Theoretical Studio

[JSynthGuitarMan]

Understand this: This is not a solid plan. But when I describe it, it will seem as such. This is, at this point, a completely theoretical set up and setting.
[Note: I'm a split computer/music geek, but split more toward computers and do not speak advanced sound engineer terms, this will probably need to be translated into either simple geek or plain English. Secondly, I'm definitely not even a intermediate at electrical terms. Hence the questions below regarding solar panels]

Ok, so here's the idea.
A solar powered shed/outbuilding at least 18x10, completely soundproofed.
I'm assuming that solar panels completely covering the roof will supply enough power to keep this running.

Another thing is that the room would be split with a sound proofed wall in between giving space for a control room, and within, a live room.
The main questions are, when you start with the ground up on something as bare as a shed or an outbuilding, I'm assuming you can craft far better soundproofing, and whether solar panels would be sufficient to power such an endeavor.

Thanks for bearing with me, thoughts on this theoretical endeavor?

 

[TyphoidHippo]

I use solar panels for a few things around my place, and they really don't generate much juice at all. I think that solar power for a little studio, which would need A/C, lights and a ton of recording equipment might not really be feasible. I'm no expert but I'd venture a guess that all that stuff would draw from 3,000-6,000 watts, and I think most panels produce 100w at 12v dc. So you'd have to invert that to 110 ac and take a hit on efficency there, and you won't have light 24/7 to keep up with the drain all day long - you might end up needing like 50-100 of the 100 watt panels, which go for like $500 each. So a $25,000 - $50,000 investment in power... how long will that take to pay off? 10-20 years? Not to mention they're about 3.5 feet squared each or so, so you'd only be able to fit about 50 of them on a 180 sq ft roof, which might be enough, again... I'm just guesstimating here, and I may well not understand exactly how all those numbers even fit together... Just seems like it wouldn't be feasible to me. Maybe mshilarious or ethan will come in here and point out how everything I just said is bullshit, though (wouldn't be the first time!)

Your idea does sound cool though!

 

[westcotestudios]

Shed / Room 18 x 10 em! I think by the time you have insulated and soundproofed this area you will be hard pushed to have a live and a control room and get a band in there. However as a rehearsal / Mixing Room it might work.
I will also have to agree, the solar panel idea however well meaning will not work!

 

[TyphoidHippo]

Don't you love how homerecording.com is like... the only site in the world that *still* somehow allows double posts to happen (the page you're on is asking you to leave) wtf, lol... but I digress.... I wish somebody who really knew about this stuff (like really knew... I just use a couple of panels for gates and my deer feeders) would come in here and chime in already! And fwiw: I've made some *excellent* sounding recordings in less space than 18x10. One of them actually had some radio play nationwide, and was recorded in a hole in the wall about 10x12, I would guess, so I definitely don't think it's necessarily too small (not to jump on your opinion westcotestudios). More is always better - but that amount of space definitely can work, if it needs to.

 

[JSynthGuitarMan]

I've been running around with a measuring tape and imagining spaces, and I've come to the conclusion that 14x28 would be a far superior measurement with most things considered, and seeing ideal shed/outbuilding measurements.
18x10 is definitely [to my imagination] smaller than a decent size, and 14x28 might hold better promise in the premise of solar powering.
The info that could give a somewhat less vague answer about solar power is how much electricity will a studio use on average a month? Say if you consider the studio is used around 6 hours everyday with lights inside the building and microphones, keyboards, amps, computers, etc. all running?
Since we're so deep in the imagination spectrum already, why not draw up your ideal studio setup in a 14x28 space? My imagination is running in circles getting giddy. Too bad this isn't real. Yet. One day...