Solar powered light for small workshop.

TrevorKershaw

Retro Guru
I know this is not strictly bike related, but I am looking for a decent solar powered light or lights for my 10ft x 8ft workshop, so that now the nights are drawing in, I can still work on my bikes during the evenings.
Anyone got any ideas?
 
It may not be the cheapest but 'Go Outdoors' do a range of tent lights and solar panels. One of their £80ish panels is enough to charge a big 12v car / van battery suitable for a shed. Obviously 12v lights, pumps, radios and tvs are all available. :D
 
Funnily enough I was looking on the internet this evening to solve exactly the same problem in my garage. I have no mains power and have been using a car battery and four 12v Draper lights, which were ok, but not quite bright enough. I found a link to a page selling these.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Superled-Warm-W ... +led+light.

Considering they only draw 10w and output 800-1000 lumen's a average car battery should give 10-12 hours constant use before the battery is flat. I am going to order one and maybe invest in a solar panel to avoid having to bring my battery home to re-charge it.

Hope this helps, I will post a review once mine has arrived and used.
 
Yep, just nearing completion of fitting LED's in my garage that has no mains.

I work for a sign company, and use so many different types of LED's....
I basically blaged a load of samples of this type
cool_white_large.jpg
, and am fitting them out to the roof beams, shelves and above my little bench. You can cut them to length if required, and with a silicone seal that keeps it all water tight and acts a difuser, I've got loads of light in the otherwise dark cave. Ive even rigged some on a long wire and strapped them a long square timber to put under the car when I'm working on that too :cool:


I also blagged an old 12v car battery from the garage when I had the car MOT'd at the weekend, and it works an abolute treat.
I will get another couple of batteries over the next few weeks to allow for backup and extra capacity.

Am well chuffed
 
unkleGsif":22a8rzdz said:
Yep, just nearing completion of fitting LED's in my garage that has no mains.

I work for a sign company, and use so many different types of LED's....
I basically blaged a load of samples of this type
cool_white_large.jpg
, and am fitting them out to the roof beams, shelves and above my little bench. You can cut them to length if required, and with a silicone seal that keeps it all water tight and acts a difuser, I've got loads of light in the otherwise dark cave. Ive even rigged some on a long wire and strapped them a long square timber to put under the car when I'm working on that too :cool:


I also blagged an old 12v car battery from the garage when I had the car MOT'd at the weekend, and it works an abolute treat.
I will get another couple of batteries over the next few weeks to allow for backup and extra capacity.

Am well chuffed
Where can you buy them from, any idea of cost etc?
 
TrevorKershaw":2em6og3e said:
Where can you buy them from, any idea of cost etc?

That image isnt the exact one I used. Like I say, all mine were blagged from work / samples etc
Reckon they are plenty cheap and readily available on the internet however

I will try and get some picture tonight (wife on nightshift = G can play outside :cool: )


G
 
TrevorKershaw":10n2u030 said:
Where can you buy them from, any idea of cost etc?

They're pretty easy to get now. When they were a bit trickier to get I used to buy rolls like that from a company called MGC lamps in Ipswich. They will also do the drivers etc to make them work off mains. The price isn't too bad if you are buying white, they only get pricier if you want good quality RGB strip.
 
TrevorKershaw":1cnupn6y said:
I know this is not strictly bike related, but I am looking for a decent solar panels powered light or lights for my 10ft x 8ft workshop, so that now the nights are drawing in, I can still work on my bikes during the evenings.
Anyone got any ideas
?
Hello friend have you got the decent solar powered lights? Even I am searching for similar lights so plese share some useful information.
 
I am leaving this until the New Year to complete, but I am looking towards LED strip lights rather than standard solar powered units, as I found that they only throw out enough light to stop you tripping up over things in the shed.

I saw some in a local DIY shop that were muliti coloured, you can program them to flash in different colours etc, but they also have clear or white light, which is what I need. (Then again the I could hold a party in there if I need to :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: ) A 5 metre strip costs £30, which is a bit pricey for a shed. I have been informed that I should be able to get them online for a fraction of that price.

I will also need to put a car battery on a shelf in the shed to power the lights, as there is no mains power. The battery will be topped up using a solar car battery charger, available at Maplin for £12.99. Finally a single gang two way switch, or mini toggle switch should be fine for the on/off function.

Will update with pics when I have completed.
 
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