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swordfish
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# Posted: 24 May 2019 03:36pm
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Hello! Very first post to this forum, I appreciate whatever feedback I could get from the community!
I am wrapping up the designing phase of my lighting and electrical setup for my new 10x16 garden shed.
I would like to run my plan by you guys to makes sure it makes sense and I don't burn the thing down.
I started on the premise that a single 100w solar panel would be sufficient for my needs. I also have a 15 amp solar charge controller, and finally, I have already affixed (but not wired) 8 18w (rated by the manufacturer at 2.7 amps each) LED lights for interior lighting (I have very little natural light that comes in, and will be using the shed as a "workshop and garage" for a ride-on mower).
The entire electrical installation will be run on 12v DC. I don't plan on having an inverter, although a small one may become an option down the road.
Considering my 100w panel and 15 amp charger, would a 30 Ah battery be a reasonable choice for this setup?
Second, would 14 AWG CL2-rated speaker wire (one circuit per 18w light head) be an appropriate wire to use for the lighting portion of the circuit? Each run of wire would be within 10-15 feet of my distribution panel.
If you need more details about my plan, don't hesitate, and once again, thanks in advance for your help!
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creeky
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# Posted: 25 May 2019 09:49am
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Your 100w panel will give you 8 amps at 12v. Roughly.
Your 8 light bulbs will draw 150w (give or take). That's 12 amps at 12v and would drain a 30 amp battery in a bit more than an hour.
I would go more like 200w and 1kwh of usable storage.
Course, I'd also go 24v or 48 to make my life easier.
Good luck.
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swordfish
Member
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# Posted: 25 May 2019 04:03pm - Edited by: swordfish
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Alright! Thanks for the insight.
With my limited knowledge of electricity, and by looking at my equipment I already have (solar panel, solar charge controller, and my LEDs), I don't believe it would be possible to change to a 24v system? If it is actually possible, how would I go about it? I know I need a 24v battery, but how would I step down voltage for my 12v lights, and step it up for my 12v panel and charger?
[EDIT] I just checked my charge controller - 15 amp, 12v or 24v... so I imagine it steps up the voltage to charge a 24v battery...
And I failed to mention, not all 8 lights are going to be on at the same time. I plan on splitting it to 4 banks of 2 lights, independently controlled, considering my needs.
I will keep looking around for answers as well, but I thought I would bounce the question by you as well.
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 26 May 2019 08:55am
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How far away is grid power? If its not far it may be worth the expense to use than and not mess with solar.
Have you use a "useable solar by zip code calculator"? It basicly told me my area is not worth the hastle of solar..and no solar isnt free.
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swordfish
Member
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# Posted: 26 May 2019 08:57am - Edited by: swordfish
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Not worth the several hundred dollars to connect to power grid, just to light up a shed... I'm about 125' from the house.. And, I'm in Canada, so I don't know if zip code calculator would work?
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creeky
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# Posted: 26 May 2019 09:12am
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If you're in Canada you're good to go.
I can't believe there's anywhere that can't benefit from solar. But. Meh.
Here's my shopping list for my "shed" kits. 1 lithium battery. 1kw. 24v. 300. One solar panel. Used. 260w. 120. One victron mppt 75/15 (I can put another panel on). 155. Then add bits and bobs as you like. 50 for wire what not. 24v distribution panel for lights etc. 12-36. Inverter? 250w. 150?
So for 6-800 I can charge stuff. Run lights. Play music. Spend 255 on the inverter and put a small fridge down at the water. And this equipment should be good for 25 years. So call it 30/yr? All prices cad.
Plus no c02. No maintenance other than cleaning the panel. No noise.
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swordfish
Member
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# Posted: 26 May 2019 09:34am
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Considering that my lights (and some other things I'm thinking of adding on later) are 12v, would it be feasible to use my 24v charger and battery, but to use a 24v to 12v buck converter to supply my distribution panel?
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 26 May 2019 11:26am
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What kind of work are you doing that you only need lights.
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swordfish
Member
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# Posted: 26 May 2019 12:50pm
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It's basically a garden shed, that will also serve as a space where I can do maintenance work on my John Deere lawn tractor (I will be taking it apart to restore and repaint it). So good lighting is a must, but I also want to have the option of having a small inverter to power a small handheld sander.
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 28 May 2019 08:08am
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Run an extension cord out there. Your really just looking for temp power. For maintence use a headlamp and open the doors for light. Solar is going to be very expensive for a once a season need.
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