Fun Inside a Solar Shed

Motivating, learning, and doing are the key components to moving upward in the pursuit of effectiveness. Planning the architecture and the building of a solar shed can be quite exciting. Learning the arts and sciences while implementing this project can be lots of fun. Earning and investing in solar energy can be quite a bit of fun while you learn. Making electricity, modeling the the universe, and building outdoor structures can be quite rewarding. I am approaching this project of the solar shed as a science fair project at this time.





Committing to a problem-solving approach to today's challenges is fun with a solar shed. The structure itself can earn money as you enjoy the rewards of a life of edutainment. Virtual vacationing in your own backyard spot is easy with a protean solar shed. Portable and practical electronics can have you running a playroom, study, studio, or office in no time. Toying around with educational stuff can contributes to a great investment in effectiveness.


Making architectural 3D models of the shed can be done with tool kits to build real wooden projects and with design kits to make your own 3-D models of a solar shed. You can even build models with real bricks and mortar with a kit from an online electronic catalog store. Great plans for outdoor structures can be obtained online as well. Solar vehicle experimentation can take place within the solar shed.

Garden Shed: Classical and modern Plans

Plans for a garden shed can take on a couple of forms. The garden shed fits my definition of a solar shed. Just as in recent times the light bulb has been redesigned by modern physics, the garden shed can take on a new form. That does not restrict the designer from sheds of the classical solar form. One way to start to plan for this outdoor structure is to go to your local home improvement store and bookstore, and find books with garden shed designs. I did this and purchased plans for a garden shed. I subsequently found the design online along with others that could provide for year round gardening.

The plans can be studied and transformed into a modern garden shed with various materials placed inside and out. Up on the rooftop one could place solar panels instead of skylights and within the shed one can place indoor gardening appliances. The shed could be constructed to power the indoor gardens with sunlight converted into electricity. Ideal growing conditions and effective use of energy are therefore the results of this effort.






Grow Bulb for AeroGarden3 (Package Of 1)

eStuff for an Outdoor Structure

The prefix e is usually associated with electronics. This posting will try to generalize the idea to a larger context. The universe itself is electric in nature. This force is sometimes hidden by the great balance there is in electric charge. Benjamin Franklin was one of the first to understand this basic conservation law even before the conservation of energy was really explored. Sunlight is a form of electricity and it can be used to power our electronic devices.



Radio was one of the first technologies to use electronics to control volume and channel selection as well as signal processing. Today, just as one can utilize free electromagnetic energy from the sun, one can make use of computing technology to record free AM/FM radio broadcasts and play back these recordings on a music player. The power supplies for all this equipment can be charged with free energy from the sun.







Engineering: EE and the Solar Shed
The solar shed is designed as a small power supply for the electricity needs for the solar lifestyle. Automation, control systems as well as free energy sources are part of the design requirements. This is truly a small household application for the crisis's that we are all experiencing. To optimize the energy harvest from such a device, site and electrical needs must be measured and everyday math and physics calculations performed.




Combining the words education and entertainment into one word edutainment began with the introduction of multimedia into the computing industry. Today, we can project the images from our phone or music player onto a larger screen for viewing video from infomercials or TV programs.



The environment can only benefit from the implementation of a solar shed. My goal this year is to plant an evergreen tree as part of our landscaping and and outdoor garden and decorate it with a strand of LED solar lights.

A Virtual Vacation with a Sunny Spot

Getaway for a few hours or even an entire weekend right in your own backyard. Learn how to work as you play by finding entertaining and educational first step solutions to the energy crisis. Work and shop from the comfort of your own backyard by discovering the world of pocket and portable electronics. Power your experiences with free energy from the sun. Just as sheds store your backyard equipment, a battery solar device can store sunlight in the form of electricity and serve as a battery to operate and charge your portable electronics.



Lighting the way can be fun with modern devices that consume very little power but give off lots of light with very little heat. I am experimenting with solar powered LED lighting this holiday season. This technology is excellent for lighting your outdoor structure inside and out for free. Storing sunlight and reradiating its energy at night is an excellent way to camp out in a cost effective way in the comfort of your own backyard.



Scrooge would have liked these economical lights. They can be run for free and the bulbs using modern technology will last a very long time.



Heat was discovered to be a form of energy. It is now possible to carry a heating system with you. There are portable and personal fireplaces that can be used indoors or out. Again we have a cost effective way to enjoy our backyard throughout most of the year.



A good project to get started with the solar lifestyle is with a hydrogen solar car kit. This will teach you about the physics of this new and exiting technology through experimentation with an actual working device.

My Library, My Study, and a Solar Shed

My library contains a lot of technical books. I actually have a room in my home that is designated as a library. In addition to this room, we have bookcases in our study, living room, bedroom, and office. An entire library of books can now be stored in digital form and reside on an electronic reader or computing device. Having an electronic library is one of my goals since I am in, what I call, "the business of being a student." Many of these titles are now available as ebooks. I am presently designing what I call the "portable and practical office." An electronic study or office could be used in any of these rooms as well as the properly equipped solar shed.

The solar shed is a device that harvests the sun's energy for a useful purpose. By its nature, the most direct way of utilizing the energy is to convert it into electricity. Just as physics has transformed the the flashlight from the classical one to a modern one, it has transformed the garden shed from a classical form to a modern green form. The solar shed, being a self-sufficient device, can exist along a broad spectrum from a storage area to a place to camp out to a comfortable office or a dorm room.

Consumer Electronics, BASICS, and the Pursuit of Effectiveness

Consumer electronics have made great advances during the 20th century and now continue into the 21st. With calculators, phones, computers, electronic readers, and pocket projectors becoming available, one can power an office, library, and study with smaller and smaller amounts of electricity.

A dialect of the BASIC language is included in the graphic calculator that I use, the TI-73. It can be found online at from some of the shopping marts and all-in-one great electronics stores.

Cost effective ways of keeping these devices charged and ready for use is advancing at this time. Electronics is changing the way we light our homes and power all those necessary electronic devices and appliances.

Consumer Electronics for Camping-Out in a Solar Shed

I have developed what I call a portable study/office. The parts list for this office includes:
* electronic reader
* netbook computer
* pocket projector and personal movie theater
* graphing calculator
* recordable AM/FM radio
* portable lap desk with speakers

These are the same unique electronic devices that any traveler can use. With a clear sky almost everything but the kitchen sink can be powered by the sun. One can even have the experience of shopping at the mall while camping out under the stars with portable electronics.

There are also some portable devices for capturing the energy contained in light available for the informed electronic shopper. These are part of the sun gear that can keep your mobile electronics charged and ready to use.

"PHAB" and the Solar Shed

The letters "PHAB" were attached to the concept of solar to involve physics into the study of the solar shed. The B suffix at the end of "PHAB" can be attached to the following list:

Balance - the many forms of balance in nature such as the atom
basics - physics is one of the most basic sciences
BASICS - the study of physics with the BASIC programming language
Business - The business of being a Student of the Solar Shed

I am presently in the process of compiling a book list for "PHAB"

Here is a link to a current project by PHAB.   Also check out my website:  Solarsheds101.com 

The Solar Shed (Inside and Out)

The first phase of utilization for my solar shed is to view it as a power supply for the adjacent home and garden. Our garden includes a pond with waterfall that I am intending to power with harvested solar energy. The shed itself is to be designed to combine conventional indoor gardening as well as new hydroponic gardens. Eventually the inside of the shed will be finished to accommodate room for living space such as an outdoor office. Lighting both inside and out are simple issues that the solar shed can address. I am experimenting with solar powered holiday lighting at the present time as a starting point for entering into a solar shed life style.

The Art and Science Involved in the Design of my Solar Shed

Everyday math and physics as well as a sense for landscape and structure design are involved in the development of this outdoor structure. Models of structures that use solar energy are available as a starting point. The next step I found useful was to study the science of photovoltaic devices and begin to explore how to integrate them into an aesthetic design for the solar shed. I began to sketch elevations that might fit into the home design and of course look into the angles the would prove most efficient in collected solar energy. The balance between art and science is truly contained in the solar shed. At this point, I am in the process of deciding whether to buy or build or even to combine these efforts in the process of implementing my solar shed.

The Solar Shed Lifestyle

If one begins with the study of the classical shed, they can find many reasons for building the outdoor structure. There are a continuum of implementations from camping to coziness that can be attached to the concept. One's first impression for the shed is a place to store things. At any rate, once the structure is defined one can proceed to form ideas about utilizing the shed. There are many books on the subject that can be found in do it yourself stores and bookstores. Once one defines the solar shed, they can then do the same with this concept. The solar shed itself has the ability to "farm" sunshine and convert it into electricity. This in itself gives a new dimension to what can be done with the space under the sunroof in this device. It could be a garden shed, it could be a way to supplement energy needs for a household, it could be used as an office for a home-based business or a study. It might be a storage area for recharging tools and lawn equipment. The next step after generating ideas for the shed is to select the one or ones that meet ones needs.

101 Things To Do in a Solar Shed

001 Workshop/Studio
010 Get away for a Weekend
011 Spot for Making Stuff
100 Science & Art Experiments
101 Explore How things work

Starting the Study of the Solar Shed

A portion of the swing set in my back yard still consists of the "tree-house" with a cedar shingle roof. I am in the process of decorating the structure with solar powered holiday lighting. I am going to mount the solar panel on the roof to test the site for a possible future solar shed.

My fuel cell hydrogen solar model car kit has a set of experiments that teach one about solar energy. The solar panel can be tilted at various angles to test for optimum absorption of energy. I am looking at this to give me an idea of good roof angles for a solar shed.

As with any subject, books on sheds and solar energy are quite valuable in studying the concept of the solar shed. I am compiling a reference list of such books for this study.

The complete solar shed could serve as an office for the practices of the business of being a student. I am developing a small portable office that I can use in the solar shed.




Finally, at this moment, I am looking at shed designs by studying books on sheds and various outdoor structures. I am communicating with solar shed distributors and builders, and I am coming up with ideas to transform conventional sheds into a solar shed.

Defining the Solar Shed

The essence of the solar shed can be found by definition. Naming something seems to give it meaning and purpose. At this point I have come up with a definition from my studies so far. I am defining the solar shed as an outdoor structure that converts some of the energy from sunlight to a useful purpose. The energy could be stored in batteries or a fuel cell or it could immediately be converted to heat or gardening. The device to convert sunshine could be as simple as a garden window or skylight or as elegant as an array of solar cells. With this definition in mind, the structure could be as small as a portable greenhouse with solar climate control or as sophisticated as a dedicated solar shed with photovoltaic components. This could also take the form of a green shed or garden shed with solar powered hydroponic gardens. Key concepts for implementing this definition of the solar shed are sunlight, photovoltaic,and green sheds.

Money and Energy (The Solar Shed Example)

The study of physics can be brought into the perspective of everyday life using the example of the solar shed. This certainly involves the concepts of energy and materials as well as space and time. A site survey is a necessity to decide how where to place the shed. There are ways to predict the amount of sunshine to expect from a site. The design of the shed, especially the roof lines can be a factor in the construction of the device. Will the shed be constructed to store energy or will it be used to supplement the energy needs of a household? Energy and money are similar in that one is the basic media for transactions in nature and the other the basic one for transactions in a society. If one begins a study of physics through the study of energy, one can learn quite a lot Sunlight is a form of electromagnetic energy. Electricity and heat are other forms of energy. Plants and trees as well as the lawn itself store the energy of sunlight. The shed can use a battery or fuel cell to store sunshine. The concept of conservation of energy has been an important one in the study of both classical and modern physics. One can proceed to determine the return on the investment of a solar shed.