Hello,
I wonder if someone can give me practical advice.
Over the last few years I have made a number of purchases for garden "chain" LED lights which are solar powered. The lights switch on automatically at dusk and switch off at dawn. But the product rarely lasts more than a year as the battery efficiency deteriorates fairly quickly. As mentioned the weak point of the system is the batteries, these eventually only stores enough current for an hour to two after a few months. That said, I have managed to change the batteries on a number of occasions and I am now looking to make a permanent upgrade for the whole system
The actual LED' lights, cables and connection are robust and never seam to fail.
I am not technically minded nor have the knowledge to calculate efficiencies; but I am practical, and have a better than average acumen when it comes to tinkering with electronic components. I therefore propose to change the standard solar panel and battery to power the current LED string lights and add another set of LED lights.
Objectives
1) use a larger battery to store more electricity to allow the lights to stay on over night. The battery would also hopefully retain excess charge should we have any cloudy days.
2) run further LED lights. These will be used to illuminate some small trees and a covered area.
Proposed purchases for the project
The following solar cell.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Photonic-Un...09884&sr=1-50&keywords=car+battery+solar+cell
The following solar charge regulator.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B006OAFH...TF8&colid=1GWM3VOQOHPAZ&coliid=I1K33DCLXOU1XU
Standard car battery
https://www.tayna.co.uk/054-Lucas-Premium-Car-Battery-P8907.html
The following step down transformer to power LED’s
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Car-Power-Converter-Display-Supply/dp/B008VORADW
The following lights
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Proxima-Dir...31613670&sr=1-3&keywords=400+led+solar+lights
plus two of these light units (6 lamps in total)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-3-Lamp-White-LED-Solar-Powered-Waterproof-Security-Outdoor-Garden-Floodlight-/201346101782?tfrom=201346439290&tpos=top&ttype=coupon&talgo=undefined
Questions I would like answered.
a) is the car battery the most efficient battery for this purpose. Should I be looking for a 5v long lasting car battery instead. If so, any suggestions?
b) will this solar cell be good enough to fully charge a car battery on a sunny day - say minimum 7 hours of sun?
c) is the following solar regulator appropriate to use with solar cell / battery / step down transformer / and all the above LED lights?
d) is the step down transformer an efficient way of using the stored current?
e) in your opinion would the set up be sufficient to power the lights for 8 hours during the night for say 4 days without charging?
f) any suggestions for ready made dust to dawn sensors?
g) would you do anything else differently for this project?
I wonder if someone can give me practical advice.
Over the last few years I have made a number of purchases for garden "chain" LED lights which are solar powered. The lights switch on automatically at dusk and switch off at dawn. But the product rarely lasts more than a year as the battery efficiency deteriorates fairly quickly. As mentioned the weak point of the system is the batteries, these eventually only stores enough current for an hour to two after a few months. That said, I have managed to change the batteries on a number of occasions and I am now looking to make a permanent upgrade for the whole system
The actual LED' lights, cables and connection are robust and never seam to fail.
I am not technically minded nor have the knowledge to calculate efficiencies; but I am practical, and have a better than average acumen when it comes to tinkering with electronic components. I therefore propose to change the standard solar panel and battery to power the current LED string lights and add another set of LED lights.
Objectives
1) use a larger battery to store more electricity to allow the lights to stay on over night. The battery would also hopefully retain excess charge should we have any cloudy days.
2) run further LED lights. These will be used to illuminate some small trees and a covered area.
Proposed purchases for the project
The following solar cell.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Photonic-Un...09884&sr=1-50&keywords=car+battery+solar+cell
The following solar charge regulator.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B006OAFH...TF8&colid=1GWM3VOQOHPAZ&coliid=I1K33DCLXOU1XU
Standard car battery
https://www.tayna.co.uk/054-Lucas-Premium-Car-Battery-P8907.html
The following step down transformer to power LED’s
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Car-Power-Converter-Display-Supply/dp/B008VORADW
The following lights
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Proxima-Dir...31613670&sr=1-3&keywords=400+led+solar+lights
plus two of these light units (6 lamps in total)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-3-Lamp-White-LED-Solar-Powered-Waterproof-Security-Outdoor-Garden-Floodlight-/201346101782?tfrom=201346439290&tpos=top&ttype=coupon&talgo=undefined
Questions I would like answered.
a) is the car battery the most efficient battery for this purpose. Should I be looking for a 5v long lasting car battery instead. If so, any suggestions?
b) will this solar cell be good enough to fully charge a car battery on a sunny day - say minimum 7 hours of sun?
c) is the following solar regulator appropriate to use with solar cell / battery / step down transformer / and all the above LED lights?
d) is the step down transformer an efficient way of using the stored current?
e) in your opinion would the set up be sufficient to power the lights for 8 hours during the night for say 4 days without charging?
f) any suggestions for ready made dust to dawn sensors?
g) would you do anything else differently for this project?