Solar Power?

If you've found the information on the seed packet to be sadly lacking, this is the place to find out more, or add your comments!

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Westi
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Anyone got a small solar set up on their plot/garden?

I have been thinking about the extremes in the tunnel & I have moved my citrus down there now as they are too big for the greenhouse or inside. They will enjoy being outside down there during the summer, but have aborted some of their wee fruit being in the tunnel which I think might be the -4C to +27C in 24hrs. (This is not usual I might add, well not to date)!

Also when there is no breeze at all in the summer I thought if a got a small combined fan & heater it would be good for winter warmth as closed up & would move the air around a bit in summer as even though the vents open it does not cool much if there is no breeze & I realise it would not do much to drop the temp with the doors open as well but might deter pest build up with better ventilation.

I will add I know nought about solar, but kinda think it is a panel & a car battery & some cable to plug into, but you see people set up solar stuff when camping off wee tiny panels so got do be doable even for me! (Or my handy next door plot holder)! :)
Westi
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oldherbaceous
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You will be able to run a small fan off a battery/solar set up, Westi...but I don't think there would be enough power to run a heater!
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.

There's no fool like an old fool.
robo
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I have a solar set up in Spain to me it’s big but to others around there it’s very small, I had a good set up but it was robbed when we could not get over due to my wife’s illness, I had 4 panels around 180 amp each I had a controll box and an inverter to turn 12 volts into 230 volts I had two very big leisure batteries both 6 volt wired to increase to 12 volts they alone cost me £800 , it depends how much power you need car batteries are no good you need leisure batteries ,have a look at the fan heater you need it should tell you the power it needs to work then get your panels to suite but I would be surprised if you could drive a fan big enough with out going to 230 volts , I have 2 small panels going to an old battery then to a 12 volt bilge pump the type used in a boat, I had a problem with flooding I board an 8 inch diameter hole into clay I went down 10 feet I was hoping to get through the clay then fill it with gravel to help drainage I could not get through the clay so I rigged the pump up to pump the water into my rain barrels it worked great then next door dug a very big trench and filled it with gravel so no more flooding
Stephen
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Westi:
How about looking at this? https://www.optimate.co.uk/products?tag=Solar You will need a leisure battery (not a car starter battery) and you might look at https://www.tayna.co.uk/, who get good reviews for their service.

One car is in a council rented lock-up garage and I keep it in an air-bubble chamber which I keep inflated with a leisure battery. So that is two little fans (such as you might find in a computer power supply) and a 110AH battery keeps them running for a week, I have one on charge and one in use. (these are heavy!). Can you drive right up to the plot? If not you'll need a trolley!
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Westi
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OK! Maybe not the solar option - from 2 fronts understanding any of it or affording it! I take back my 'doable' statement! I also watched a few vids & as easy as they try to make it seem it is nowhere near simple from a novice perspective. Maybe next year nature will remember where I live & adjust the temperature to match! No lemons I can live with in the meantime as at least the tree is healthy ('ish)!
Westi
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