Solar lights

[Adirondaks]

<div class="bbWrapper">I just finished planting a flagpole and am looking for solar powered spot lights that would turn on at night to illuminate the flag. This was my first back hoe project. Seat time 4 minutes. Shovel time would have been 1 hour. Any one have any sources of lights like I need?</div>

 

[bellweather]

<div class="bbWrapper">I would be very surprised if you find solar powered flood lights with enough output to illuminate your flag through the night. I&#039;ll check back in to see if anyone else out there knows of any.</div>

 

[Hambone]

<div class="bbWrapper">I don&#039;t know of any either. <br /> I have a solar powered rock with a lighted American flag and there are times it won&#039;t go through the night.<br /> I bet it would be expensive.<br /> I would use that backhoe to trench a line to the house!</div>

 

[lamarbur]

<div class="bbWrapper">Also, remember, you have to have two seperate lights from two different angles when lighting &quot;Old Gory&quot; at night.</div>

 

[Kelvin]

<div class="bbWrapper">I agree with the others and would recommend avoiding solar lights for lighting a United States flag (assuming that is the flag you intend to mount).<br /> <br /> I have solar lights along the walkway to my house. The lighting will usually last until around 3 or 4 am, IF there was a SUNNY SUMMER day prior to nightfall.<br /> <br /> During a cloudy day the lights don&#039;t charge as much. Also, during the winter months the hours of daylight are much shorter, resulting in less battery charge. In either case, my lights don&#039;t hardly last until midnight.<br /> <br /> Kelvin</div>

 

[herbenus]

<div class="bbWrapper">Home depot had a solar powered outdoor light. I thought about it but it was $80 and that was a bit much at the time. It looked a little like a mercury vapor type. But it wasn&#039;t a spotlight and I don&#039;t know if it could be angled up. I would do an internet search on&quot;solar spotlights&quot;. I did and found a handful. And a handful is probably what you&#039;ll need. One won&#039;t be strong enough.</div>

 

[Adirondaks]

<div class="bbWrapper">I guess more seat time is the best, time to dig a trench for 2 spotlights.</div>

 

[Soundguy]

<div class="bbWrapper">There are some viable options for lights.. but I would guess you would want a 12v high difusion type bulb.. they would also have to be mounted up on the pole fairly close to the flag to be effective and last thru the night. Just a quick check of ball park prices puts a 12v solar cell at 5w output at about 80 bucks. Figure in a storage battery, photocel for control, etc, and the lights themselves, plus a container/shelter for the battery, etc.<br /> <br /> On the plus side... free power for the lights.. though, may never pay back the initial investment.<br /> <br /> If you do run power.. save power.. don&#039;t light from the ground.. get smaller more efficient lights like I mentioned, and light from a crosspole under the flag.<br /> Space it so that the flag can hang full length without contacting the lights, etc.<br /> <br /> Soundguy</div>

 

[herbenus]

<div class="bbWrapper">I like the idea of mounting on pole. But what about when flying half staff?</div>

 

[Soundguy]

<div class="bbWrapper">Typically you are flying at half mast for an observance of some (tragic) event, for others to observ / see. I can&#039;t say that I ever remember seeing a flag at half mast at night.. though I don&#039;t see why you couldn&#039;t. <br /> <br /> Perhaps make the crosspole low enough to clear the flag at half mast.. still would be a savings on lights than to light it from the ground.<br /> <br /> Soundguy</div>

 

[EagleEye]

<div class="bbWrapper">Kevin, thanks for the info. My wife and I have been looking at these kind of lights and your feedback (along with others here) was helpful.</div>

 

[EagleEye]

<div class="bbWrapper">sorry Kelvin... not Kevin /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif</div>