Want to set up a solar powered light

Gone West

Has anybody any reccommendations?
My budget is strict at €350 and I need a light or two lights that will illuminate a 30ft lorry container.

I'd want to put the panel on the roof, tilted at a wee angle south, bore a hole in the container, seal it, bring the cable inside, attach it to a battery (with/without regulator) and then that to the light + lightswitch.

Is this possible?

thanks!

GG66

Not sure if this will do the job for you, came across it from a link on a boards thread before. remember someone suggesting connecting it to a car battery...

2 x 40w might not be enough to light your container though?

http://ie.farnell.com/jsp/search/productdetail.jsp?SKU=129003302

More here.. http://www.solartechnology.co.uk/solar_mate.asp

10-10-20

With that budget - easy.
The only catch is how long you need to light it for!

Get this panel (10W): (£109)
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?TabID=1&ModuleNo=96897&doy=1m11
Scrap the small battery module.

Get this regulator: (£12)
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=37774&&source=14&doy=1m11

Get this battery... (7Ah L/Acid Bat 12V) (£29)
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?criteria=MG47B&DOY=1m11
Equlvalent to >70w/h.

And I have a feeling that these are 12v lamps... (£3)
http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=20608&doy=1m11#overview

Total not including holders for the above bulbs is £153 - €220.

That Farnel kit above is great crack! There is no battery so you can only have light when the sun shines! Ha Ha!

Gone West

10-10-20 wrote: »

With that budget - easy.
The only catch is how long you need to light it for!

Get this panel (10W): (£109)
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?TabID=1&ModuleNo=96897&doy=1m11
Scrap the small battery module.

Get this regulator: (£12)
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=37774&&source=14&doy=1m11

Get this battery... (7Ah L/Acid Bat 12V) (£29)
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?criteria=MG47B&DOY=1m11
Equlvalent to >70w/h.

And I have a feeling that these are 12v lamps... (£3)
http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=20608&doy=1m11#overview

Total not including holders for the above bulbs is £153 - €220.

That Farnel kit above is great crack! There is no battery so you can only have light when the sun shines! Ha Ha!

Thanks for the help but to be honest those products might light up a small toolshed or large wardrobe. 18W would probably be minimum.

cheers though.
I might try for better, more durable lights and that setup you have priced there.

10-10-20

True, but again, how long do you need the light on for and what will you be doing with the light? I absolutely accept that the lamps are the weakest link here, but if you are looking for the equivalent power of 2x 40W mains strip-lamps, you've got to put more cash to it!

In any case, both the solar panels and batteries are modular, meaning that you can snap on an extra unit as required and adding to the lighting as required.

CJhaughey

I would put the money into a big panel and reg/battery setup, then just run one or more of these: http://www.sealey.co.uk/PLPageBuilder.asp?gotonode=ViewProduct&method=mViewProduct&productid=7026
I don't think it's worth fecking about with built in lights in a container.

10-10-20

If you could find a supplier of those 12v bulbs, you'd be on a winner!
I made up an LED based vehicle work-lamp out of the remains of one of these recently, lighting is good, but nothing more than 2W.