Solar panels for home use with led lights

Submitted: Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 at 17:13
ThreadID: 54305 Views:2442 Replies:3 FollowUps:12
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G’day all , I am currently renovating at home and one of many jobs is to provide lighting under the pergola (colorbond steel frame with polycarbonate sheeting)which measures 10.0 m wide and 6.0 long .
I’ve got 240v downlights in the eaves along the house and there great ,but a little bit dark toward the outside edge, where I would install maybe 7 x 12 volt lights (at 1.5m apart).
So my thoughts are trying to utilise two 64 watt solar panels I have at home with the batteries on the camper that sit there most of the year doing nothing.
Can anybody offer advise/recommend a led type spot light to use along the gutter end similar to the interior lights in caravans/some campers.
Eg wiring 10.0m + 5.0m to anderson plug to extension lead from camper battery , possibly set up to timer or sensor to come at dusk and switch off at dawn if batteries will keep up to it.
I have looked at Springers/12 volt shop & ebay but would like to hear from some one who has this type of light. Would they suit this application or would I need more of them??

Thanks in advance
Michael H
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Reply By: Derek from Affordable Batteries & Radiators - Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 at 19:29

Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 at 19:29
The best down light is a 18 Led 12V DC unit and they produce about the same light as a 20W Halogen.

They draw 0.20 amps each. If you use a 100 a/h battery and a 50W panel and regulator you can run around 12 of these lamps for 8 hours a night and never run out of power.





Regards

Derek.
AnswerID: 286020

Follow Up By: Member - michael H (NSW) - Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 at 22:03

Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 at 22:03
Hi Derek and thanks for the reply.

Can I ask if I installed these lights on "angle brackets with a hole drilled in centre" without having to recess them into the hollow steel beams would the lights also shine upward toward the roofing or are they sealed. They look like these are the type I need.

Thanks Michael H
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Follow Up By: Derek from Affordable Batteries & Radiators - Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 at 22:12

Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 at 22:12
Sealed on the back.

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Follow Up By: Member - Brian A (NSW) - Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 at 22:25

Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 at 22:25
Derek,

do bugs find them attractive?

thanks
Brian
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Follow Up By: Member - michael H (NSW) - Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 at 22:36

Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 at 22:36
Hi Derek

Thanks for a quick response and picture to go with it.
I will visit your shop shortly but you have got me thinking.

"They draw 0.20 amps each. If you use a 100 a/h battery and a 50W panel and regulator you can run around 12 of these lamps for 8 hours a night and never run out of power."

With 2 x 200 amp batteries and 128 watt of panels I might look at similar lights in the garden and maybe a car sound system mounted permanently on the back deck.

Thanks Michael H

ps. just talked myself into another job lol.
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Follow Up By: Rod W - Thursday, Feb 07, 2008 at 12:02

Thursday, Feb 07, 2008 at 12:02
Brian,

I have a couple of LED camp lights. They are pretty well bug free. You may get the odd one flying past but not attracted to the light.
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Follow Up By: Derek from Affordable Batteries & Radiators - Thursday, Feb 07, 2008 at 12:23

Thursday, Feb 07, 2008 at 12:23
They are the cool white so the bugs are not attracted to them.
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Follow Up By: Member - Brian A (NSW) - Thursday, Feb 07, 2008 at 12:57

Thursday, Feb 07, 2008 at 12:57
thanks Rod W & Derek for the feedback.

Looks like Cool White is the go.

Brian
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Reply By: Philip A - Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 at 20:09

Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 at 20:09
Have a look here
http://www.ledshoponline.com/ledlowvoltagebulbs38acdc.htm

I have two of them for my camper trailer and am very pleased with them. Equal to about 20W halogen and they fit in any MR16 Downlight fitting.
The high kelvin (blue) ones would be brighter but SWMBO likes warm light.
Regards Philip A
AnswerID: 286032

Follow Up By: Member - michael H (NSW) - Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 at 22:19

Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 at 22:19
Hi Phillip,

Thanks for posting the link, Those led replacement bulbs look great but I think they would throw a fair bit of light back up onto the roof unless I recess them into the steel beam or make a box for them to sit in (Can you tell I'm trying to get out of drilling/recessing these lights and the wiring ).

Thanks Michael H
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FollowupID: 551076

Follow Up By: Member - Brian A (NSW) - Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 at 22:30

Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 at 22:30
Phillip,

in your experience, are the bugs attracted to them?

I have a 21 led strip light, and a 30 led light similar to these, and have found that I only get a few bugs attracted to the strip light, whereas the other lamp attracts hundreds. I assume they have a different "K" rating, but unfortunately the paper work they came with is gone.

thanks
Brian
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Follow Up By: Philip A - Thursday, Feb 07, 2008 at 09:37

Thursday, Feb 07, 2008 at 09:37
(Can you tell I'm trying to get out of drilling/recessing these lights and the wiring ).

I have mounted mine inside a bit of PVC 2inch pipe . I have made mine into lights with caps and switches, but an easy way to mount them would be to get about 80MM of pipe, and a cap. You just silastic the bulb in one end, and you could glue the cap to the ceiling. sockets are about $3 from Jaycar.

Re the insects. I dunno, as I use them inside the camper.
I have a Versalite for outside and a 40LED trouble light from Supacheap. Neither seem to attract too many insects.
Regards Philip A
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Follow Up By: Member - michael H (NSW) - Thursday, Feb 07, 2008 at 10:21

Thursday, Feb 07, 2008 at 10:21
Great idea Phillip.

Thanks Michael H
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Reply By: Ozboc - Thursday, Feb 07, 2008 at 06:50

Thursday, Feb 07, 2008 at 06:50
yeh , use your camper more !!!! -- they sit for most of the year not being used ?????

mine cop a thrashing ever 2 weeks ( solar pannel and batteries) ALL YEAR LONG


Boc

P.s sorry i don't have anything to contribute to this thread :) , just got off a 12 hour night shift .....

AnswerID: 286091

Follow Up By: Member - michael H (NSW) - Thursday, Feb 07, 2008 at 08:48

Thursday, Feb 07, 2008 at 08:48
Hi Boc

I know I know, I should be camping a bit more, Hope to finish house reno's by September for a birthday bash at home but by then I'll be too broke to go anywhere lol.

Thanks Michael H
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