Floodlighting for Chickens

[Pantman]

We have free-range hens that need floodlighting to lay year round. I have attached a security floodlight to arctic cable which is plugged into an outside plug (weatherproof).

Sadly this light is insufficient. How do I attach more lights to the circuit? And what is the maximum total wattage I can use? The cable covers a total distance of 50m.

Thanks in advance

 

[xAlex]

...you will need to supply further information for anyone to help: How is the outside plug connected to the house circuit e.g. is it connected to a final ring circuit via a fused connection unit, or directly to the consumer unit. Also the size of the cable to the outside plug and to the plug if connected to the CU directly. Also the power rating of the floodlights you want to use 500W etc.

 

[Adam_151]

Does the light need to be white?

 

[Steve]

What wattage is the light you've fitted? A 500w one would light an average garden very well - what size area do you need to light?

 

[Lectrician]

One word - Metal Halide.

An 80watt Metal Halide produces more light that a 500watt halogen.

Imagine a 400watt or larger

 

[Spark123]

IMO Not a good idea to put a MH or SON etc onto a plug, they hurt if you unplug them and touch the pins!! (Voice of experience )

 

[ricicle]

One word - Metal Halide.

That's two words

Seriously though Metal Halides are very good and produce a very crisp white light.

 

[securespark]

Floodlighting For Chickens

You can use what you like, as long as the fittings are made by
"Cluck Lighting".

Don't use too few, or the effect will look Chickensian.

 

[Lectrician]

And dont use too many, cause they will be roasted

 

[Pantman]

Thanks for all the help (and chicken puns).

In answer,
1) I have no idea how the wiring is done inside, but there is a single weatherproof socket on an outside wall. I am just plugging a standard plug into it.
2) The area is large - we have 50-60 chickens and it needs to seem like daylight to them. I am hoping to put up a second 500W light and a 1000W light - a total of 2000W - but not sure if that's too much. Anybody know?

MH option sounds good. Easy to set up? Expensive to set up? Weatherproof? How would I go about setting this up.

The plan (pre-MH option) was to get a weatherproof 3 way junction box to get the three lights on one plug. Would that work?

Anyway the one 500W has taken the egg count up from 4 to 8. Height of summer we get 3.5 dozen a day; last winter we got 4-8 a month. I want the lights to get me back up to 20-30 a day t/out winter.

Thanks again

 

[Sureitsoff?]

surely the cost of electricity per day will be more than the cost of two dozen eggs!

 

[Steve]

Doesn't the criteria for free range eggs also say that the chickens should be free to sleep?

Dont use tungsten halogen, your electric bills will skyrocket. A couple of 70 watt MH lamps will do the trick

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/TCMET70.html

Light colour similar to halogen, IIRC - maybe a bit more daylight.