A customer asked the other day how they could get power to their barn. At first glance it didn’t seem like much, but when we discovered the building was over four hundred feet from the house, further calculations were necessary.
Much like the conversation you have when determining what size panel you need, you start calculating load and usage. In the end, we discovered several options were available, only because the load wasn’t going to be significant, a few lights, a water heater, an outlet or two.
- Battery – Medium sized batteries are available though you have to watch your budget. The problem is refilling them.
- Generator – This works for periods when you are in the building, but the noise is distracting and you can’t just leave it running all the time.
- Renewable – Most notably solar, a system can be built to keep the lights on. This often needs a battery large enough to cover the usage for several days in case the sun doesn’t shine.
- Cable – The old fashioned way, a cable can work. You just need to bury it deep enough and it has to be the proper size and have the correct sheath. You can’t afford to use extension cords to go that length given the resistance. You would lose more power than gets to the end.
There are options for supplying power to outbuildings and if you think beyond the standard then you may be able to create something that not only works, but doesn’t detract from the aesthetics of your home.