Is there such thing as a viable solar-powered yard light? Perhaps LCD based?
We have a private alley that isn’t terribly well lit. While not a huge problem, we’ve been having the occasional mattress or dryer dumped back there. Which is a pain.
It needs more light. Right now, I have a 1 story garage with no real accessible place to put a light that isn’t over 7′ off the ground unless I rig some goofy light pole scaffold on top of the roof. Our neighbor’s garages across the alley, however, are significantly higher (can easily get a 12′ mounting point) and/or possibly also attach them to the utility poles (permission aside, of course).
I was thinking that, ideally, there’d be a solar powered option out there that could store enough juice to light an alley via motion detection for 4-5 hours after sunset.
I do realize that might be asking for a lot given that it’s hard to get solar path lights to last that long. ;o)
Replies
There's several name-brands out there, and a couple of "as seen on TV!" brands, too.
Both use an odd-type nicad battery in my experience (the ends are nearly flush, so they don't "load" into a standard charger)--and the battery is the weakest link after collector location.
The 'better' spots out there have a separate collector panel, so you can spot the panel where it gets the most sun. Great plan, except in snow country, or after being used by cats/squirrels/other urban wildlife as a perch.
So, a person can make a case that the cheapest fixtures are simplest--they quit working, you just yank'em out and replace with brand new (and if a person can't bin them, put them in the next garage sale).
Alternately, a person could just get a small landscape transformer, a coil of LV wire, and get spots or path or area lights for the desired area. A person then gets either a photo (day/night) sensor or a motion sensor, and wires that to the transformer.
Ok, that's not "handy" if the dark area is 1200' from the nearest outlet. But, using a more permanent answer almost always works out better (I've got a pile of run-down nicads & needs-charged-batteries solar fixtures laying about my house to prove it, too . . . <g>)
I've had 3 motion activated solar powered lights. The first was purchased about 10 years ago. Each lasted a couple of years and then quit working. The last two were warranteed replacements of the previous one. Design was changed after the first one. Obviously not changed enough.
They had 6V gel batteries. (I'm still using the batteries, and the solar panels). The problem was in keeping moisture out of the electronics. IF that problem has been solved, I'd buy another one. At close to $100, back then--they are somewhat cheaper now--I didn't want to chance it. They did work well though, until they didn't. <g>
HTH