Wiring a cabin, solar and generator...?

[DirtyComanche]

Okay, here's the deal. My parents have a cabin out in the boonies, and have had it since the late 70s. Anyways, it's pretty rustic; hand pump for the well, propane (100Lb tank) for the fridge, stove and one light, and a biffy out back. Or so it was...

 

Change happens. The area it's in falls under a regional district, which decided that having a good ol' fashioned out-house was an environmental hazard :roll: (or something else retarded) and REQUIRED that they have a proper sewer system installed (there is a small cluster of cabins in the area) :roll:

 

This lead to drilling a well (which was cheap, it's all sand anyways), installing an electric pump, building a shed to house a generator and a pressure tank, running pipe for fresh water from the shed to the cabin, plumbing a toilet, 2 sinks and a shower into the cabin, and running a pipe to the sewer system that was built (or payed for) by what is basically a strata (of the cabins in the area, so everyone got to pay for it :roll: ).

 

Anyways, the system all works well enough. The pump pumps water and the $#!& flows downhill. However, the pressure tank sizing is a little small. It's good for a couple flushes, which isn't too bad. Other than then you have to run outside and pull start the damn generator again and let it fill the pressure tank back up.

 

What we'd be hoping to do is make this system a little less involving, even if it costs a few dollars. Adding some wiring to the cabin wouldn't be a bad idea, so that one could have electric light and maybe some standard outlets. Also, an in-line water heater would be nice if it will fit in the available space, obviously it would be a propane unit but I think they still need electricity for the thermostat setup on them.

 

I'm thinking for this all to work nicely they'd need a small bank of batteries (maybe only 2 deep cycles?), an inverter capable of both the 110V and 220V output (if such an item is economically feasible), and (if such a thing exists) a charge controller that would automatically start the generator when the bank voltage dropped too low and would shut it off when everything was charged. Also, I think a small solar panel might help keep it all trickle charged so the generator would rarely have to come on.

 

So, can anybody provide me with any useful info? Links? Forums on such a topic? Anyone done similar?

[Windowsrookie]

Google is your best friend on things like this. You should get some answers right away. I do know of a cabin I've stayed at where they had probably 3 deep cycle battery's and that was enough to power all the lights all night. The lights and the generator were wired separately (lights wired to batteries, most of the outlets were wired straight to the generator) Also their generator had a remote in the cabin to start it, I think it may have had some sort of display to show fuel level and stuff too.

[DirtyComanche]

Google is providing me with a lot more 'Alternate Energy' BS scams than I can stomach. Or people attempting to sell me wiring diagrams (not going to happen). But as always, if I posted it here it means that I am actively researching elsewhere (unless I specifically stated that I don't feel like looking it up :roll: ).

 

I think I found a forum that doesn't blow. Time will tell.

[whowey]

There is a magazine(or was) out there called Home Power. It had TONS of info about the subjects you need to understand. They offered alot of their articles in PDF on CDs. I have a couple of them... Absolutely required reading...

[64 Cheyenne]

try these:

http://www.otherpower.com/

http://www.thebackshed.com/Windmill/default.asp

[87Warrior]

I really do not know much about the topic, but I know enough to think I understand it.

 

While in school I got to work with some architecture students who built a 'solar house', traveled across the country with it, and won some sort of award in Washington D.C. The semi-trailer sized house was powered by solar only. It had a lot of high dollar batteries and some power management system.

 

http://www.solardecathlon.org/2007/team_kansas.cfm

 

I am sure you can research it further if so desired.

 

My friend bought this book for his father. They have a hunting 'shack' away from any utilities and wanted a few more creature comforts. I thumbed through it and it seemed like a GREAT referance:

[Sir Sam]

Personally I wouldn't mess with a generator other than for backup. I would setup a system with solar power, and possibly solar hot water heater.

 

This website has very cheap solar panels, many people I know of are getting the 130W panel for their VW vans:

http://www.affordable-solar.com/kyocera ... panels.htm

(thats probably some of the best pricing you'll find)

 

Toss in a couple of cheap deep cycle batteries from costco, run your interior lighting on 12V (12V flourescents, 12V LED's) There are even a good number of 12V fridges that work better than the old ammonia-obsorbtion fridges run by propane that only pull 1.5-2.5 amps)

 

Harbor freight also has some various solar powered floodlights/shed lights that could be nice to have outside your front door type of thing(or maybe by your generator) like this:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=94747

 

Sounds like fun, I always wanted to setup a cabin like that!

[vaquaro]

There is an outfit in Kamloops that supplies solar powered systems for pumping water in remote areas . I'll get in touch with my old cowboss at the O.K Ranch in Jesmond to get you a name and phone # . They bought a kit and did thier own installation (12 volt pumps + inverter for 110 V ) ,works great . :D

[DirtyComanche]

Alright, some decent links there... I'll have to get reading.

[Wildman]

About 15 years ago, I ran into a Amish guy who "made" a diesel-generator that charged a bank of 21 golf cart battery's, which in turn would run a complete house. See one in operation, and it was kind of good setup.

 

The generator would kick on for about 20 minutes, maybe twice a day, and keep the battery's charged, the battery's would run thru a converter that supplied both 110 volts and 220 volts to the house.

 

This guy would set everything up, with equipment for $3500 (back then) and they figured the cost of running the system was about $30 a month in diesel fuel (in '95) The pay out was about 8 years, just about the time the battery's needed replacement.

 

I found a link for the generator, but not the complete setup -

 

http://www.thesolar.biz/diesel_battery_chargers.htm

 

The battery's -

 

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=w ... bP3rjcaz_Q

 

I know when this guy was doing the setup, the owner needed to build a shed to store the battery's and generator, and have an electrician wire it to the house.

 

With the "newer" solar panels, and windmills, I don't know if this system would be worth it today :hmm:

 

Plus, if you have a power supply near buy, in the long run, that might be the best way to go :dunno:

[DirtyComanche]

Plus, if you have a power supply near buy, in the long run, that might be the best way to go :dunno:

 

 

 

Negative. The power lines end 20K up the road.

[freakjeep93]

my camp has solar panels that charge banks of bateries and it works awsome

[brdhntr]

look into an wind power source (windmill). i know of several people that bought a wind generator kit and installed it for about 2 grand that runs everything electric they could want. an old family friends farmstead was done using a large windmill back in the 60's. they still have power today.