Solar/Wind turbine for shed light

GreeBo · 27-09-2005 01:50PM #1

Hey all,
I am trying to source somethign simple to power a low wattage bulb in my shed (to save me having to run cables through the garden)
Im not sure will I get the sunlight for solar, especially during winter, however we have a fairly constant breeze running down the side of the house (like a wind tunnel somedays) but all the wind turbines I can see are a) expensive & b) providing much more power than I need & c) large.
any ideas?
I see maplins have a solar powered shed light for £15 but its only 6 watt or something

patrido · 27-09-2005 02:39PM

in general wind is better than solar (pv) not least because we get more wind in ireland than sun

could you use some 12v lighting powered by a car battery and use wind to somehow charge the battery?

GreeBo · 27-09-2005 03:24PM

yeha, I mean its not a big shed by any means, your standard 6ftx7ft if that
I just dont want to spend a shed load (har har) of cash on something this unimportant, I mean I could just buy a torch...

patrido · 27-09-2005 04:20PM

or just for the sake of it you could spend countless hours/hours pay building/buying a big propellor, an alternator from an old car, linked to the battery, which generates 220v ac through an invertor. just to power a 13W CFL

possibly the least cost efficient project ever

anyone want part of a 200 year return on investment.

you know you want to

CJhaughey · 27-09-2005 09:23PM

Can you rig up something out of an old bike dynamo and a 6 volt lead acid motorbike battery? surely that would run a load of LEDs?

GreeBo · 29-09-2005 06:03PM

yeah that would be perfect, now all I need is a dynamo, a fan blade and a 6v motorcycle battery

beldin · 30-09-2005 10:04AM

Seek and ye will find
http://www.otherpower.com/toymill.html

Allyou need is a computer fan , an electric motor out of a toy car and a rechargeable battery (use an old mobile phone batter)

Or go to maplin and buy
a) a solar panel kit for lighting a shed approx 80 euro
b) Lead acid battery approx 25 euro
c) battery regulator 15 euro

Well that is what I did...probably cheaper to run cable but I couldn't be bothered..

Solar/Wind turbine for shed light

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