Lights powered by battery for polytunnel

Conmaicne Mara

Just thinking about this now, the budget hasn't been gathered

If all goes well I'll be erecting a 25 ft x 42 ft polytunnel to lamb in. Lighting would be useful, that said I have an array of LED torches I can rig to do the job.

What I was wondering about was a solar panel topping up a battery, which LED lights would run from, so I could flick a switch and turn dark into light.

Anyone know of such a set up? I would mount the panel and keep the battery in another shed close by which is more secure than the tunnel.

Have no ESB on site.

moy83

There are solar panel floodlights but I dont know would they do as long as you would need when lambing .
Higgins hardware in galway had LED rechargeable flood lights for €40 before Christmas, that were meant to last 7hrs , I meant to pick one up but never got around to it .
There was a lad on adverts selling solar panels that would charge a car battery too , I think all you needed to put with it was a regulator to stop it over charging

Askim

How about a small genny, could lock in shed & run 110v lights, would have light while your there & power for heat lamp, kettle for hot water to wash & a mug of tea etc

A

reilig

I bought a 20w LED rechargable floodlight off ebay last year. It's on a stand. I use it when i saw or split timber during these dark evenings. A full charge lasts 5 to 7 hours. It gives off great light yer it's small and handy for moving around. €70 it cost me. It would be a grand job for lighting a poly tunnell.

Conmaicne Mara

Food for thought there. Must follow up them leads.

I find gennys and me don't get on, I would only use it very seldom and when I want it, there's something gunked or clogged somewhere which entails taking the thing apart etc.

Bodacious

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

Food for thought there. Must follow up them leads.

I find gennys and me don't get on, I would only use it very seldom and when I want it, there's something gunked or clogged somewhere which entails taking the thing apart etc.

+1


plus the noise wouldn't help when you at full stretch taking a lamb.. would car battery and bull dog clips and light do you

Conmaicne Mara

Bodacious wrote: »

+1


plus the noise wouldn't help when you at full stretch taking a lamb.. would car battery and bull dog clips and light do you

Sort of what I am thinking, just add a solar panel that could top up the power in the battery and I don't have to be dragging it all over creation.

Farmer Pudsey

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

Sort of what I am thinking, just add a solar panel that could top up the power in the battery and I don't have to be dragging it all over creation.

The issue is getting a good quality solar panal that will charge battery enough during the day. Lots of days can be overcast at present so you may get limited charge. You will also need the panal to be above any possibling shadowing caused by adjacenr building's, it will need to be secured well as if it blows off or falls it will break.

If you are using a battery check it voltage regulary at the start to make sure that it is recieving enough charge, that way once a week you can top it up off a battery charge if needed, nothing worst that being at a job and the lights go out.

ford2600

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

Sort of what I am thinking, just add a solar panel that could top up the power in the battery and I don't have to be dragging it all over creation.

If Reilig's would suit, for €70 it'd be hard to beat.

Anything portable is liftable by the van crew and their like. Generators too easy to sell on so wouldn't last long.

Solar panels are never cheap and don't last forever.

Cluite make good torches and also do this gear http://www.wildlifeservices.co.uk/portablelighting.html.

A lot more expensive though. I'm normally a man who willl spend once on the expensive kit, but if isolated shed but a value on low cost

Conmaicne Mara

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

The issue is getting a good quality solar panal that will charge battery enough during the day. Lots of days can be overcast at present so you may get limited charge. You will also need the panal to be above any possibling shadowing caused by adjacenr building's, it will need to be secured well as if it blows off or falls it will break.

If you are using a battery check it voltage regulary at the start to make sure that it is recieving enough charge, that way once a week you can top it up off a battery charge if needed, nothing worst that being at a job and the lights go out.

Yes, I already bought a panel for charging the battery for the electric fence, but that isn't yet set up. I can mount that and another for the lights on the barge of the small stone shed which is South facing and unshaded.

Agree about lights out, always carry too many extra batteries with me when out after foxes for just that reason.

ford2600 wrote: »

If Reilig's would suit, for €70 it'd be hard to beat.

Anything portable is liftable by the van crew and their like. Generators too easy to sell on so wouldn't last long.

Solar panels are never cheap and don't last forever.

Cluite make good torches and also do this gear http://www.wildlifeservices.co.uk/portablelighting.html.

A lot more expensive though. I'm normally a man who willl spend once on the expensive kit, but if isolated shed but a value on low cost

I think Reiligs is something I'd have to carry back and forth? Where as I am after something semi permenant that I can set up on site and flick a switch. Something like this tek screwed to the inside of the frame:

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/12V-to-24V-DC-20W-Warm-White-LED-Wall-Pack-Wash-Flood-Light-Lamp-Garden-Outdoor-/191045877317?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c7b38be45

(item no 191045877317 )

Just using that as an example.

Might need two, don't know what area they'd light up.

As for lamps and torches I am well stocked, have a modified TN31, a good backup torch I forget the name of, as well as a cheap and cheerful Fandyfire STVL6 I think it is, and a dinger of a headlamp in a Nightcore HC50.

Fries-With-That

Solar light kits can be got from here,

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SolarMate-I-Mains-free-Shed-Lighting/dp/B000WXMYCW/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1390389457&sr=8-16&keywords=solar+light+for+shed

The only problem with solar lighting systems where you don't have mains back up is making sure that you use a leisure battery (that can take deep discharge cycles) instead of a regular car battery.

drive it

Connacht agri used to advertise them in the journal don't know the price though

Conmaicne Mara

Fries-With-That wrote: »

Solar light kits can be got from here,

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SolarMate-I-Mains-free-Shed-Lighting/dp/B000WXMYCW/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1390389457&sr=8-16&keywords=solar+light+for+shed

The only problem with solar lighting systems where you don't have mains back up is making sure that you use a leisure battery (that can take deep discharge cycles) instead of a regular car battery.

Those are for garden sheds. Leisure battery is a good idea though.

drive it wrote: »

Connacht agri used to advertise them in the journal don't know the price though

CA are usually fairly expensive on price.

thewiseowl12

Reilig,

Do you have a link for the ebay store you bought from - any of the 20w ones I've looked last about 3 hours they say?

Would they provide enough light to light a slatted house enough to fork in silage on an evening, in an emergency?

The power went here twice over the christmas and it was a disaster, so want a backup.