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Cabin Solar Guide
Cabin Solar Guide
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You might not realize when purchasing remote land for a cabin, but running a cabin off-grid can sometimes be the most cost effective and easiest undertaking.
Info on Building A Solar Cabin
Welcome to the Cabin Solar Guide. We have sold tons of products to many cabin and cottage owners. They are a creative group of free thinkers. They have been a pleasure to work with all these years. In this cabin solar guide, I hope to share a bunch of info to get you started on your off grid solar journey.
Most example will focus on cabins without other power sources. There will be one example for a cabin with generator for additional power.
Most example will focus on cabins without other power sources. There will be one example for a cabin with generator for additional power.
Adding solar panels to your cabin
We all like to get away. Some of us like to really get away. This is where small off grid cabins are found. These are cabins found in the middle of the woods where power and cable lines are few and far between.
Solar power is perfect for these small cabins. Solar can provide basic power for lighting, power inverters, and battery charging.
Most solar setups will require that your cabin meet certain basic solar requirements.
- Cabin must have southern exposure that receives full sunlight.
- Owner must be able to bring solar panels to cabin, even if one at a time.
- Solar panels should be able to be secured for inclimate weather.
- Solar Exposure should be within 50 feet of cabin to reduce wire size.
- Owner should expect to also need batteries, power inverter, and charge controller.
A basic solar cabin uses the following components.
- Solar Panels
- Cabling from Panels to Battery
- Wire connectors
- Fuses
- Ground Wire
- Grounding Rod
- Battery Bank
- Power Inverter
- GFCI Outlets or Breaker
- Cables from inverter to Battery Bank
- Solar Charge Controller
This diagram does not include every feature or design item, but is a simple layout to help you understand what components are included in setting up a cabin for off grid solar use. Many people use DC lighting in combination with higher quality AC lighting to fill in when needed. We can help you calculate a system for you. Expect to buy a really large solar setup to run even a small air conditioner, electric heater or normal refrigerator. However other loads can be done even with a modest solar panel setup. Check out our Solar Cabin Page!
The answer to your off-grid refrigerator might just be the Go Power AE-6 kit
Refrigerators in Class A, Class B and Fifth Wheels have gone to residential types. These residentials types will not runn off of your battery bank alone. You need an inverter, a large battery abnk and solar panels to operate seamlessly. A generator on board is always a good choice as well.
Go Power AE-6 Solar Kit
Designed for refrigerators and larger loads
More power from the sun for faster recharge times
Just add a battery bank of 500 to 1000 amp hours, and this kit will usually support your fridge off-grid. There will always be low light weeks where a short generator run or plugin will kepp you going. The AE-6 has the power to keep it charging and running. The six in the name is for 6 solar panels.
More portable solar kits to take a look at
A simplier power system for your cabin may just be a powerpack. Our Portable Power Guide may provide some insights into how a portable power unit could make your off-grid cabin livable with basic electronics with a single purchase.
