On an off grid homestead, solar power is often the only difference between having lights and not having them. Grey Dog Maple Farms’ Syrup Shack, is lighted by solar power. However, you don’t need to live in the middle of nowhere to get the benefits of solar power. Even if your coop is in the middle of town, harnessing the power of the sun can save you money on your energy bill and bring lighting to a new place without having to bury wires. Today, I’m going to show you how to install a solar powered shop light in a chicken in coop. This project took less than 30 minutes.
There are many different types of solar lights. The good thing is that most of them install the same. I choose a pull chain type of light. This way I can control when the light turns on and off. This light was in stock at a local big box store and cost $29.99. It produces 2000 lumens and has two light settings, low and high.
We’ll start by removing all of the pieces from the box to make sure nothing is missing. You want to make sure the solar panel, light, and hardware were included.
Next, select a place to mount the solar panel. The West or Southwest are the best places. This will allow the panel to charge for a majority of the day. For this install, I choose the West wall of the coop. This gives the panel the most sunlight for this application. Before installing, it usually makes sense to remove the panel from the mounting bracket. This makes it easier to reach the screws. After the mounting bracket is attached to the building, reattach the panel.
Now that you have your panel mounted, it’s time to drill a hole for the wire to enter the coop. Your hole will be much larger than the wire because you also have to fit the light connector through this hole. Choose a bit that is big enough to make the hole and drill it out. After the hole is drilled, push the wire from the solar panel through. This unit comes with 15 feet of wire which is more than enough. Save the twist tie that came with it. We’ll be using that later.
This light came with an option for chain mounting or screw mounting. I mounted this with the screw option to keep it tighter to the ceiling. This way our heads wouldn’t bump it while in the coop. After measuring out your screw positions, put your screws in and snap the light into place. Now you can connect your light to the solar panel cord.
Both the solar panel and light are now mounted. Next, we’ll make sure the wire is properly secured and out of the way. To do this, we’ll use plastic electrical staples. They are available at most hardware stores and fairly cheap. Buy extra, these come in handy for lots of projects. I keep mine in a used coffee container for easier access. To install them, straddle the wire with one and pound the little nails in with a hammer. Make sure your wire runs in straight lines to keep a clean look. There’s also a good chance you’ll have extra wire left over. Bundle and tie it up with the twist tie you saved from earlier. You can use a plastic staple to help keep the bundle out of the way if needed.
We’re almost done. Now that the light, solar panel, and wire are all properly mounted, we need to seal up the hole that we drilled. I used paintable, weatherproof silicone. This will keep pests and drafts out of the hole. Notice the plastic staple that’s helping keep the wire secured.
Finally, your solar light is ready use. Most manufactures suggest charging the panel for an entire day before extended use. As long as you installed this during the day, your panel should have enough charge for a quick test. After that, let it charge for a day before using.
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Tools used:
Drill
Drill Bits
Hammer
Plastic Electrical Staple
Weatherproof Silicone
Solar Light Kit
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