How to make a 12' to 15' light post?

[Jchonline]

I purchased some solar LED 300W street lights to place along my driveway. What I did not think of was how to get a post to mount them to. I saw some Youtube videos where people tried 4x4 posts and they said that a 16' 4x4 stuck 3' into the ground with concrete swayed like the dickens in wind with these lights mounted.

I have tried Amazon and Google to find say 12'-18' steel posts, but my fail has been consistent and enduring.

Do any of you folks have an idea for an affordable and functional street light posts?

The lights I ordered:

300W Solar Street Light, 2 Light Set Motion Sensor Dusk to Dawn 15000LM Solar Lights Outdoor with Remote Control

Since when have you cared about $$$? What about flag poles of some sort?

 

[Tinhack]

Listing says:

Item Weight​	‎17.96 pounds
Package Dimensions​	‎31 x 16.7 x 6.3 inches

The post is another 20" though>

Yeah, this is the picture I was looking at.

 

[Diggin It]

I looked up a few flagpoles yesterday, but the fifteen or twenty foot aluminum ones that looked stable enough for a ten pound lamp head were hundreds of dollars each.

 

[flyerdan]

If you go the fence co. route, try and get CQ-20 or DQ-40 2 3/8" tubing. It has a higher tensile strength; it will spring around in the wind but will always retain its shape. When it does fail, it does it rather spectacularly rather than just bending, but for a light pole I'd bet the light would fail first.
Plus, it's easily weldable so you can scab rems to the bottom to make up depth, or even do a 2.375-1.875 split to save on material costs, depending on how many posts and the height.

 

[Raul-02]

boomerang stack of 2x6's

what is a boomerang stack?

 

[Smokeydog]

See commercial lamp post at the scrap yard regularly. Four bolt bases. FB marketplace too. Used wood utility poles also. Figure out how your are going to install and service lights at 20’?

 

[HalFoster]

I'm in north Alabama and most building supply stores carry 20ft poles used for lights or power. Fairly inexpensive as well.

Hal

 

[panamaguy]

I purchased some solar LED 300W street lights to place along my driveway. What I did not think of was how to get a post to mount them to. I saw some Youtube videos where people tried 4x4 posts and they said that a 16' 4x4 stuck 3' into the ground with concrete swayed like the dickens in wind with these lights mounted.

I have tried Amazon and Google to find say 12'-18' steel posts, but my fail has been consistent and enduring.

Do any of you folks have an idea for an affordable and functional street light posts?

The lights I ordered:

300W Solar Street Light, 2 Light Set Motion Sensor Dusk to Dawn 15000LM Solar Lights Outdoor with Remote Control

Look in your area for any steel sales place. The welding shops have to be buying the steel they use from someone. Another source could be a steel scrap yard

 

[lukeh]

I have bought lengths of used 21ft chain link top rail from the local fence contractor (stuff they have removed & replaced) for $3 a piece. I believe it's 1-5/8", and I think would be ideal for a lightweight LED head.

 

[HAR]

I would cut a tree, and make my own utility pole. I have a couple acres of trees on my lot, and I know several of them are straight to 20 ft or more and could be cut, set in a hole with concrete and would last as long as those lights might.

 

[Iowachild]

I purchased some solar LED 300W street lights to place along my driveway. What I did not think of was how to get a post to mount them to. I saw some Youtube videos where people tried 4x4 posts and they said that a 16' 4x4 stuck 3' into the ground with concrete swayed like the dickens in wind with these lights mounted.

I have tried Amazon and Google to find say 12'-18' steel posts, but my fail has been consistent and enduring.

Do any of you folks have an idea for an affordable and functional street light posts?

The lights I ordered:

300W Solar Street Light, 2 Light Set Motion Sensor Dusk to Dawn 15000LM Solar Lights Outdoor with Remote Control

In my area a local lumber yard sells class 5 power poles in 20, 25, 30 & 35 feet at reasonable prices.

 

[chatwithtom]

I purchased some solar LED 300W street lights to place along my driveway. What I did not think of was how to get a post to mount them to. I saw some Youtube videos where people tried 4x4 posts and they said that a 16' 4x4 stuck 3' into the ground with concrete swayed like the dickens in wind with these lights mounted.

I have tried Amazon and Google to find say 12'-18' steel posts, but my fail has been consistent and enduring.

Do any of you folks have an idea for an affordable and functional street light posts?

The lights I ordered:

300W Solar Street Light, 2 Light Set Motion Sensor Dusk to Dawn 15000LM Solar Lights Outdoor with Remote Control

The item is a scam, 300W no way equates to 10k lumens. From a solar array perspective you would need at least a full size solar panel to generate 300W at peak times. the battery capacity of to run 300W for any reasonable time would far exceed the price if this item. This item is full of false misleading claims

 

[crashz]

My guess is that the fine print says 300W equivalent.

 

[chatwithtom]

ok, but even that would be closer to 5K lumens.

 

[dhawken]

When we built our pole barn, rather than using 6x6s, we tacked together 3 2x6s with offsetting joints. Supposed to resist twisting a lot better and is cheaper than 6x6s. Unsure if they would sway the same but might be a cheap thing to try. Also was able to use treated at the bottom and not at the top that way for further cost savings.

 

[KenP]

If you go with wood sticks I'd suggest only using round. Using square sticks will almost certainly result in warping issues at some point.

 

[Deano]

When I mounted an outside PTZ camera, I used a 12 ft 2x4 bolted to a 4x4 fence post with 1" angle screwed to one corner of the 2x4. Stops the swaying and the warping!

 

[JWR]

The item is a scam, 300W no way equates to 10k lumens. From a solar array perspective you would need at least a full size solar panel to generate 300W at peak times. the battery capacity of to run 300W for any reasonable time would far exceed the price if this item. This item is full of false misleading claims

I tend to agree. Solar powered lights of any kind sold for the mass consumer market often work for a while and rarely ever put out the light expected. You best take a look at another aspect before you go too far: The remote control is very unlikely to work at much of a distance from the light.

 

[rlipeles]

I purchased some solar LED 300W street lights to place along my driveway. What I did not think of was how to get a post to mount them to. I saw some Youtube videos where people tried 4x4 posts and they said that a 16' 4x4 stuck 3' into the ground with concrete swayed like the dickens in wind with these lights mounted.

I have tried Amazon and Google to find say 12'-18' steel posts, but my fail has been consistent and enduring.

Do any of you folks have an idea for an affordable and functional street light posts?

The lights I ordered:

300W Solar Street Light, 2 Light Set Motion Sensor Dusk to Dawn 15000LM Solar Lights Outdoor with Remote Control

Do you have room for 3 wires about 2/3 to 3/4 the way up and at a 45 degree angle?

 

[Hunter4282]

Use treated 2x6 and laminate them together, offset joints by 2 feet, Use 3, if possible bury depth should be 5 ft or greater, treat the bottom with a coating of tar, and compact on the way up. Newer construction methods suggest not putting concrete around posts, but under as increased rot may occur