Hey everyone! I'm in the process of turning a 1500 sqft pole shed into a cozy cabin on my hunting property, and I'm exploring ways to set up a solar power system for it. I'm insulating the place with R-19 insulation, and it will have 14 ft ceilings with a small sleeping loft. I checked with my local power company, and they quoted me about $10,000 just to run power to the building, so I'm planning to go solar instead, doing the installation myself in stages over the next couple of years. This year, I want to wire the building up, set up a small subpanel, an inverter, and batteries. Next year, I'll add the solar panels and charge controller. For now, I'm thinking of building a tray for 12V or 24V lithium-ion batteries, charging them at home, and bringing them down to use when I'm there on weekends. I won't be down there for long at a time, and I'm only planning to power lights, charge my phone and laptop, run a ceiling fan, and possibly a small TV—no heating or cooling needs. Any advice on equipment, component sizing, or suggestions for staging the construction for solar generation would be super helpful! I'm about four hours from the cabin in a cold northern Midwest climate, so I'll winterize the system and take the batteries home for winter. I'm also looking at a ground mount system for next year. Thanks in advance for your help!
2 Answers
Check out the YouTube channel @cleversolarpower; they have plenty of ideas and cover a lot of great topics on solar setups! For now, consider getting a portable solar generator like a Bluetti or EcoFlow Delta Pro. It has everything you need built-in, and it’s a great way to gauge your power usage before you install a permanent system. Then, once you have your main setup, you can still use the portable unit for other trips!
I’d recommend going for a 24-volt system with USB-C PD outlets instead of 120 volts. Using PD triggers can help you run most DC-powered devices efficiently. Also, think about storing your batteries below the frost line; maybe a root cellar could work for keeping them insulated during winter.
That’s a great tip! I’m in a similar situation and finding that starting with a portable unit gives you a better idea of what you actually need before committing to a full system.