"off grid" solar shed/ garden lighting

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DustyDog
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Joined: Fri May 23, 2014 7:23 pm
Location: Cumbria

Re: "off grid" solar shed/ garden lighting

Post by DustyDog »

Looking good Andy, i have to say, you doo make it sound (the wiring) so easy. :lol: :lol:
Up in the wet South Lakeland
Yorkshire Andy
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Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:06 pm

Re: "off grid" solar shed/ garden lighting

Post by Yorkshire Andy »

I try :oops:

the control unit itself does have a on off switch (see the standby/ set logo ) so in theory you just need 6 wires (2 from solar 2 from battery and 2 to your light) but i wanted to be able to switch between lights

the switches i got take standard automotive spade crimps

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/25-pack-of-bl ... 2c6a73d997

so it was just a strip the wire back and crimp them on and push onto the switch terminals

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Waterproof-On ... 3cd131e10a


i cut the square in the box using a stanley knife heated with a blowlamp
If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong ;)

Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
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NorfolkWomble
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2017 8:29 pm
Location: Norfolk

Re: "off grid" solar shed/ garden lighting

Post by NorfolkWomble »

Reviving an old thread I know, but it's closest to what I'm attempting at the moment, so if there's anybody still around in here, I'd appreciate some help.

I have two 5w 12v lights, and two 6v batteries (the chunky spiral ring torch kind) which I plan to run in series to get the 12v. Somewhere in there I will want to include a switch. I like the one Andy linked to so may go for that.

My question is, how do I work out what wire cable I should use?

The lights each have a thin black and a red wire attached, ending in alligator clamps (which I'll probably have to remove to put those into a switch). The wire might be long enough to reach a switch, but I'll still need to get more wire to go between the switch and batteries, and that's where I'm getting muddled.

They lights are not exactly the same as this, but very similar.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-5-7-9-12-15 ... U_KoknqQnQ

Appreciate any help, thanks. :)
Yorkshire Andy
Posts: 8735
Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:06 pm

Re: "off grid" solar shed/ garden lighting

Post by Yorkshire Andy »

http://www.rapidtables.com/convert/elec ... att-to-amp.

http://www.firstflex.co.nz/technical-in ... zing-chart

So 12v 10w



10w / 12v = 0.83333333amps


0.75mm2 will take 5a happy enough
If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong ;)

Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine