Wind / Solar Powered External Light

[David Williams]

-> I'm looking for an light suitable for outdoors that can be mounted on
-> a wall. It must be weatherproof and get its power from a
-> rechargeable / renewable source (e.g. solar or wind). My main
-> motivation is avoiding running a power cable out to the location in
-> question.

A lot of stores around here sell lights with solar cells that charge up
small batteries, and light a little LED lamp after dark. They aren't
very bright, but they are easily available and they do work.

dow

 

[Eeyore]

-> I'm looking for an light suitable for outdoors that can be mounted on
-> a wall. It must be weatherproof and get its power from a
-> rechargeable / renewable source (e.g. solar or wind). My main
-> motivation is avoiding running a power cable out to the location in
-> question.

A lot of stores around here sell lights with solar cells that charge up
small batteries, and light a little LED lamp after dark. They aren't
very bright, but they are easily available and they do work.

They work rather poorly form what I've seen.

I'd rate them as more of a gimmick than anything else.

Graham

 

[Gordon Richmond]

They work rather poorly form what I've seen.

I'd rate them as more of a gimmick than anything else.

Graham

I bought about six of them, Malibu is the brand name, IIRC. I think 3 or 4 continue to
work after about 3 years in central Alberta. In summer, they get enough charge to run all
night. In Winter, they go dark around midnight.

They give enough light to mark out a path, which is what I use them for. Also have two
mounted on stanchions to mark the end of my driveway. One of them is one of the dead ones,
now. I should try mixing and matching components from the dead ones, and see what part has
died.

Gordon Richmond

 

[Daniel Who Wants to Know]

I bought about six of them, Malibu is the brand name, IIRC. I think 3 or 4
continue to
work after about 3 years in central Alberta. In summer, they get enough
charge to run all
night. In Winter, they go dark around midnight.

They give enough light to mark out a path, which is what I use them for.
Also have two
mounted on stanchions to mark the end of my driveway. One of them is one
of the dead ones,
now. I should try mixing and matching components from the dead ones, and
see what part has
died.

Gordon Richmond

Most likely it was whatever form of battery they used. I doubt that they
bothered to use any sort of deep discharge protection to protect the cells
from damage. I have a cheap Chi-com crank powered 3 LED flashlight that my
aunt gave me that has a LIR2032 Li-Ion button cell in it that has no deep
discharge protection and a simple voltage regulator consisting of a
transistor, zener diode, and resistor for charging.