wow - your 2 videos about solar panels have been fantastic. I am going to solar panel my shed and my campervan :)

@EnglishCountryLife

8 күн бұрын

Thank you so much. We have a third in the series now and more are planned kzread.info/dash/bejne/iquKsrSco7jHnJc.html

You're a natural at explaining things, thank you

@EnglishCountryLife

28 күн бұрын

That's really kind of you Matt, thank you 🙂

@windrider2857

4 күн бұрын

Hello, thanks for the simplicity of yours videos. Regarding that I don't have it, with the electricity your expertise will be very important and useful for me. So here we go, I need to run a small fridge of 40 lit. and consumption of 85 volts, and of course two mobile phones, the video camera and maybe a laptop. What do I need for this outdoor usage. Please your advises will be very important. Thanks in advance.

@EnglishCountryLife

4 күн бұрын

@@windrider2857 Hi, do you mean 85 watts on the fridge? 85 volts would be very strange!

Great video and super easy to understand mate. Very well done 🤓

@EnglishCountryLife

5 күн бұрын

Thanks so much 😁

Great follow up to pt 1 many thanks 👍

@EnglishCountryLife

25 күн бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

You said you'd keep the series going and you've definitely delivered. Thanks Hugh, great content. I have a 100w folding suitcase panel and two Bluetti EB3A power stations. They run my laptop when i work at home, however I'm intrigued about scaling up to a shed sized set up. Thanks for all your effort, it's much appreciated.

@EnglishCountryLife

27 күн бұрын

Thank you - next episode will look at power stations in more detail 🙂

Outstanding Hugh. I wish that I’d seen this years ago. Most probably the best simple explanation I’ve ever seen and your visual representations are ideal. Loving the wire will and 9v battery too 👌👍👏 Thank you

@EnglishCountryLife

24 күн бұрын

Glad it was helpful! Hoping to continue filming the next episode tomorrow 🙂

@happyglampers9053

24 күн бұрын

@@EnglishCountryLife Nice one. It’s great to watch a channel with diverse content. Especially when it’s clear that you know your onions👌And your teaching skills are second to none 👏👍

@EnglishCountryLife

24 күн бұрын

@@happyglampers9053 Blimey, thanks very much ☺️

Thank you so very much 💕 Very helpful, looking forward to showing my husband when he gets home ❤️ We are wanting to do a solar set up for our small deep freezer, refrigerator, hot water tank and our well pump💜🙏💖 We truly want to do a set up with the least amount of components as we can and keep them all separate! The information out there is so confusing but you broke it down nicely 💕 thank you ❤️ I am going to go back and look up your previous video! Again, thank you❤ God bless 🙏

@EnglishCountryLife

28 күн бұрын

Thank you! This is the first video kzread.info/dash/bejne/dq2kxrh6eZm9mLA.html

Great series of videos. I found this while browsing solutions to power my allotment shed.

@EnglishCountryLife

25 күн бұрын

Thanks Craig, that's a setup we are going to cover in detail in a future episode

Excellent thank you, helps to convey this info to kids ❤

@EnglishCountryLife

26 күн бұрын

So glad it was useful. Next episode will be power stations 🙂

Great explanation, please do some more. I admire your enthusiasm 👍👍

@EnglishCountryLife

28 күн бұрын

Thanks Paul - this will be a short series 🙂. Next one will look at power stationd as an easy "all in one" solution

This is great, thank you so much. I pushed the "transcript" button, that will be useful too on second go-through. One thing I'm going to have to do is a kind of flow chart, I think, to help me understand the multiple decisions and their implications. And I wouldn't say no if you were going to do a separate diy thing about how to mount portable panels, the kind of 100W ones. I have an idea for cutting down a piece of furniture, and I can't tell if it's nonsense or not.

@EnglishCountryLife

24 күн бұрын

That's a great idea. We plan to cover complete systems once we've covered all the components 😉

Another great video Hugh 👍

@EnglishCountryLife

28 күн бұрын

Thanks mate 😉

Great info thanks. I liked your explanationof the 4 types of panel. I'm looking to power up my shed soon so this was very timely for me

@EnglishCountryLife

28 күн бұрын

Thanks Ken, I plan to explore a few scenarios in detail and powering a shed / outbuilding is one of those scenarios

I really enjoyed this video as u made it so easy to understand about solar panels and what ones are good maybe do one on solar and wind turbines together as u know uk do not get much sun but wind and solar power together top up battery as I like to get into setting my own up one day keep up the good work

@EnglishCountryLife

28 күн бұрын

I'd really enjoy covering small scale wind as well, thank you for the suggestion!

Thanks you Hugh, for explaining so clearly, as always. I love how happy you are with the large powerstation. I have a small one, but think about upgrading.

@EnglishCountryLife

28 күн бұрын

The big ones really are game changers. I'm covering power stations in detail in episode 3 😉

Just watched this after watching your first video in the series. Excellent presentation and info, thanks. As a suggestion for future videos, I’m about to build workshop type shed that I will need power into and wanted to go down the solar route so a video aimed at this application would be a great help. I’d be mostly interested in what size of panels would be needed to run lighting (LEDs), power tools and possibly a small heater (electric oil?). Any info in this direction would be greatly appreciated. 👍🏻😎

@EnglishCountryLife

26 күн бұрын

Hi, we plan to cover specific builds in a future video. Lighting & power tools are easy one or two 400W panels should be sufficient. Heaters gobble power & are unlikely to be economically viable

Amazing show thanks, sounds so simple and straightforward how you describe it. Think a power station may be my way forward, looking to light up my market stall for a few hours in a summer evening.

@EnglishCountryLife

27 күн бұрын

Next episode will cover power stations in detail 😉

another great video

@EnglishCountryLife

18 күн бұрын

Thanks again!

This is great, thanks! Would you mind explaining wind power next? I'd love to make a little wind power farm in my yard or window (I live in my neighbor's shadow, so solar power, for me, isn't as practical as I'd like.

@EnglishCountryLife

16 күн бұрын

I would love to cover that, I'll look into it

@spacecaptain9188

14 күн бұрын

@@EnglishCountryLife Thank you so much!

Excellent...i need solar to power a greenhouse heating fan-blower during winter - i have various Citrus trees in pots.

@EnglishCountryLife

28 күн бұрын

That's a great use for it!

Brilliant cheers

@EnglishCountryLife

26 күн бұрын

Thanks 👍

Hi Hugh, Thanks for all the solar info so far, very informative and interesting. I'd love to hear how to set up a simple system for a shed to power a light and maybe one or two power tools such as a Dremel or a jigsaw. Not that I'm looking for a tailor made video for me or anything like that, but it would be good. Thanks again for your enthusiasm in sharing your hard earned experience and knowledge.👍

@EnglishCountryLife

28 күн бұрын

Hi Don, several people have asked for variations on this theme so I promise to do a video on just this topic later in the series. I will even show you my workshop!

I want to power a fan for my chickens for the summer & have been trying to figure out what I should get. Could you please address that scenario. I would appreciate your help in trying to understand that. The ones I've seen are 5" fans with 20 watt panels. I haven't pulled the trigger on buying 1 because I am just not sure about it. I sure am glad to get this 2nd video. At least with you explaining it I feel like I am starting to understand solar power a little bit. Please keep it up. It helps so much. Thank you for your help. Tell Fiona, still praying for her & her leg. Take care

@EnglishCountryLife

24 күн бұрын

Thanks Edith, keep reminding me & I'll try to include it!

Great post. love the very easy to understand information you gave. Would like to know more about the costs of panels and how much equipment to say run the average two or three bed house for the use of say lights fridge.tv etc Keep these posts going if you can very interesting👍

@EnglishCountryLife

21 күн бұрын

That's a great point. We would like to build up to that having covered all the basics first, then showing, for example, a solar shed & finally scaling up to a home

@shaunbanner6774

21 күн бұрын

@@EnglishCountryLife i thought as much .! Its me really my head always races ahead of myself with questions is all .But I look forward to seeing your next post if and when you get round to it..of course in your own time 🙄

@EnglishCountryLife

21 күн бұрын

@@shaunbanner6774 This time next week Shaun, we've filmed the raw footage 😉

Again, a nice simple clear video. For beginners it may be worth explaining the sizing of the setup. You mentioned using it on a shed. Perfect. Do you want to just power led lighting or do you want to run an inverter for power tools etc. I guess, as you said, the issue with sizing is location. In our Woodland the array is huge because it doesn't get much light. I hope some of this may give you some ideas. I am looking forward to the next videos. Oh, while I'm on about it, for off grid use, recharging batteries on an electric fence means a lot less maintenance. Any way, we'll done again love the water bottles!!!

@EnglishCountryLife

27 күн бұрын

Hi Paul, these are all great points. I think sizing a system needs its own video later in the series as there are a few factors in play - Winter vs Summer makes a huge difference as you know!

@pauldymott8991

27 күн бұрын

Too right. I think that many people will benefit from your series. Powering sheds, garden office space can be done for free. This series will definitely get your viewers thinking. Brilliant!!!

@EnglishCountryLife

27 күн бұрын

@@pauldymott8991 Thanks Paul - I'll do my best!

We have a campervan with a solar panel (130w I think) on the pop top. This charges a 12v leisure battery. That provides us with enough power to run a campervan fridge with freezer compartment, sink water pump, lighting and charge devices. We're self contained when it comes to 12v. Even in winter. The 240v is a different matter. We can charge our power station from it and get 240v power but, and it's a big but, the cost of a power station is quite prohibitive. If you want 1kw it's likely to cost £ 800 to £1000 ( the cost of a 2Kw petrol generator). Roughly £1 per watt hour stored. It's the charge controller and the inverter that costs the money. It could cost you £2000 to boil a £30 kettle. Using 12 or 24V to power a shed lights, charge anything that can be done by USB is a far cheaper and more flexible option than a power station. It's also far less attractive to a tea leaf. It also takes out the losses involved in boosting the voltage to 240 then transforming it down to 5v to charge your phone. I must admit, our 700wh box of tricks will keep the wifi running for around 12 hrs during a power cut. That reduces to around 5 if we put the telly on. Horses for courses.

@EnglishCountryLife

17 күн бұрын

It is, as you say always better to use native 12V but of course big power tools, big freezers etc. need 230V. Thankfully prices are coming down now. £1k easily buys a good 2kWh machine and you can find those under £700 now or less.

@chrisfox3161

17 күн бұрын

Ecoflow delta 2 max. 2Kw with 400w panels is £2194 on their website today. Just trying to point out to your subscribers that the things aren't cheap and are not the sort of thing to leave lying around in a shed. Solar energy and the ability to store it is incredibly useful. It just needs thinking about before splashing out.

@EnglishCountryLife

17 күн бұрын

@@chrisfox3161 But you can get an EcoFlow Delta Max for just £699 on the same site. Still 2.0Kwh. If anyone wants one I can offer a further 8% off that price to bring it down to £643.08. The 400W panel I showed is £60.52 delivered. That's £703.60. Literally one third of the £2194 you mentioned. It pays to shop around 😉 uk.ecoflow.com/products/delta-max-portable-power-station-refurbished?variant=47191948656979

@chrisfox3161

17 күн бұрын

I'm not arguing with you, Hugh. I'm putting forward my experience of these things. How they're not a panacea. About thinking before buying. Asking yourself questions about suitability in the circumstances. it's not a challenge.

@EnglishCountryLife

17 күн бұрын

@@chrisfox3161 Nor am I chris, just pointing out that they can bought considerably more cheaply than your response suggested. Panels now, particularly rigid ones, can be had amazingly cheaply. Firms like EcoFlow are selling off older models for less than I can buy the components for (and the difference between various iterations isn't that big).

Thankyou this is so helpful

@EnglishCountryLife

27 күн бұрын

Thanks Anita, there is certainly more to come. We will do power stations next - the one stop storage device for solar panels

Only a couple of days ago our leccy tripped out. After a brief session of switching circuit breakers on in turn the fault was traced to the pool pump house. A bit of further fault finding led me to a waterproof cable junction. The incoming cable from the house was 2.5mm. The chap who supplied and is the control panel then fitted 0.75mm cable which I questioned at the time but he assured me it was quite normal. Well, I've worked with electrics for 35 years and it didn't seem normal to me. Turns out that the live connection had melted ! Surprise surprise. I'm kicking myself for not having insisted that he use larger cable when he fitted it. Now then I think it's about time we had an update on the fabulous Fiona and her leggy recovery. 🙂👍

@EnglishCountryLife

28 күн бұрын

Blimey, that's scary Chris - and all too easy to have happen with solar. People just don't understand the effect of say 30A on a thin cable 😳

@chrishamilton-wearing3232

28 күн бұрын

I'm just about to set up the controller for the electric chicken fencing, luckily it all comes as a kit withsolar panel, charging controller and battery plus a weatherproof enclosure so no problems with sorting out wiring. Plus I have re visited your vids on electric fencing just to make sure.

@EnglishCountryLife

28 күн бұрын

@@chrishamilton-wearing3232 Always happy to help if you hit problems. I plan a short video on solar electric fences as part of the series

@chrishamilton-wearing3232

27 күн бұрын

@@EnglishCountryLife Well I will be watching the next vid as I do all your vids as more often than not there is something new to learn. I have a suggestion for a video topic which might be the fantastic Fiona's thing. Chicken first aid. Having had the ladies for 6 months now I thought it would be very useful to know what some of the common problems are, how to recognise them and what to do to prevent them or treat them including what to do with an injured bird, when should a vet be involved etc. And what sort of first aid kit would be useful to have. I'm sure a lot of new chicken keepers would find this useful and probably some of the more experienced ones as well. What do you think ?

Hi. Really enjoyed your video. The description of power and current using your water bottles is brilliant. I am thinking of building a pergola over my French doors to act as a sun screen to keep the room cool and I was thinking it might be an idea to use solar panels to make the roof and have electricity produced as a bonus. It would be about 4 metres wide by the length of the panels so I’m wondering If it would be cost effective and what I would power in the home to make it worth the effort.

@EnglishCountryLife

25 күн бұрын

4m wide could take 3 of those big panels I showed generation 1,000W on a good day. In terms of cost effective, solar does still have a fairly long payback where mains is an altetnative

Thanks again for the great video. I hadn’t thought about powering my pond pump on solar before but now you’ve go me thinking… I did wonder just for fun if I could use a mini hydroelectric generator to produce electricity from water flowing down my waterfall. This obviously wouldn’t make me more electricity than I’m using on running the pump but why not off set the cost…? I guess the cost of setting up would probably be prohibitive 🤷‍♂️

@EnglishCountryLife

28 күн бұрын

I suspect it would be pricey..but fascinating and fun!

For my situation? I would like to have one panel charging one battery or linking 2 batteries, in 3 locations of my house. I have 3 inverters. 3 panels. 3 Charge Controlers. No batteries.. The house is in shade during winter and shade in.specific locations in summer. I had thought of settup.innthe side yard, where sun is almost always in view. That would require long cable, so I bought that and the 4 Way joint plug, to stream all to house. But this will not help with the 3 Zones! Lol Another possible is using my TV Antenna Tower and instal the 3 panels up there, facing the 3 directions. Each panel would have its turn to be the Direct panel, in.the Setup. This makes sense, but it won't Charge 3 separate Zones. Mt Goal is to have Electric Power available for my main Utility Zones. Furnace, Well Water Pump.and Sump Pump is one Zone. Directly Above is fridge, stove and upright freezer. And other side of house in front full length of house porch, wh8ch has a Special Convection Low Watt Heater and a deep chest freezer. Placing a lamp in this area can help all Zones except basement, with light to navigate. So. Do I Chain the panels? Do I keep them seperate? Considering what you stated about Wiring? It looks like I might have too much Watts for one cable???

@EnglishCountryLife

26 күн бұрын

I would suggest a single system going to a distribution panel would probably be the best choice (multiple panels to one charge controller feeding a battery bank from which an inverter feeds into your house wiring). Heaters, driers & freezers are the appliances that consume the most power so it would need to be a big setup with multiple panels

@sgmarr

25 күн бұрын

I understand my Pro water pump is a huge draw. The forced air furnace is gas heat, with a modern motor, that does not have huge draw. My hot water tank IS electric and huge draw. The freezers are just ordinary motors that don't run much. The refrigerator runs more often, but a fairly even draw. Stove (Cooker) is gas, but has digital Controls, so low draw. And the porch heater is also low Amps and a low fan draw, but not gas. It makes sense to integrate into house Wiring, but I am on Public Electric Lines and they get cranky, if you use Solar. My batteries will Feed the Public Electric, rather than my house, IF I tie to the house wiring. I was hoping to simply Set Up these Sections. Test IF a panel and battery CAN keep it functioning. Then remove them from the house wiring and Public Grid. My true wishes IS completely independent System and going Off Grid. But they Charge a lot to Disconnect! LOL But there's a good reason to not fully disconnect! IF your System Fails? You have the Public Grid System. Also if you lack Sunshine.

@EnglishCountryLife

25 күн бұрын

@@sgmarr They encourage solar here so it's easier - excess solar energy is paid for by the grid. However it's possible to install a different distribution panel just for solar and then move just a single circuit (e.g. the furnace) onto solar power. It can be made switchable between solar and mains

Hi I have an allotment shed with no access to mains power. I would like to fit a fixed panel on the roof (it faces south) to provide power for 1) some 12v general lighting in the shed, 2) USB charging for phone, laptop Ipad etc and 3) allow me to charge portable tool batteries. I understand the basics you've covered but how do I work out what size panel and cable I need? Many thanks

@EnglishCountryLife

28 күн бұрын

Hi Peter, that's a very good question but one that's very tricky to answer in a comment section. I plan to cover exactly this subject in a future video if that's okay. The short answer is that what you describe is very achievable. You would need one or two of the large panels I showed (£60 each) a charge controller and one or more batteries. I plan videos to cover these two items to describe how to get the right ones. You probably don't need a mains inverter which keeps things cheaper 😉

@peterc2248

27 күн бұрын

@@EnglishCountryLifeExcellent, can't wait. Having access to power tools at the allotment will make life so much easier. Cheers

How does earthing work using a power bank or batteries?

@EnglishCountryLife

25 күн бұрын

Power banks generally don't need an earth being portable units (in the same way as generators). If creating a system yourself certain items such as inverters can be earthed

@simontemplarGB

25 күн бұрын

@@EnglishCountryLife I was considering the safety of the user of an electrical appliance that would normally be earthed.

@EnglishCountryLife

25 күн бұрын

@@simontemplarGB I understand, I'm no electrical expert but suppose it's no different from a battery powered drill or generator

Existing some mechanism, little electromotor, and some sensor, and they following sun light ? or i moust manualy changing position panel to sun ?

@EnglishCountryLife

2 күн бұрын

Hi! There definitely are systems available to follow the sun. Would you like to see a video on one?

@MrVidlak

9 сағат бұрын

@@EnglishCountryLife really? wow, the filming just doesn't work somehow when the person is away, and there is no one to turn the panel for him. It would be great

@EnglishCountryLife

7 сағат бұрын

@@MrVidlak We will include it on a future video