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solar fur shed #8516054
12/03/25 02:22 PM
12/03/25 02:22 PM
Joined: Nov 2024
Montana
Mt_FreeTrapper Offline OP
trapper
Mt_FreeTrapper  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Nov 2024
Montana

[Linked Image]

Thinking of building this 12'x16' fur shed w/solar panels for lights/heat and would appreciate any advice to improve it.
Good solar panel source would be beneficial also.
Thanks in advance for everyone's comments


If I give everything ~ is it enough?
Re: solar fur shed [Re: Mt_FreeTrapper] #8516066
12/03/25 02:38 PM
12/03/25 02:38 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
South shore L.I. N.Y.
G
gcs Offline
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gcs  Offline
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G

Joined: Dec 2006
South shore L.I. N.Y.
The easiest option for solar would be the 4 panel kit from Harbor Freight with a better battery, should give the light you need, don't think you'll get much heat from any solar panel, don't think panels can keep up with an electric heater....other than insulating the heck out of it, and some kind of stove...you should be good.

Re: solar fur shed [Re: Mt_FreeTrapper] #8516083
12/03/25 03:18 PM
12/03/25 03:18 PM
Joined: Dec 2011
MT
S
snowy Offline
trapper
snowy  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: Dec 2011
MT
I'm not going to be help on the solar system you want to install. I can say I built a 16 x 16 line shack we will use every so often and has window facing south east and west. The building didn't cost more then 700$ was used material mostly and not insulated. The other day It was minus degree with highs in single digits. It took one hour to get the shack to 75 degrees and was easy to maintain that temp and could have had it a lot warmer with a small wood stove.

My suggestion is to save your money from solar panels and use another source for lights. Here the shack I built and if insulated it would get to warm in it.
I have a pic of the 1 5x6 foot window and the other side has 2 5x6 window those are plex glass. I know you lose heat from windows but I can tell you if you have sun out it gets so warm in front of those windows it crazy!!! Window are a huge factor in warming that shack. Just my view on the subject.
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]



Give me a fish, I will eat for a day. Teach me to fish, I will eat for a lifetime
Re: solar fur shed [Re: Mt_FreeTrapper] #8516128
12/03/25 04:44 PM
12/03/25 04:44 PM
Joined: May 2010
The great cage state Colorado
M
Monster Toms Offline
trapper
Monster Toms  Offline
trapper
M

Joined: May 2010
The great cage state Colorado
With solar, you will need and inverter and plenty of battery. Heaters draw quite a bit of juice, LED lights not so much. I have a cabin 16x16 with a 10x16 bedroom/bathroom. I am running 2 280 Amp hour and 1 300 amp hour lithium batteries wire in series with 800 watts of panels. If both ceiling fans and lights are going with the fridge and TV I can maintain power up to three cloudy days. I have a dual fuel backup generator just in case. You might look into a 250-gallon propane tank and use propane for heat.






Re: solar fur shed [Re: Mt_FreeTrapper] #8516253
12/03/25 08:04 PM
12/03/25 08:04 PM
Joined: Dec 2016
Jackson Co, KS
N
NEYotetrapper Offline
trapper
NEYotetrapper  Offline
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N

Joined: Dec 2016
Jackson Co, KS
Unless you are dead set on solar only I would either put in a small woodstove or a blue flame heater that will run off a propane tank. I had a blue flame heater that I heated a decent size shop with that was insulated. It was very efficient on the propane.

Re: solar fur shed [Re: Mt_FreeTrapper] #8516272
12/03/25 08:29 PM
12/03/25 08:29 PM
Joined: Mar 2010
2A Sanctuaries-W. OK & N. NM
Blaine County Offline
trapper
Blaine County  Offline
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Joined: Mar 2010
2A Sanctuaries-W. OK & N. NM
I have solar on some buildings. Agree with the comments above. Solar for lights. Stove for heat.

Re: solar fur shed [Re: Mt_FreeTrapper] #8516275
12/03/25 08:31 PM
12/03/25 08:31 PM
Joined: Oct 2007
Mo.
1
1cav Offline
trapper
1cav  Offline
trapper
1

Joined: Oct 2007
Mo.
Generate 80 %, of my home from solar. As stated you will need large inverter, and several lithum battries. My inverter, and battery storage is in my garage. Can't let batterys freeze. I have heat in the garage wood stove when I'm home. Electric 240 V overhead garage heater, If Im gone for couple days. Heater and lights run off seperate voltage, from city electric provider, garage is seperate fom home. Plus installed gas generator (used) for heat and backup. As stated by Monster Tom , heater, ac, anything drawing large voltage will drain your batteries, I invested in Generac solar 5 yrs ago

Re: solar fur shed [Re: Mt_FreeTrapper] #8516368
12/03/25 10:31 PM
12/03/25 10:31 PM
Joined: Nov 2024
Montana
Mt_FreeTrapper Offline OP
trapper
Mt_FreeTrapper  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Nov 2024
Montana
Thank You all for the great information ~ will re-evaluate heating component to be propane.
I need bright lights as my eyes aren't what they used to be.
Again, Thank You all


If I give everything ~ is it enough?
Re: solar fur shed [Re: Mt_FreeTrapper] #8516505
Yesterday at 07:47 AM
Yesterday at 07:47 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
ND
M
MJM Offline
trapper
MJM  Offline
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M

Joined: Dec 2006
ND
I have a 18 foot sun room with 16 foot of glass 72" tall. The room has no heat and is often the warmest room in the house. If it is clear out and the sun is shinning it really warms up in there. Add some bigger windows and you are adding solar heat.


"Not Really, Not Really"
Mark J Monti
"MJM you're a jerk."
Re: solar fur shed [Re: Mt_FreeTrapper] #8516980
Yesterday at 09:13 PM
Yesterday at 09:13 PM
Joined: Oct 2024
Kansas
S
someGuyInKansas Offline
trapper
someGuyInKansas  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: Oct 2024
Kansas
My hunting property is off grid. I have 800w of panels on my deer blind, 520 ah of 12v LiFePO4 batteries. Everything that runs all the time is DC (security cameras, networking, point-to-point wifi). I use buck/boost DC to DC converters to get the voltages I need. The inverter is a recent addition, I only turn it on when needed.

For heat, don't plan on solar. It takes far too much power to generate electric heat. A stove is fine. Or a diesel heater I got one on sale for $50. They take around 15 amps at start up but then drop to 1-2 amps when they're running.

I'm a fan of LiFePO4 batteries. For outdoor use they need low temp charging protection (charging below freezing will destroy them).

If its possible to put the panels up a bit off the roof then bifacial panels are beneficial. That means they will generate power when light hits the front or back side. They're only slightly more than single faced panels. You'll get a small beenfit from bifacial at all times, but they're very helpful in snow. Snow will reflect the light back up, so the back sides generate more power, but generating power generates heat. So bifacial panels will melt snow off quicker than single faced.

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]

Re: solar fur shed [Re: Mt_FreeTrapper] #8516987
Yesterday at 09:20 PM
Yesterday at 09:20 PM
Joined: Dec 2011
MT
S
snowy Offline
trapper
snowy  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: Dec 2011
MT
Wow!!!


Give me a fish, I will eat for a day. Teach me to fish, I will eat for a lifetime
Re: solar fur shed [Re: Mt_FreeTrapper] #8517001
Yesterday at 09:32 PM
Yesterday at 09:32 PM
Joined: May 2011
Oakland, MS
yotetrapper30 Online content
trapper
yotetrapper30  Online Content
trapper

Joined: May 2011
Oakland, MS
Now that's a deer blind, LOL


Proudly banned from the NTA.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Or I'll just end up walkin'
In the cold November rain
Re: solar fur shed [Re: Mt_FreeTrapper] #8517040
Yesterday at 10:29 PM
Yesterday at 10:29 PM
Joined: Mar 2011
Vernal, Utah, USA
Dan Barnhurst Offline
trapper
Dan Barnhurst  Offline
trapper

Joined: Mar 2011
Vernal, Utah, USA
Looks like you could watch a little tv in there while waiting for that big buck - but maybe that would be getting a bit too comfortable:) You taught me something about solar panels there. Thanks for the info.


United we stand.
Re: solar fur shed [Re: Mt_FreeTrapper] #8517122
1 hour ago
1 hour ago
Joined: Jun 2016
Michigan
T
Trapper Dahlgren Offline
trapper
Trapper Dahlgren  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Jun 2016
Michigan
nice set up, can we see pic, of inside of the blind,??

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