4 x Solar Garden Lights €3.82 in Tesco

homer911

Picked up a pack of 4 solar powered garden lights in my local tesco for just €3.82- couldn't believe how cheap these were

Sold individually on the uk tesco site here: http://www.tesco.com/direct/solar-powered-stainless-steel-post-light/593-3079.prd?skuId=593-3079&pageLevel=

(Although the ones I bought claim 8 hours running time)

Kintarō Hattori

The disappointment is massive, I couldn't find any of these in Tesco Balbriggan.

bfocusd

Where is your local Tesco OP?

RUCKING FETARD

Landfill fillers is all cheap solar lights are.

gerryk

RUCKING FETARD wrote: »

Landfill fillers is all cheap solar lights are.

Not sure why you would think that. They can be hacked many different ways to improve or completely alter them.

paddy147

50 cents each in B&Q for Kingfisher Helious ones.Absolutely flying out the door,so they were.

paddy147

gerryk wrote: »

Not sure why you would think that. They can be hacked many different ways to improve or completely alter them.

Can you "enlighten" us here please?:)

RUCKING FETARD

gerryk wrote: »

Not sure why you would think that. They can be hacked many different ways to improve or completely alter them.

Aye, but most people wouldn't know how to or just wouldn't bother doing anything like that.

This cheap chinese crap will probably let water in, in it's first sun shower, a shake of the head and a curse from the buyer before in to the bin she goes.

Gae

Got a solar powered light for the garden (not specifically these Tesco ones) and it was completely and utterly useless. Never more than a very dim glow off it. I don't think we really have enough sunshine for them in this country, even in summer. Anyway, I'd be curious to hear how people get on with them. My bet is that they're getting rid of whatever stock they have because they know they're no good - and even if they work somewhat now, they'll hardly work in a couple of months when it's winter.

paddy147

I must be the exception then,becaue mine are bloody brilliant.

Still going strong at 2am in the morning.

thesandeman

Pics??

homer911

bfocusd wrote: »

Where is your local Tesco OP?

Stillorgan

Kintarō Hattori

I got some 'rock' style lights in our local €1.50 shop about six months ago. They work really well and have been subjected to the pouring rain and strong sunshine. They give off a bright white light- I'm quite happy considering they were just €1.50 each.

paddy147

thesandeman wrote: »

Pics??

There you go...kind sir...;):D

They are stainless steel and about 1 foot tall when planted in the ground.

TheDriver

nice garden

Block (8

Can't find these 4 for €3.82 but saw some 6 for €21 labelled super bright

The box says it has 3 leds but paddy147 yours seeem to have bajillions of them

Always wanted to buy some but read a lot of disappointed comments on them regarding brightness.

homer911

paddy147 wrote: »

There you go...kind sir...;):D

They are stainless steel and about 1 foot tall when planted in the ground.

Sadly no B&Q near me, but those look impressive

Sgt Pepper 64

paddy147 wrote: »

There you go...kind sir...;):D

They are stainless steel and about 1 foot tall when planted in the ground.

But these are daylight pics!

paddy147

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

But these are daylight pics!

Dont worry,Ill sort that out for you later on.;)

paddy147

TheDriver wrote: »

nice garden

My missus rather likes her gardening..thats all I will say.:D

griffdaddy

Can we get a few nighttime pics of your missus please?

RUCKING FETARD

paddy147 wrote: »

My missus rather likes her gardening..thats all I will say.:D

Thinly veiled I've a girlfriend post!:P

Feck, fair play to her.

Tell her to bend her knees there though, she's doing it all wrong.

griffdaddy wrote: »

Can we get a few nighttime pics of your missus please?

+1

paddy147

RUCKING FETARD wrote: »

Thinly veiled I've a girlfriend post!:P

Feck, fair play to her.

Tell her to bend her knees there though, she's doing it all wrong.


+1

Ah she knows what shes doing..she just gets stuck in and doesnt complain.:)

paddy147

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

But these are daylight pics!

Still going strong..as of 2:15am this morning.:D

Im off to bed now.

Tabitharose

gerryk wrote: »

Not sure why you would think that. They can be hacked many different ways to improve or completely alter them.

I've replaced the rechargeable batteries before, but what else can be done with them? thanks

johnwest288

Ive had many a solar light over the years and dont bother with them anymore.
Last lot i got where from Home Store and More. First month they looked CLASS. Very Bright really impressed. They lit up for hours on end. After about a month they started to only last a while after dusk and died a death soon after. Many they were a cheap kind I dont know. If there was such a thing as a Long Life Solar Light I would defo invest in them thou but just aint seen any yet.

Kintarō Hattori

I'd like to pop out to B+Q to get some of these but won't be able to for a good while yet- at which point they'll most likely be sold or gone up in price. On the off chance that a fellow Boardsie from Balbriggan is heading out there- any chance of picking up say 10..... I'll pay 100% more!!! :pac:

joconnell

Apparently the solar ones light themselves up but don't actually illuminate the ground around them. Would love to do this without mains wiring but they don't seem to be there yet!

tatli_lokma

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

I'd like to pop out to B+Q to get some of these but won't be able to for a good while yet- at which point they'll most likely be sold or gone up in price. On the off chance that a fellow Boardsie from Balbriggan is heading out there- any chance of picking up say 10..... I'll pay 100% more!!! :pac:

Hey - I'm going to pop into B&Q in swords on my way home tonight. I'm going to give them a call first to check if any are still in stock - if they are I'll PM you and pick up some for you.

ETA:

Not a one available in any store in Ireland apparently - discontinued. You might get one or two apparently if someone returned them, but no stock showing on the system anywhere. Damn you Paddy147 teasing us with hope of wonderful illumination only to have our hopes and dreams shattered! :P

Kintarō Hattori

Little Ted wrote: »

Not a one available in any store in Ireland apparently - discontinued. You might get one or two apparently if someone returned them, but no stock showing on the system anywhere. Damn you Paddy147 teasing us with hope of wonderful illumination only to have our hopes and dreams shattered! :P

Damn you Paddy- damn you to helllllll!!!!!! :pac:

Shiny

paddy147 wrote: »

Can you "enlighten" us here please?:)

This is the best hack I have seen for solar lamps.

paddy147

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

Damn you Paddy- damn you to helllllll!!!!!! :pac:

What can I say??



....."the early bird gets the worm"......:D




Heatons were selling them aswell

4 euro each or 2 for 7 euro.

paddy147

joconnell wrote: »

Apparently the solar ones light themselves up but don't actually illuminate the ground around them. Would love to do this without mains wiring but they don't seem to be there yet!

But thats the thing,solar garden lights are really aimed at just adding a nice touch to the garden.

If you wanted to do this.......you could add a PIR to your porch lights so that when you enter the garden the porch lights would activate as you walk or drive up the driveway.

This way the garden and drive way is illumated,as and when you need the light.:)

johnwest288

paddy147 wrote: »

But thats the thing,solar garden lights are really aimed at just adding a nice touch to the garden.

If you wanted to do this.......you could add a PIR to your porch lights so that when you enter the garden the porch lights would activate as you walk or drive up the driveway.

This way the garden and drive way is illumated,as and when you need the light.:)

Paddy What is the Range of your PIR . I would like it to activate my porch lights from the Gate which is about the the lenght of a transit van . Are they connected to your Up lights?. Im thinking i may need to wire the cable along my garden wall to hit people right at entrance

paddy147

johnwest288 wrote: »

Paddy What is the Range of your PIR . I would like it to activate my porch lights from the Gate which is about the the lenght of a transit van . Are they connected to your Up lights?. Im thinking i may need to wire the cable along my garden wall to hit people right at entrance

Its a Robus outdoor PIR.
Its 180 degree adjustable and it will activate from 10 meters away.The neighbour was setting it off at a 10 meter distance,so I adjusted it to 8 meters distance to save power and needless activations.

Its mains wired from the light switch inside the porch to the 1st porch light and then the 2nd porch lights is daisy chained off the 1st porch light.

I currently have it set at 8 meters distance.Very handy for when a car pulling into the driveway or lifting the shopping out of the car when its dark.

Also handy for being able to get the keys into the door,when you have a few bevvies and are rather "merry".;):D

Access

paddy, is it setup up so you must have the switch inside ON to power to PIR (which power the lights when triggered by someone walking up)

Or is the PIR constantly powered and switch just used to override the PIR if you want to leave the outside lights on?

Am wondering cause i want to do something similar to my outside lights.


I take it that robus pir has a dusk function to stop it being set off during daylight? and what sort of trigger time have you set on it (how long do the lights stay on for?)

Sorry for going off topic on this one, but nice little setup there.

Kintarō Hattori

Seems you've become a bit of a sensation Paddy- how are you handling your new found adulation?

RUCKING FETARD

Access wrote: »

paddy, is it setup up so you must have the switch inside ON to power to PIR (which power the lights when triggered by someone walking up)

I've had a few so will tell how they worked, switch has to be on.

Access wrote: »

Or is the PIR constantly powered and switch just used to override the PIR if you want to leave the outside lights on?

You can't leave the lights on. It'll come on when triggered and that's it.

Maybe theirs some uber expensive ones that'll do that, don't know.

Access wrote: »

I take it that robus pir has a dusk function to stop it being set off during daylight? and what sort of trigger time have you set on it (how long do the lights stay on for?)

They won't come on during the day at all, even if you want them to, unless you fiddle with the settings. You set how long you want them to stay on for yourself.

paddy147

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

Seems you've become a bit of a sensation Paddy- how are you handling your new found adulation?

Well the good people of Boards helped me out with alot of stuff when we were building the house so its only fair that I "try" to help people out too.:)

Spipov

looked at the bollard ones in tesco nutgrove. 4 for 15 euros. they hadnt decreased, even brought it to the customer service desk and had a price check.


oh well

paddy147

Yeah the porch light swtch is switched on ALWAYS.

The Robus has an adjutsable dusk/light setting,so you can adjust the PIR to come on at a what ever dusk/light setting you like.

Once the PIR senses the dusk setting you have set it to,it triggers the lights when the actual PIR senses movement from a person walking or driving within its range.

The lights can be set (via the PIR adjustable timer) to stay on for anything up to 10 minutes,once the PIR triggers the lights.

If you switch off and on the light switch inside the porch twice in a row then the PIR overrides itself and the porch lights will stay on for 8 hours.

RUCKING FETARD

paddy147 wrote: »

If you switch off and on the light switch inside the porch twice in a row then the PIR overrides itself and the porch lights will stay on for 8 hours.

Oh, mine never did that.

paddy147

RUCKING FETARD wrote: »

You can't leave the lights on. It'll come on when triggered and that's it.

Maybe theirs some uber expensive ones that'll do that, don't know.

With the Robus PIR,a double flick "off and on" of the light switch,and the porch lights will stay on for 8 hours.

Then after 8 hours the lights switch off and the Robus PIR goes back to its normal mode of dectecting and activating the lights,when someone triggers the PIR by entering its range.

paddy147

I also have a 360 degree PIR on the side of the house that activates the lights down the side.

This is set to a 6 meter range in each direction.

Exact same setup as the porch lights and how they operate.

paddy147

45 euro would pick you up a pair of porch lights with built in PIRs.

These are "Eclipse" and are pretty good ones (bought from Grange Electrical in Baldoyle)

Take off your existing/old porch lights,screw these new ones on,adjust the PIR setings on both of them,and thats it.

No need to run new wires anywhere.

An 11w B22 (screw cap) CFL bulb or else a 6w B22 (screw cap) LED bulb and toy will be fine for light.:)

paddy147

Anyway.....sorry for straying off topic.

Just trying to help.

johnwest288

paddy147 wrote: »

With the Robus PIR,a double flick "off and on" of the light switch,and the porch lights will stay on for 8 hours.

Then after 8 hours the lights switch off and the Robus PIR goes back to its normal mode of dectecting and activating the lights,when someone triggers the PIR by entering its range.

Thats a nice feature as on weekends I like to leave porch lights on most of the night, Is there a particular model number on that robus PIR?
My lights are robus too. I wonder does the PIR work on Dimmers as belive it or not i have my porch lights on dimmer switches lol Dont ask :rolleyes:
Uplights are a nice feature actually.

paddy147

johnwest288 wrote: »

Thats a nice feature as on weekends I like to leave porch lights on most of the night, Is there a particular model number on that robus PIR?
My lights are robus too. I wonder does the PIR work on Dimmers as belive it or not i have my porch lights on dimmer switches lol Dont ask :rolleyes:
Uplights are a nice feature actually.

Code is as follows.....

R180-01.......white coloured PIR

R180-04.......black coloured PIR

Any decent electrical wholesalers will have these,around 15-18 euro for 1.:)

See page 10 of the PDF link below.:)

http://www.led.ie/led/led/uploads/1538.pdf


The porch lights I have are "up and down" wall lights.Got them for 60 euro.I also installed 2 Philips Master 4w LED GU10s into each of them.