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["Lynn Wigglesworth" <lynnw1366 AT hotmail.com>]

Bev; you'll need a battery with that, unless you don't care that the fence 
will only be charged when the sun is shining. Deep Cycle Marine batteries 
aren't cheap.

Lynn Wigglesworth
Tioga Co. PA

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "EarthNSky" <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>
To: "Homestead List" <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 11, 2009 4:59 PM
Subject: [Homestead] Solar and fencing(many questions and long)


> I've been out working on the fence today in preparation for renting the
> pasture-gotta have some kind of income, you know?
> When we first moved here, we bought a fence charger, the Cyclops Brute,
> that was simply awesome.  It was better than any charger I've seen.
>
> http://home.earthlink.net/~dtaylor409/order.htm
>
> 8 Joules, low impedance.  (I can never think or write Joules without
> recalling the lady at the farm store who sold it to me-she appropriately
> called it "Jolts". <g>)  It took a severe lightning strike and was a
> goner, and even though we have bought other chargers, none were as
> powerful as the Cyclops.  I was working near the end of the line one day
> and got zapped.  The damn thing knocked me back 10 feet and I 'came to'
> on my hands and knees facing the opposite direction.  That will get your
> attention.  It certainly got the goats attention, too.  Now, I want/need
> another one as I am hoping that it will keep the horses from trying to
> lean over the fence.
> As you can see, they are pricey.  I'll charge the expense-pun intended
> because it is worth every penny of $250.  My question though is about
> solar..
>
> If you notice on the above page they also sell the Brute Battery/Solar
> for $535 that includes a 50 watt solar panel.  The way I am looking at
> this is that for $285 more, I can off the grid with this.  If that is an
> incorrect assumption, please advise me.
>
> I had no idea of how large a 50 watt panel was so I searched around and
> I see this page:
> http://www.affordable-solar.com/bp.solar-350J-50watt-solar-panel.htm
> where the panel is $300.
>
> So here is my thinking...If I go solar, then perhaps I can use the saved
> energy battery power for not only the charger, but for other things if I
> don't have animals in the pasture.  If I bought the package from Taylor,
> do you think there would be some limiting factor(output or whatever)
> that would make the panel useful only with the Cyclops? or do you think
> I would be able to use the solar derived energy to run something else-a
> telescope perhaps, or run heat lamps for brooding chicks?
>
> I always hear people talk about deep cycle marine batteries when talking
> about wind or solar energy.  Practically, what is the difference between
> a regular 12 volt battery and a marine battery?
>
> Now for the really stupid questions...electricity is not my thing..
> If I have the charger run from the battery, and the battery is low or
> not fully charged(say it has been cloudy and raining all week), the
> horse won't get 8 Joules, right?  Will it be close or will it vary?  If
> he touches the fence and then a minute later does it again, will the
> second shock be as strong as the first one?
>
> I never underestimate an animal's intelligence.  I know they will test
> and try to find a weak spot in a fence.  If the charger is losing
> strength with every discharge, and the battery is not being recharged by
> the panel, then a horse or a goat will eventually win the game.  I don't
> want that.  I want every shock to be the same.  Do I have to go with AC
> power in order to guarantee that?
>
> Are all solar panels created equal-would these work?  Is one type better
> than another?  Is any one brand of cell better?
>
> http://www.amazon.com/50-Watt-Solar-Panel-Crystalline/dp/B000NPM64U
> http://www.affordable-solar.com/bp.solar-350J-50watt-solar-panel.htm
> http://www.infinigi.com/sunwize-sw50-50-watt-solar-module-12v-p-2291.html?ref=100
> http://store.sundancesolar.com/50wasopa.html?productid=50wasopa&channelid=FROOG
> http://www.altersystems.com/catalog/ge-50-watt-solar-panel-p-96.html
>
>
> Aside: It may mean nothing, but notice how many companies are sold out
> or have no panels to sell.  IMO, that is scarier than a low day on Wall
> Street.
>
> Other than purchasing some type of battery for the system, what other
> hidden costs are there with going solar for fence charging (or whatever)
>
> And finally, what else could I reasonably do with a 50 watt solar panel
> and a battery or two?  I guess I would need an inverter for powering a
> computer or something, right? Maybe something like this?
> http://www.earthtechproducts.com/inverter-sw600.html Is one panel and
> one battery enough to power a desktop computer for an hour?
>
>
> I don't know why, but I have some kind of mental block when it comes to
> understanding solar power and electrical stuff in general.  IIRC, the
> previous fence charger (AC) cost about $10-$15 a month to run.  That was
> 10 years ago. Even with those prices, the panel should pay for itself in
> about two years.  What is the life of a solar cell/panel?
>
> Thanks for taking the time to read and think about this.
>
> Bev
> --
> I am having an out-of-money experience.
> http://erthnsky.blogspot.com/
> EarthNSky Farm, Northwest Georgia, USA
>
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