Solar Garden / Drive Lighting?

[Pib]

Hmmm, so true. Shaded areas are really the killer and there are times when low voltage lighting is an investment you will have to make. That is, unless you are willing to experiment with remote mini solar panels and wiring. The idea being that you install your lights where you want them and power them with a solar panel positioned in a sunny area. you would have to bury the wires of course... and there goes the convenience of solar lighting.

Just thinking out loud!

Richard at solar-powered-garden-lights.net

That would work, but if a person needs to get into laying lines to feed power from the separate solar panels to the lights, then a person may be better off (installation cost- wise and assured of consistent lightning) to just install Malibu type lawn lights which are powered by a line from a low voltage AC transformer & timer plugged into an electrical outlet. I used a Malibu setup for many years...reliable...and low cost to maintain. Plus, you don't have to worry about the lights not burning all night (and day) due to lack of sufficient charge/sunlight, even if you are in total darkness for months. Solar power is nice, but it has its limitations.

As FYI, I'm going to be experimenting with hooking up some separate mini solar cells (60mm by 60mm, 5V, 100ma cells) to some of my current lamps which have a 5V cell integrated. This is more of a play project than anything else. I've already bought the separate cells off Ebay for $1 USD a piece...with some hookup wire and buying a few extra "make pretty" things for mounting purposes it will cost me around a $1.25 per modification. I will just position the separate cell within a few inches to a foot of the current light on the top of the wall, will put the separate cell in some protective clear ID badge plastic, run two small wires from the separate cell in a hidden manner to the lamp's battery compartment, and basically create a charging setup where two solar cells are charging in parallel the lamp's batteries. This separate cell have much more milliamp output than the cells that come integrated in the lamps. I should be able to do this to where it's hardly noticeable unless looking closely at the lamp on the wall...but even looking closely it will look fine. This will definitely charge all the lamps in the sunny areas enough (probably around 600-800ma per day) to burn bright all night and I might even be able to put some lights back in the very shady areas and get some "until after midnight burn time out of time." And after a few days my 1000ma batteries in the lamps will be getting a full charge daily since more charge is coming in than going out over a 24 hour period...but not too much coming in to cause damage....plus there will be those shady days that will probably drain more than is recharged. A little hard to explain in words, but easy and cheap to setup....plus, as mentioned it's a play project...maybe once I complete some and run some tests, I will post some pictures. Cheers.

[Fluxgalore]

Excellent. Well you know what? When you get started, send us some pictures and a little blurb to describe what we are looking at. f you give us permission, we'll post it on the site.

Richard at www.solar-powered-garden-lights.net .

Hmmm, so true. Shaded areas are really the killer and there are times when low voltage lighting is an investment you will have to make. That is, unless you are willing to experiment with remote mini solar panels and wiring. The idea being that you install your lights where you want them and power them with a solar panel positioned in a sunny area. you would have to bury the wires of course... and there goes the convenience of solar lighting.

Just thinking out loud!

Richard at solar-powered-garden-lights.net

That would work, but if a person needs to get into laying lines to feed power from the separate solar panels to the lights, then a person may be better off (installation cost- wise and assured of consistent lightning) to just install Malibu type lawn lights which are powered by a line from a low voltage AC transformer & timer plugged into an electrical outlet. I used a Malibu setup for many years...reliable...and low cost to maintain. Plus, you don't have to worry about the lights not burning all night (and day) due to lack of sufficient charge/sunlight, even if you are in total darkness for months. Solar power is nice, but it has its limitations.

As FYI, I'm going to be experimenting with hooking up some separate mini solar cells (60mm by 60mm, 5V, 100ma cells) to some of my current lamps which have a 5V cell integrated. This is more of a play project than anything else. I've already bought the separate cells off Ebay for $1 USD a piece...with some hookup wire and buying a few extra "make pretty" things for mounting purposes it will cost me around a $1.25 per modification. I will just position the separate cell within a few inches to a foot of the current light on the top of the wall, will put the separate cell in some protective clear ID badge plastic, run two small wires from the separate cell in a hidden manner to the lamp's battery compartment, and basically create a charging setup where two solar cells are charging in parallel the lamp's batteries. This separate cell have much more milliamp output than the cells that come integrated in the lamps. I should be able to do this to where it's hardly noticeable unless looking closely at the lamp on the wall...but even looking closely it will look fine. This will definitely charge all the lamps in the sunny areas enough (probably around 600-800ma per day) to burn bright all night and I might even be able to put some lights back in the very shady areas and get some "until after midnight burn time out of time." And after a few days my 1000ma batteries in the lamps will be getting a full charge daily since more charge is coming in than going out over a 24 hour period...but not too much coming in to cause damage....plus there will be those shady days that will probably drain more than is recharged. A little hard to explain in words, but easy and cheap to setup....plus, as mentioned it's a play project...maybe once I complete some and run some tests, I will post some pictures. Cheers.

[wpcoe]

Are Malibu Light systems (or generic equivalent) available in Thailand?

[Pib]

I don't remember seeing any in places like HomePro, Global, Lotus, Big C, et...only saw a few solar lights. I expect you can buy them in Thailand...probably places that specialize in such electrical items...I just don't know where. But the longer I stay in Thailand the more I find places here-and-there where things can be bought that are much more easy to find in western nations/stores.

[craigt3365]

I've been using Malibu style lights for many, many years in the US. But here in Thailand, I could not find them. So....I ended up running wiring around the perimeter wall and then feeding 12v lights from there, with step down transformers...conduit around the perimeter, shielded wires from there to the lights. I used those "oriental" style cement lights you see at the garden shops. Looks great at night. Plus, found some 12v spot lights for the trees.

What I like about it is the lights are really bright. Not like Malibu type lights. Especially when you try and string more than 8 or so lights on one transformer. I'm at my Mom's house now near Las Vegas and I am amazed at how "dull" the lights are, even with a large transformer.

Anyway...I got a local electrician to wire it all up for about 8,000B. Pretty cheap considering we did about 17 or so lights. All supplies were included.