Anybody using 12V LED strip lighting off solar?

[newbury]

I'm trying to get a 12x21 "garden shed" shed built and was not planning on running power to the shed. I'd have to trench about 150 feet, only want lights about a few hours a day at the most and have no need for corded power devices, it's a shed. Plus if I don't run power or water to it I keep a much lower tax and inspector profile.

But with my recent experience with replacing T12 tubes w/ LED's http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/338919-led-workshop-lighting-saga-continues.html?posted=1#top I'm wondering how difficult/easy/expensive it will be to put a small solar panel on top or beside it, a half decent battery inside, and a strip of LED lights. The tubes I put in were basically and LED strip w/ a transformer.

The LED strip lights have now gotten so they put out per foot about what a 40 watt bulb does and cost less than $10/foot.

So is anybody else doing this and care to share their experience?

 

[rd_macgregor]

I have a couple of shed with standard LED "shed lights" (this is now "old tech"!)...more or less like this [ Amazon.com: MAXSA Innovations 40440 White Solar-Powered LED Shed Light: Automotive]. Mine are only the 5-LED models, but others producing more light are available. These lights provide enough illumination to do simple manual things (not much more than a bedroom night light!), but not enough to do prolonged "workshop" type activities or detail work. The small solar panel keeps the batteries adequately recharged, even in winter, but eventually the batteries will stop taking a charge and need to be replaced. One of my lights has standard rechargeable "AA" cells in it and the other has a battery like a cordless phone battery...much more expensive to replace.
I think your plan would work fine, though I can't speak for the cost to get as much light as you'd like.

 

[KennyG]

I haven't done this but I've thought about it for a future project. Forget about the "solar shed light" packages. I would suggest using a real 12 volt car or lawn mower battery (I replace mine every 5 or 6 years for reliability and keep one old but functional battery on hand) with a solar battery maintainer. Then use the 12 volt LED work lights or landscape lights (10 watt to 30 watt) for lighting. All this stuff is relatively cheap now. If the battery ever does get discharged, just hook it to a real charger overnight. The problem with the solar lighting systems is that they are depending on rechargeable AA or AAA batteries and that's just not enough to give you a real usable lighting source.

 

[rd_macgregor]

I haven't done this but I've thought about it for a future project. Forget about the "solar shed light" packages. I would suggest using a real 12 volt car or lawn mower battery (I replace mine every 5 or 6 years for reliability and keep one old but functional battery on hand) with a solar battery maintainer. Then use the 12 volt LED work lights or landscape lights (10 watt to 30 watt) for lighting. All this stuff is relatively cheap now. If the battery ever does get discharged, just hook it to a real charger overnight. The problem with the solar lighting systems is that they are depending on rechargeable AA or AAA batteries and that's just not enough to give you a real usable lighting source.

As a shed light user, I tend to agree. I think it might help extend the life between recharges to put a solar trickle charger (anywhere from 1W to 5W) on the battery, though.

 

[Sodo]

What is done in this shed, or what do you use the light for? Just to see what am I hereafter?

I'd recommend one of these, it's 12v, 6 Watts (= 1/2amp), $19.95: https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/led-spot-flood/6-watt-ar111-bulb-gx53-base-120-degree/978/

This light uses 1/2 amp, will run for about 100 hours on a 50 Amp-hour battery. With just a car battery and this light ($80?) you could run this light for 10 minutes a day, for 600 days. Sometime during that 600 days you could take the battery to over to the house and charge it. If you happen to need two of the lights than it's 300 days. And if you are interested in adding a solar panel then you may never have to carry the battery over to charge it.

 

[wmonroe]

There are some good 12 volt solar charges people use when camping that would keep you charged.

 

[newbury]

Thanks for all the replies. I've been busy w/ a major brake failure on my dually.

What will be done in the shed will probably be minor mower maintenance, mixing pesticides, herbicides, and storage of various and sundry items related to gardening and minor auto maintenance.

Typically light requirements will be sporadic and of durations less than two hours.

Time to order.

I'll try and remember to update.