AliceSheperd
New Member
Has anyone had any success with a purely solar powered heated shed for your sulcate? UK based. Thanks
We use solar panels at Lake Powell when we camp (5th wheel) off grid with an inverter system & big golf cart batteries. You can run basic electrical needs like lights, fans, tv, coffee maker most of the night, but if you need to microwave, air conditioning or make ice, you have to use your generator. And if you have no sun,...I agree with Joe's Mum and Mark. There is no sun at times when you need the most heat. Night and cold winter days. I don't know a practical way to make a small independent solar system produce enough power for the amount of heat you need to generate.
I have solar on my house. The meter runs backward all day and then I use power from the "grid" at night or on dark winter days.
That's been my experience too.We use solar panels at Lake Powell when we camp (5th wheel) off grid with an inverter system & big golf cart batteries. You can run basic electrical needs like lights, fans, tv, coffee maker most of the night, but if you need to microwave, air conditioning or make ice, you have to use your generator. And if you have no sun,...
And actually in the cold snowy areas, my size oil filled heater is 1500 watts broken down in 600 and 900 if you turn one switch on. I need both switches in and the full 1500 watts. Sometimes I even run two of those heaters when we get below zero.That's been my experience too.
With a mini radiant oil filled heater, you are pulling 700 watts. Similar to a microwave. Admittedly, this doesn't run all night long in a well built insulated box, but that is pulling a lot of power when it is running. With a heat mat/RHP combo you'd be pulling only around 160 watts, but it will also be on most of the night on a cold night.
I use those full size ones to heat my reptile room, but I only use the mini ones in my night boxes. You are right though. If the OP is heating a larger shed instead of a night box, then they'd need even more power than what I was referring to.And actually in the cold snowy areas, my size oil filled heater is 1500 watts broken down in 600 and 900 if you turn one switch on. I need both switches in and the full 1500 watts. Sometimes I even run two of those heaters when we get below zero.