# Self made solar batteries



## Spambrah (Aug 29, 2014)

I don't own a snake yet, and I just want people's opinions on this topic. 

I've noticed it's quite costly to own a reptile. Mainly because there is such a high need to keep the enclosures at the right temperature.

Has anyone tried out, or thought about setting up their own solar panels to power a battery and use that juice to supply electricity to the enclosures heat sources? I see adverts on camping websites boasting that their solar panels, attached to a battery and amp metres could regulate and supply power to a boat running many electrical devices (even a computer apparently). 

Would you think it'd be a feasible option to use a solar powered battery maybe for a day, then recharge it again? 

I came to this thought because I live in a rental, and wouldn't be allowed to have solar panels installed on the roof, however I think electricity companies charge excessive amounts, but that can't be circumnavigated, but I was trying to think of ways to reduce power bills.

I would like to try and make something that reptile keepers could use to assist them, that is safe for both the reptiles and the keeper.


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## wokka (Aug 29, 2014)

To maximise the profitablility of solar power you need to maximise the return for the energy produced . To do this, it is best to bypass the reseller suppliers as they operate at a profit which you dont get. You dont need to install solar on "your " home to do this. Find a property owner who is happy to buy solar power. Install a system on their property and sell them the energy produced to power their property. You should get a tad under retail prices to make it attractive to the property owner. You can use the income earnered to ofset the grid energy purchased for your rental property.On top of that you both get the warm fuzzy feeling of helping the environment. Investing in solar, and reducing your energy bill can be two different operations!


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## andynic07 (Aug 29, 2014)

The commercially available solar systems that people have on their houses do not use a battery system to store power, they produce power and the power is either consumed in the household or exported into the network and this is done this way because a battery storage system would be expensive and require a lot of room. Solar power isn't overly efficient because the rating on the panel is only available at the peak time of day when the sun is directly above the panel and they also only produce for a small amount of time during the day.


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## junglepython2 (Aug 29, 2014)

Owning one snake is cheap as chips, powering a 60W heating device whether it be a globe or cord or mat is only going to cost around $75 for the whole year. Presuming it is running 12hrs a day at full power which in most circumstances is excessive anyway.

You will will be waiting a long time to get your money back from any investment in solar especially if you are utilising a battery as well.


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## Fil_14 (Aug 30, 2014)

I got myself a solar panel for about $30 plus a battery, for some lights on my patio. The solar panel itself is designed for caravans, and cars that sit dormant. 
I did think about a similar setup to power my enclosures. But what sprung to mind was, how long can your car sit there with the lights on, before the battery is drained? I'll probably need something like a truck battery or bigger. 
So for what it's worth, I'm sticking with electricity. 


Fil...


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## MrVic (Aug 30, 2014)

You would need a rather large array of batteries to power a heating element or globe. You will also need to run an inverter to convert the DC to AC before you can use it.


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## Spambrah (Aug 30, 2014)

Problem solved it sounds like. Thanks for your thoughts.  

My biggest deterrant for getting a snake is the power costs. But it doesn't sound too much. 

Thanks again for your input.


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