Solar Lights

[Baitrunner]

I know the question of solar lights was raised a while ago, but I just saw an advert for these and wondered if anyone had tried them?

 

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/hubi-10k-solar-lighting-and-power-system-n19ek?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=16P02_W1_D1&utm_content=Product-1&utm_campaign=16P03-03

 

They look fairly cheap(ish) and seem quite good at first glance. 

 

Saves doing a big wiring job to get solar power on your boat as well and probably portable enough to lock away or take home to stop some ****** nicking it!

 

I was really only looking at it from a lighting perspective as I cant replace my 12v lights with LEDs due to the control system I have on board. 

 

Probbaly good for the sailie types as well.

 

Interested to hear any feedback on these or similar products?

[Paul]

It looks very smart, but your paying a big premium for the convenience and there are two concerns. Firstly the panel shown is polycrystaline which are not as efficient, especially in standard daylight as monocrystaline panels. (There is little to choose between them in bright sunlight though). Secondly it uses Lithium-Ion batterys which are integral to the unit. Li-on batteries age quite quickly, are they replaceable? I'm guessing not.

 

I put solar lighting into my top sheds last year, the new laws make putting 240v in from the house quite expensive and it's too far and too much of a pain to keep running an extension.

 

a 20w monocrystaline panel charger cost me £30, a 12v 12ah deep cycle gel battery (as used on mobility scooters) cost me £15 (could have got cheaper but chose Yuasa), an overcharge protector cost £8 (this blocks current from the panel to the battery when the battery voltage reaches 13.6v), 30m of 0.5mm twin core auto cable, inline fuse holder and fuse cost just under £20 (you may not need this much cable!). 6 g4 2w LED's (UK Sourced, could have got cheaper from China) cost me £12 and the holders another £4.

 

I mounted the battery, protector and fuse inside a battery box I already had, but you can buy one for under a tenner, and I used a swith I already had, but that wouldn't cost much.

 

Under £90 and I can replace any part of the system individually should it fail in the future.

[Baitrunner]

I did have similar thoughts as well but I guess it's the size, convenience and portability that I liked.

I have an led solar floodlight that will run for over 12hrs fully charged but is a bit too bright. It also has replaceable normal rechargeable batteries in it. It's also a bit big and not very attractive.

[BroadScot]

Whatever happened to good old wax candles and a box of matches?

 

Iain.

[ranworthbreeze]

Hi Mark,

 

Can you explain why your control panel is stopping you from fitting LED lighting?

Can you not fit led inserts into your lighting fittings?

 

Regards

Alan

[Baitrunner]

Alan, in a word seaplex.

Apparently without the current draw the modules don't switch.

I did consider replacing most of them and just leaving one old style bulb on each module to draw some current.

Of course they may actually work but it's a bit expensive if they don't. Having said that I could try 3 in one of the circuits.

To be honest we don't use many lights so it's not much of an issue As I hate sitting in Blackpool illuminations and spend most if the time in the cockpit so it's normally light until reasonably late.

I have had a thought though thinking of this that might mean what I was told was a load of cods!

[Paul]

you can buy auto style bulbs, if they suit your fittings, which have resistors fitted to suit cars with can-bus systems to fool the bulb failure warning system into thinking there is a normal bulb in place, but they are more expensive and largely defeat the object of LED lights as they increase the wattage.

 

 

[Baitrunner]

Hi Paul,

    Did think of a ballast resistor type thing as well, but as you say defeats the object. The Seaplex is a very similar system to that used in cars (in fact it was designed for big motorhomes I think).

 

Just spoken to a friend who has a few spare LED bulbs so we are going to actually try them and see what happens.

 

I don't know why I never thought of it before, but despite being told by an expert they wouldn't work, I just realised when replying to Alan that I have led deck lights on the same system!!! Now I dont know if these have anything special in the circuit to make them work and will be seeing what current they draw at the weekend.

 

Maybe this needs to go in the dumb blondes section!!

[ranworthbreeze]

Hi Mark,

If your light fitting are the G4 type lamp, call in and see Tanya or Nick at Brian Ward's they lent me a couple of 2.1 & 2.4 watts led inserts to try out which were best regarding light levels in each of our lighting zones.

To save messing about we left the reading lamps and uplighters being as this only effected four lights, I think I changed 18 or 19 inserts in the end.

Regards
Alan

[Baitrunner]

Alan is that right as in 2.1v?

How does that work?

I won't be down until sunday don't get will be shut but if I don't get the ones from my mate by next time will give them a try.

[ranworthbreeze]

Hi Mark,

 

I have edited my post to get rid of my numpty error.

 

Chalk it up to still coughing and sneezing and muppetry  that should haver been 2.1 & 2.4 watts.

 

Regards

Alan

[Baitrunner]

Ha ha. No problem. If you think about it 2 v make a w anyway.

Makes sense now.

Thought I was going to have to get smaller batteries!