I recently bought a house that has a small metal shed (about 10ft x 15ft) attached to a car port, but it doesn't have any electricity. My wife's grandfather has experience running power to sheds, and I was considering whether it might be better to set up solar power with a battery system instead. I want to use it primarily for a small deep freezer and charging some power tool batteries. What would be the estimated cost if I bought the components myself and installed them? Also, what companies should I consider for the hardware?
4 Answers
The solar and battery combo works great as a backup, but I think you should also prioritize regular power first. Once you're set up with that, then consider adding solar the backup—it's a more reliable way to manage your energy needs.
If your shed isn't too far from the panel, just running power from your main panel could be a smart move. Underground feeder wire costs about a dollar per foot, plus you’ll need a few other materials, but overall you’re looking at just a couple hundred bucks for a solid connection. A battery system for a freezer would set you back at least $500, and you would need decent solar panels to keep up with it, so that adds up.
Yeah, that's a solid plan to think about! You could always run the power for now and then add solar later as a backup when you feel more comfortable with everything.
If you want a complete off-grid solar setup, it's likely to cost you around $10K. Honestly, though, having grandpa install an underground line from the house would be way cheaper—like around $500 for a small sub-panel that would give you all the power you need, even enough for an EV charger later.
Definitely let grandpa help you out! Get in there and lend a hand so you can learn the ropes for the future. After that, you could tackle solar when you're a bit more experienced.
I get your concern about power outages, especially since you want to keep meat frozen and have some backup for phones and lanterns. It might take a bit to get power back on in your area, depending on where you are. So even if you go for standard power, having the solar setup later could be a good backup plan.