses muck to heat house etc

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Our yard lights are solar powered but we don't need any other power source, as the horses are at home, so we can run an extension cable across the yard if we need to.

 

[dominobrown]

For the light- at my old stables we had little cheap solar panel connected to led lights in the stables. Really low voltage ones which were really cheap off evay backed up by a car battery. Worked really well.

 

[dominobrown]

https://www.facebook.com/LowerBuckt...b.10157189521050713/10157189465970713/?type=3

If link works ....this is a digester that uses muck to heat house etc

Do you have anymore details about these?

 

[ycbm]

A bore hole might sort out the water; no idea of the likely cost though

£10,000 roughly, depends how good the water is and what treatment plant it needs.

 

[Bradsmum]

I bought a solar panel kit in a sale for about £200 and run my lights using a leisure battery. It's brilliant and the best investment to my stables that I've ever made.

 

[ajn1610]

Hi!

I can't help with the renewable power sources but I run a horse sitting business and one of my client's yards was 'off the grid'. The biggest problem I had was the water supply. Plenty of water in winter but in the summer there was not enough rainwater for even two horses and I had to fill containers and cart them up. Plus there was no vehicle access D: D: so it was not one of my favourite jobs to do! I think they ran their lights off a care battery, however, I have heard lots about people using solar powered lights too

So all in all. Make sure you have a back up plan for water supply

Good luck!

Can I ask how they were collecting and storing the water and where this was please?

 

[ajn1610]

https://www.facebook.com/LowerBuckt...b.10157189521050713/10157189465970713/?type=3

If link works ....this is a digester that uses muck to heat house etc

It did work and thats very interesting thank you!

 

[ajn1610]

Thanks Bradsmum! I have mains available as a back up but I'd really like it if I could be as self sustaining as possible. Better for the environment and my pocket! Do you mount your panels or are the on the ground and how many/what type of lights are you running? Does it work all year?

 

[turnbuckle]

Do-able if you have deep pockets.

But I suggest a nice little smokey smelly 2 stroke genny as back-up

PS Perhaps the horses could live in yurts?

PPS Sorry, I'm in tease mode.

But in seriousness, a horse-walker could power a genny which feeds a bank of deep storage batteries....now that might make sense. Dear but an elegant solution.

 

[ajn1610]

turnbuckle - I aactually had thought of using a horse walker turbine like an old school mill wheel...
there is a video on it here, I've no idea what it is saying lol! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vtt41AyO6rY
I do have mains so I wouldn't be solely dependent on it, from the research I've done I think you have to have a suite of approaches to cover yourself or be fortunate enough to be designing from scratch with a lot of capital available!!!

 

[turnbuckle]

Even I, a scoffer at H&S, find that a profoundly terrifying arrangement. Multiple ways in which it could go horribly wrong.

Dutch, you see. They go a little mad about green, poor fools.

A decent set-up could be done with gears. If you're serious, speak to local agri engineering shops, they might find it fun. I like the idea of the horses earning their keep!

PS Have just punched horsepower/kwh into an online calc and 2 horses would generate a bit under 1.5kwh.....

 

[ajn1610]

yes, it isn't really practical for a number of reasons and those flickery bulbs didnt fill me with confidence!

 

[poiuytrewq]

Do-able if you have deep pockets.

But I suggest a nice little smokey smelly 2 stroke genny as back-up

PS Perhaps the horses could live in yurts?

PPS Sorry, I'm in tease mode.

But in seriousness, a horse-walker could power a genny which feeds a bank of deep storage batteries....now that might make sense. Dear but an elegant solution.

If the Walker powers the generator what powers the Walker?