I hope someone can help me with this project. I have a small plot of land with no mains power supply. I'm mad enough to get up in the mornings and exercise my dog on this plot of land and I want to rig up some low voltage lighting, possibly using LEDs. Does anyone have any suggestions? I have a shed on the land where I can fix wiring and store a battery. At the moment I use an assortment of torches and two small flourescent lamps. Staying in bed in the mornings isn't an option by the way. many thanks.
Low voltage lighting
- Thread starter flattiemay
- Start date
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B
breezer
more info please, what do you want to light with these lights?
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I was wondering if there was something smaller than a car battery that I could use that could be charged up weekly at home. I'd need the lights for about 2 hours per week and LEDs use such a small amount of power that it seems feasible. I have seen a set of 5 garden spotlamps in Argos but these are sold without the bulbs! The blurb says they take T15 5W halogen lamps and they come with a transformer for mains use. I'll investigate further and see if there's any replacement LED lamps that can be used with them and if they can be used from a battery supply without the transformer.
B
breezer
any lights that runs on 12v can be used with a battery, you can get lead acid batteries at maplin, also leds too, but you shouldnt charge an alarm battery (maplin) with a car charger
what is it you want to see?
leds are bright but usually a narrow angle of beam
what is it you want to see?
leds are bright but usually a narrow angle of beam
I want to put lights at various points on the land just to see where I'm going. eg there's steps up to the shed and I usually hang an LED headtorch in the shed doorway just to give me a bit of light to see my way up and down the steps.
Yes, you can buy a motorcycle battery which is 12v (or 6 if you prefer) and about the size of a thickish book (dictionary etc).
However you need a motorcycle charger, not a car charger as too powerful.
Also - if you buy one of those rechargable lantern/spotlight things, it has a 6v sealed lead acid battery inside it and includes a charger - is actually cheaper than buying the bits. Sealed Lead acid batts are safer to carry and more tolerant of neglect than ordinary batteries
However you need a motorcycle charger, not a car charger as too powerful.
Also - if you buy one of those rechargable lantern/spotlight things, it has a 6v sealed lead acid battery inside it and includes a charger - is actually cheaper than buying the bits. Sealed Lead acid batts are safer to carry and more tolerant of neglect than ordinary batteries
B
breezer
i think that 5w halogens and car battery is easiest way to go, as car battery is easier to charge, and halogens will give more light,
just had a thought
why not get a set of 9.99 cheapo lights from a shed, buy 4.5v cycle lamps (mes) and wire them in series, but you will need 6 (2x 3) i did this in my garage donkeys years ago
you could opt for solar lights, but they may get nicked, or not enough light to charge them enough
just had a thought
why not get a set of 9.99 cheapo lights from a shed, buy 4.5v cycle lamps (mes) and wire them in series, but you will need 6 (2x 3) i did this in my garage donkeys years ago
you could opt for solar lights, but they may get nicked, or not enough light to charge them enough
I've got one of those spotlight things but it needs recharging every day and this means I've got carry it every day. It's quite heavy and it's had so much use it's wearing out. That's why I was considering something different as a replacement. I don't mind carrying things but I've got a large excitable dog on the end of a lead and a slippery and dark path to contend with. Roll on summer! Just for info, the 5 LED headtorch works for about two weeks on one charge using just three AAA batteries. I use two 4 watt flourescent lights on one charge for the whole week as well, and these take 4 AA batteries each. I spend the whole weekend charging things so I need a faster charger.
Solar lights will definitely get nicked, but I'll think about the bicycle lights. I could get a solar panel to charge the battery.....but this is starting to sound an expensive way to exercise a dog. Everyone else just walks up the road and uses the street lamps. That's a bit boring though.
Why not put pieces of reflective tape at strategic points and rely on you head torch/flashlight for lighting.
http://www.indigoshop.co.uk/cat--Reflective-Tape--reflective
http://www.indigoshop.co.uk/cat--Reflective-Tape--reflective
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