# Put on your thinking cap



## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

I'm thinking building a yard security light. 100% solar power only. Think of it as a huge yard light like the 99c ones at Uncle Wallies.
I'll be using a 5 or 10 watt LED bulb and a panel that's about 300 watts. The panel will need to be adjustable for the correct angle during all seasons. 
Problems,,,,,,

This light will have it's own pole I'm not sure where I'm going to put the batteries.If i mount then on the pole they would need to be so high that a little guy playing doesn't run into it.
Maybe build a small battery box? Like a small dog house.

I would like to have the panel high on the pole as possible. But it must be easily adjusted for correct angle. Ideas?

On the solar panels I have now the panels are adjusted by poles. But they are easy to get to from the porch. And in the winter they are self cleaning in the snow.
This is the style light I will be using. How would you solve any of the problems?
Or have a idea?


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## stowlin (Apr 25, 2016)

Question will you be lit up every night and is that safe or desirable? We have several acres and I use panels to provide power but don’t worry too much about seasonal changes. The lights are motion sensor based as I’d rather it not be lit up at night unless something lights it up.


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

stowlin said:


> Question will you be lit up every night and is that safe or desirable? We have several acres and I use panels to provide power but don't worry too much about seasonal changes. The lights are motion sensor based as I'd rather it not be lit up at night unless something lights it up.


For now I'll be using it every night. After the SHTF I might put a remote on it to shut it off on from the house. Use automotive stuff.


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## Lunatic Wrench (May 13, 2018)

Why not some LED floods, low power consumption, compact, directional and tactical as well if you get some really bright ones.


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

stowlin said:


> Question will you be lit up every night and is that safe or desirable? We have several acres and I use panels to provide power but don't worry too much about seasonal changes. The lights are motion sensor based as I'd rather it not be lit up at night unless something lights it up.


In my location the seasons matter quite a bit. In the summer they are almost laying flat. In the winter they are almost straight up.
And it dose make a difference. I cut my system down to one panel and went from one extreme to the other with the adjustment
in the summer and it showed up when under a power load.


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

Lunatic Wrench said:


> Why not some LED floods, low power consumption, compact, directional and tactical as well if you get some really bright ones.


 Yes I was going to go with LEDs but I was going to use the corn row bulbs I use them in the other security lights that run off my
solar for the house. But tell me about the floods, Or a link like how watts do they pull?


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## Chiefster23 (Feb 5, 2016)

Tilting the panels with the seasons just doesn’t give you much more power. Lets assume you get 100% power from continuously tracking. You get 75% from tilting 4 times a year and 71% with a fixed angle. Is it really worth it to try adjusting the panel mounted on top of a pole to get 4% more power? Just buy a slightly larger panel and save the aggravation.


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## Daddy O (Jan 20, 2014)

Seems like a lot of work to build something that you can buy off the shelf. There are a few dozen solar powered security lights available. They are self contained so they are easy to move as security concerns change.









Seems like if you want to get serious about this, then you should save your pennies and buy a Tesla powerwall.
They're like a battery backup for your house. Get one or two of those, combined with solar, and you can go totally off the grid without having to deal with the hassle of a battery farm made from Marine batteries.
https://www.tesla.com/powerwall


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## Lunatic Wrench (May 13, 2018)

Just an example, although this outfit is pretty top notch, bought quite a few vehicle lights from them and their CS is pretty good.









http://https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/landscape-spot-flood-lights/100-watt-led-flood-light-fixture-5000k4000k-250-watt-mh-equivalent-12000-lumens/4585/


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## jimb1972 (Nov 12, 2012)

Now if they made the LED solar motion lights with the infrared LEDs that would be awesome with night vision. I bought a cheap night vision monocular and an IR flashlight off Amazon and the flashlight increased the effective range of the cheap night vision by more than double.


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## jimb1972 (Nov 12, 2012)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IEYFGNO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005JI1R96/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I can't really recommend the night vision monocular because of the need to focus manually and the screen will ruin your night vision unaided because it is way too bright, but it is cheap so I guess you get what you pay for and not a bit more in this case.


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## Lunatic Wrench (May 13, 2018)

The flashlight is twice the cost of the same clone that I have in white with red, green lenses.

I like the idea though, I'll have to add this idea to the stage 2 list


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

Chiefster23 said:


> Tilting the panels with the seasons just doesn't give you much more power. Lets assume you get 100% power from continuously tracking. You get 75% from tilting 4 times a year and 71% with a fixed angle. Is it really worth it to try adjusting the panel mounted on top of a pole to get 4% more power? Just buy a slightly larger panel and save the aggravation.


Tell you what I think you are wrong. I'm telling you that in the summer I unplugged all my panels but one. 
And I used only one battery and ran a small load. Setting the panel angle for summer which is almost laying flat it did ok.
changed it to the winter setting which is almost standing straight up and it fell on it's face.

Do you guys remember when I was running a trolling motor on one 300 watt panel?
That was about the limit of what that panel could do. And if the angle was off it would fall on it's face

I have 3 settings summer winter and "spring and fall" share the same setting. And it makes a big difference
I'm not talking bout what I red or percentages I'm talking about what I know from "Hands on" and experiments.

If I set my panels in the middle setting which is for Spring/fall it's more like 50% loss in the dead of a bright sunny summer day
The only real maintenance I really do is check the water once a month 10 minuets and reset the angle of the panels like every 3 months takes 20 minuets

And in the winter it's usually gloomy or snowing and the days are short and the sun just sort of peaks over the mountain a
few hours a day. And you better have the angel right or you ain't getting jack for power. I know

If I have time I'm going to take some pictures tomorrow and show you what I'm talking about
I'm no expert on solar but I know what works for me.


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

Chiefster23 said:


> Tilting the panels with the seasons just doesn't give you much more power. Lets assume you get 100% power from continuously tracking. You get 75% from tilting 4 times a year and 71% with a fixed angle. Is it really worth it to try adjusting the panel mounted on top of a pole to get 4% more power? Just buy a slightly larger panel and save the aggravation.


Tell you what I think you are wrong. I'm telling you that in the summer I unplugged all my panels but one. 
And I used only one battery and ran a small load. Setting the panel angle for summer which is almost laying flat it did ok.
changed it to the winter setting which is almost standing straight up and it fell on it's face.

Do you guys remember when I was running a trolling motor on one 300 watt panel?
That was about the limit of what that panel could do. And if the angle was off it would fall on it's face

I have 3 settings summer winter and "spring and fall" share the same setting. And it makes a big difference
I'm not talking bout what I red or percentages I'm talking about what I know from "Hands on" and experiments.

If I set my panels in the middle setting which is for Spring/fall it's more like 50% loss in the dead of a bright sunny summer day
The only real maintenance I really do is check the water once a month 10 minuets and reset the angle of the panels like every 3 months takes 20 minuets

And in the winter it's usually gloomy or snowing and the days are short and the sun just sort of peaks over the mountain a
few hours a day. And you better have the angel right or you ain't getting jack for power. I know


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