Solar power options/off grid style

[HorseMaid]

I'm looking into lighting and power options for our stables, I was initially thinking just lights but would be good if an electric fence unit could be run off it too as well as the ability to maybe use clippers etc and poss a 12v fridge (I'm not thinking for a kettle, we'll use a gas camping cooker for that). Not connected to the grid so would need to be solar powered. Is this something that can be done practically and cost effectively, does anyone have a similar setup and where did you buy it from?

 

[Esmae]

We have that set up on our yard. Solar panel on the roof to an inverter and then battery. Key thing is a good battery. We paid a lot for ours at the time. LED lights to the yard and stables all from a bank of switches. We also run the electric fence from it through a separate switch with an energiser of course. Ours is switched so that 2 stables can be switched on at a time. We did this deliberately so that if we had a poorly horse the lights would carry on working all night if necessary. Ours went in in 2012 I think and battery has never run down and works brilliantly. I've never run a fridge from it. We have a camping stove that works off calor and boil kettle that way. Our set up runs 14 lights for us. The whole thing, when we had it installed was £800 which included all the cabling and switches, as well as light fittings etc and paid the guy who did the installation. Best money we ever spent and hasn't cost us a penny since except for the odd light fitting that has gone. I think we have replaced 3 of them, they are not expensive to replace should you need to. The cost for having the mains electricity put in, at that time for us, was £15k. Absolute no brainer in terms of cost. The solar panel is about a meter long and half that width. I think the original company we used went pop, but there are lots out there. We spoke with them and told them out situation and requirement and they advised and we went with that. Good luck with it

 

[HorseMaid]

OK great! So solar panel, inverter, battery and go from there? I shall get researching but yours sound exactly the setup we need

 

[Esmae]

OK great! So solar panel, inverter, battery and go from there? I shall get researching but yours sound exactly the setup we need

You may find that your needs change so best to talk with solar panel companies. They are so helpful. I've never regretted this at all. When we did ours these setups weren't at all common. So a bit of it was by guess or by god. These days there is far more information and the kit is smaller and more efficient. The inverter thingy goes between the panel and the battery and works to take away the excess so that your battery doesn't burn out.

 

[palo1]

I have a solar set up; it is just lights with minor extras currently but has the capability for other stuff too. Kettle is already installed but if I need to add 'proper' power sockets I will need to add a few bits to my current arrangement. My set up is lights, kettle and 2 USB sockets for phone and laptop. I don't use those but it is very handy to have in an emergency. I love my basic set up tbh!! It has been brilliant all winter even when the roof and solar panel have been covered in snow for days at a time. There are lots of potential options so go by recommendation and speak to the solar companies about what you want now and what you might want later. Mine took only 3 hours to set up in a tall barn and is very unobtrusive. Basically, as @Esmae says you need a panel, inverter, battery and then 'other' bits. I also have a wind up radio so I am not using power from the solar kit but can have radio etc. I generally only need another power source for clipping so my needs are not very significant; you may want lots of other things.