Running your yard from a generator

[Mix26]

As the title really. Do any of you do it?

We were lucky enough to purchase our own house with land last year although there is no electricity to the stables.

Having a supply run down to the yard is not currently as simple as we hoped and really, bottom of our to do list.

I survived last year by doing all jobs before work so just bring in and put to bed was needed at night, which I did by head torch or rechargeable lights, however work is more demanding now so I will have less morning time 🙀

 

[respectedpony driver]

we used a lorry battery which lasted ages,we had 2, so one on charge and one being used.

 

[shirl62]

Leisure batteries are best as they don't deplete the same as vehicle batteries. I used them in my motorhome for lights. A generator would be noisy .

 

[Britestar]

I know someone who runs a semi pro yard from a generator and has done for about 5 years.
Regular servicing and a spare petrol essential!

 

[cremedemonthe]

What about as said above leisure battery/batteries (deep cycle) and a solar panel left to top it up?
If you want to run mains lights and appliances on it use an inverter, work out your max load to work out the inverter you will need (can give you details just ask)
Simple but effective. I have leisure batteries and am in the process of buying the solar and pure sine wave inverter to run my saddlery workshop. Inverters can be expensive but are a good investment. Generators are not only noisy and polluting but also highly nickable.
Oz

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I run mine off leisure batteries & use a head torch.

A YO 2 yards up from me runs hers off a big diesel silent genny, tho to be fair I can hear it when she switches on around 6am on a crisp winter dark morning - the hum carries across the fields. It runs lighting & power points, she still has to run elec fencing off battery, also cannot use genny for portable x-ray machine (as no domestic genny is stable enough). She has to remember to keep spare diesel can there, but it does a good job
She still grumbles tho as needs head torch for fields & the neighbours also got her arena lights taken down (the neighbours are horse hating monsters, the arena is well hidden from most!)

 

[meleeka]

I used to have a generator for my lights. My advice would be to get one that starts easily. Mine was nightmare and I often gave up trying. It lived in a shed and had a metal pipe for the exhaust coming out the side. When it started, it was a good solution.

 

[exracehorse]

We have a generator. Very noisy. Use a torch in the dark to find all the buttons. Go through a lot
Of petroleum. When the fuel runs low the lights start flashing in the stables And I run round like a mad woman trying to get the fuel in before I'm plunged into darkness

 

[Antw23uk]

I have a 150w solar panel and one leisure battery ..... two when the 2nd gets delivered today. One battery worked just fine last year powering three stables, tack room and a spot light on the yard. Having the 2nd battery will give me even more power and I'm putting spot lights under the overhang at the front of the stables as well. The initial cost can add up but so can buying a generator but you then have the ongoing costs of fueling it and you dont with solar power

 

[DappleDown]

Hi. Interesting post. What specifically do you need the electricity for?

We had our yard for over 10 years with no power whatsoever. We have a couple of generators but never even took them down there as just didn't need them for anything. They are noisy so not keen on them anyway.

We had Solar lighting (still do, lights the place up a treat), and auto waterers don't need power.
I don't want to ride at night so don't need lights on the arena.

Clipping, we could run a cable if needed. That's about all I can think of that power might have been needed for.

oh - and I took my morning coffee down with me in hand! No probs.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Hi. Interesting post. What specifically do you need the electricity for?

We had our yard for over 10 years with no power whatsoever. We have a couple of generators but never even took them down there as just didn't need them for anything. They are noisy so not keen on them anyway.

We had Solar lighting (still do, lights the place up a treat), and auto waterers don't need power.
I don't want to ride at night so don't need lights on the arena.

Clipping, we could run a cable if needed. That's about all I can think of that power might have been needed for.

oh - and I took my morning coffee down with me in hand! No probs.

Lol, sounds like my yard - been there for over 40 years.
Have small camping 2 ring gaz burner & grill in feed room (so hot water issue sorted & toast etc)
Lights in all stables, hay barn and closest (biggest) field shelter - all run from 2 batteries which are kept topped up by solar panels.
Clipping, done by battery clippers.
I have a genny, but not used it in over 3 yrs - so DH uses it for racing through the summer months.

Most recent quote (December 16) to connect yard to mains, is just a smidgeon over £31k...... thats £28k to supplier and 3k for consumer unit and wiring /sockets / lighting on the yard.

I think i can run with battery power a tad longer...............

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Hi. Interesting post. What specifically do you need the electricity for?

We had our yard for over 10 years with no power whatsoever. We have a couple of generators but never even took them down there as just didn't need them for anything. They are noisy so not keen on them anyway.

We had Solar lighting (still do, lights the place up a treat), and auto waterers don't need power.
I don't want to ride at night so don't need lights on the arena.

Clipping, we could run a cable if needed. That's about all I can think of that power might have been needed for.

oh - and I took my morning coffee down with me in hand! No probs.

We had electricity to the stables/outbuildings when we moved in here but when we had the house rewired the electricians (who were a nightmare but that's another story!) couldn't fit the yard into their timetable. We installed solar powered lighting, which has worked very well and more than paid for itself, over and over again. We started off with 6 shed lights from B&Q at £15 each for 3 stables, we moved on to more powerful lights and more off them. The only problem arises if someone/everyone forgets to switch them off and they run down on a foggy day. We have battery operated clippers for trimming, battery operated power tools and run a cable from the house if we need protracted power, e.g. for sheep shearing. We do have a generator but it is noisy and smelly, so we only use it occasionally and never for lighting.

 

[Annagain]

If all you need is lighting, these are great and pretty cheap.
http://www.screwfix.com/p/diall-led-rechargeable-led-work-light-10w-12-240v/2587k
I use one of them to top up the arena light (singular) which is pretty poor and leaves 1/2 the school in the dark. They'd easily light a stable/yard for jobs in the winter.

 

[Antw23uk]

If all you need is lighting, these are great and pretty cheap.
http://www.screwfix.com/p/diall-led-rechargeable-led-work-light-10w-12-240v/2587k
I use one of them to top up the arena light (singular) which is pretty poor and leaves 1/2 the school in the dark. They'd easily light a stable/yard for jobs in the winter.

I have similar to that and I use it all the time. At the moment mainly to walk the dog up the back of the garden (BIG garden) and to check the chickens have gone in before the auto door comes down but in winter just gone it was absolutely invaluable too and from the yard (padlocked gates in pitch black arent fun!) and also walking across the fields on the pitch black afternoons when I really didnt want to bring in (Plonked on the grass illuminating said ponies for picking feet out, adjusting rugs, feeding etc. Wouldnt be with out that and a little head torch.

 

[Shoei]

If all you need is lighting, these are great and pretty cheap.
http://www.screwfix.com/p/diall-led-rechargeable-led-work-light-10w-12-240v/2587k
I use one of them to top up the arena light (singular) which is pretty poor and leaves 1/2 the school in the dark. They'd easily light a stable/yard for jobs in the winter.

I had a generator but it was stolen. They carried it by hand across 50 acres, so were pretty determined!

I didn't like it due to the noise, although the horses are at home the stables are a good distance from the house and I felt more vulnerable with the geni on.

I now have loads of these lights (or similar), they last for ages, are brighter than the ones ran by geni, silent and I can stick them on the arena post to ride. Much easier!