"off grid" solar shed/ garden lighting

[Yorkshire Andy]

Well mrs andy wants light in her shed and garden.. been rented we cant touch the electrics (as by now it would have a full swa cable run / consumer unit and lights. sockets and the rest...

so i have been looking as solar....

came across this on Amazon and nearly dropped a testical when i saw the price.....

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00I ... _i=desktop



so far i have ordered....

30w 12v solar charger with charge and load regulator £63 (photonic universe on line)
http://www.photonicuniverse.com/en/cata ... clips.html

2x 10w LED flood lights (drawing 0.76a each when running) £5 each
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-10W-Warm- ... 19fd1d7a10
2x 12v PIR's (£3 each from ebay ((from china))

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Outdoor-12V-D ... 2ed6da0560

and £20 on wire switches boxes cable crimps glands and a few other odds and ends....


already have LED strip to cut to size

and a bartered car battery



so while i await the post man i'll tease you with the control box i made this evening to enable isolation of both flood lamps and the pull cord is for the shed inside light when i get it up

[Brambles]

Nice. I want to add a security light to my solar generator, but need to work out where best to put it as the generator is at the top of the garden in the shed and I want the light on the house

[Yorkshire Andy]

How large an area is it you have to light?

i got her one of these to light the "tunnel" between the 2 houses and its been up since november time and its still on the original AA duracel industrial batteries i fitted it with

http://www.diy.com/departments/blooma-t ... 828_BQ.prd

its more a spot than a flood (think the basic Cree led torches)

Someone at work was saying that the argos version of this is ok

http://www.diy.com/departments/blooma-l ... 806_BQ.prd

[Yorkshire Andy]

well got home earler than expected







so 2x10w led floods (large enough output to light a 15mx5m ish garden reasonably well and 1m of red led strip (it was laying in the workshop) draws less than 1.5 Ah from a battery

with a 40ah ish car battery on the way (not ideal but its free) without charging that gives me over 20 hours of light with it all switched on

[Brambles]

I just want something to light up outside the back door. That little light could be just the job. Thanks!

[Yorkshire Andy]

my dads just told me the post man has been whilst i was out... so once i have got a bit of white led strip out the attic tomorrow night im going to surprise her tomorrow night *






(one thing i like about photonic universe they give a real decent specification rather than some sellers who quote the maximum output they got on the equator in summer at dinner time...)


(*) and having had conversations with her in the past she is also a bit of a "prepper" and has the "what if" thoughts too like most of us .. will be adding a cig lighter socket to the system too at some point i think as well so she can charge things should the electric go off.... me thinks i got my self some brownie points

[hobo]

How large an area is it you have to light?

i got her one of these to light the "tunnel" between the 2 houses and its been up since november time and its still on the original AA duracel industrial batteries i fitted it with

http://www.diy.com/departments/blooma-t ... 828_BQ.prd

its more a spot than a flood (think the basic Cree led torches)

Someone at work was saying that the argos version of this is ok

http://www.diy.com/departments/blooma-l ... 806_BQ.prd

I use one of these for our front door. Really easy to install. Wrapped up in gaffa tape to stop rain getting in. Batteries have lasted 5 months so far. Illuminates anyone at the door. Very pleased with it!

[dazthechippy]

love it im going to sort something similar for my shed and the pictures really help me see what i need to do so do the links

cheers folks

[Yorkshire Andy]

Few more pics daz...


panel left covered with sheet of card (to stop it producing and shorting out) and bit of protection whilst installing since its glass...


didnt get any of the panel mounted i used some square cornered "C" shape well more like [ shape aluminium to bolt to the back of the panel then bolted the [ to the roof with rubber washers and penny washers to provide a seal..

once bolted down (through the roof) cable passed into the shed....

(include a drip loop to prevent water running along cable into shed)


Battery was postioned on the floor and the supplied wires connected to the charge regulator / control box which was screwed to the shed wall leaving some ventilation round it (not that it gets hot but the instructions say to) ive left the pictures big so you can see the terminals:






so i now have solar wires into the shed and battery power (connect battery later)


i then set up my "load" aka lights.....



my home made power supply switch bank.....

1 pair of wires + and - from the Load of the controller into the box......

all - wires jointed together

a common live was linked between all three switches and each light got its own switch live.... sounds complex but err :




should make it clear


roof of the shed i stapled and used the sticky back of the led strip roll to provide an inside light wired to the pull cord....



and 2 led flood lights outside (10w 12v)


really hard to show how bright these things are



then hook up the wires to the control unit

load first

then battery and connect to battery itself (there is a inline micro 5a car fuse to protect the system)

set the battery type as per the instruction book

then connect cell and uncover ... and bingo


green solar light should come on in day light...

press mini button on controller to turn on the load (ive left it turned on) then control via 3 way switch will add PIR's when the post man delivers them from china

[dazthechippy]

cheers Andy, mega inspired now, will start to assemble the components and share pics as i go..