solar powered security light?

[mopower440]

well, got the shop built but it will be next year before i get power to it, i want to put a security light over the garage door to light up the area because it is really dark around there, do they make a solar powered security light that would mount over the garage door and come on at dark and out at sun up? I saw some solar powered floodlights that have motion detectors that only come on when movement is detected, but i really want one that stays on all night, or as long as it can rather than the floodlights..

 

[EddieWalker]

no

 

[Junkman]

What do you need a security light on it for? Last I heard, there was only a old Mopar inside, and everyone knows that no one in their right mind would steal one of those..... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[AndyM]

<font color="blue"> Last I heard, there was only a old Mopar inside, and everyone knows that no one in their right mind would steal one of those..... </font>

That's why I had an 8 track player in my old Dodge Omni.
Everyone knows all of the really good music was made during the 8 track era, and I could keep a shoebox of 8 tracks on the front seat with the windows down and the doors unlocked, and no one ever tried to steal my music! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Junkman]

Still have those old 8 tracks???? I could use them in my 1978 Superior Cadillac Ambulance. It has a AM/FM/CB/8 track radio. I don't even have one to try it with. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[GregJ]

Mopower,
My neighbor has a solar powered security light. Quite honestly, I think that the reflection of the moon off my bald head throws more light than that thing /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif. I know he spent a pretty penny for it and is very proud of his energy conservation, but I feel like a blind man everytime I go over to his house at night.

Greg

 

[MarkV]

Same experience as Greg, they just don’t put out enough light. The small ones that are used to light a walkway might be ok for what they do but I haven’t seen any I would call a security light.

MarkV

 

[have_blue]

Yea, those little solar security lights are wimpy alright. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

My tractor shed/shop is in the boonies, and I elected not to run power to it. So I bought a Kyocera 40w solar panel ($175), a pair of golf cart batteries ($50ea) a Morningstar Sungard 4.5a controller ($25) and a Coleman 2000w inverter ($180). On this little system I regularly run a 2hp air compressor, a disk grinder, a trouble light, drills, a big old honking Shop Vac, etc. I could easily run almost any kind of security light 24x7, although I use none at present.

With a system similar to the above, you could get a cheap 12v security light and use 1 or more 12v LED tail light bulbs, or perhaps use a 120v security light with an efficient spiral fluorescent bulb, for which the above system would be fine to marginal depending on how frequently it cycles from critters and such.

My system was expensive, but MUCH cheaper than running power 500' and paying a monthly minimum! And the bonus is that your shop is powered "free" for many years.

 

[mopower440]

I kinda figured the solar thing was too good to be true, so what i want to do is get the security light and mount it over the overhead door like normal, it will be an on at dusk and off at dawn type lite, then wire a cord and plug to it and run my heavy duty extension cord out to the shop and plug it up like that. Now, im stumped on how bright of a lite i would need, i lokked today at lowes ant they have them from 70 watts to 500 watts..i dont want to lite up the whole 6 acres, but i dont want it to be too dimm either, anyone have any ideas on this?
thanks

 

[Henro]

<font color="blue">Now, im stumped on how bright of a lite i would need... </font>

Bottom line from where I sit is you want the smallest wattage lamp you can live with, if the system is solar powered.

In Have Blue's case, he mentioned that he had a 40 watt solar array. This would I suppose mean 40 watts per hour. If that is all the solar array can input to the storage batteries, then you can expect to get a little less out as usable power for your needs.

Using a power tool for a few minutes does not equate to long term use directly. You need to average out the watt hours used. A high power device used for a short time might average out as less TOTAL power usage than a small wattage device used for many hours at a time.

Storage batteries are just that storage batteries. You don't get out more than you put in, actually you get out a little bit less.

If it were me, I would first start with the solar collector, see what power in puts out on AVERAGE, and then figure out what kind of lamp I could have that would draw a bit less than what the avaerage available power was...