Solar LED Light Array, Detached Solar Panel

[oregon]

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...&topnav=BC&s=1

Tip toeing off the grid with the ordering today of this approx. 450 lumen LED array light. Solar powered, Lithium polymer battery, and its advertised to provide up to six hours of light.

For $60, delivered, and returnable to any Costco store if I'm not satisfied it doesn't feel risky to take this step. After all, I'm a fan of the dim and small scale solar/nicad lights I have all over the place: hanging lanterns, tiki torches modeling flickering flames, deck/step lights and even a life-size resin squirrel illuminated from within.

I could even locate the LED array inside the shed, garage, crawlspace or home while locating the solar panel facing the southern sky. However, I plan to place it on a 4" x 4" post near the driveway, in order to illuminate the driveway, parking area and house number on the post. I am out in the sticks, with the hicks, and boy-o-boy is it dark at night in this neck of the woods. If it performs well in this location replacement of more "on-the-grid" lights may follow.

I enjoy the convenience of motion activated switching. And, I relish the independence from the electric utility.

Anyone already tried one of these?

Will a large scale solar panel array follow? I need some more baby steps in that direction just now. Maybe down the road (which makes me think of the Cormac McCarthy book in which light would attract trouble...).

oregon

[VanIsleDSM]

That looks like a great deal.

I can't believe they can put LEDs, Li-Poly battery, and a solar panel all together for $60.. and not small scale.. that's amazing.

[oregon]

I received shipping notice the other day so it should be in my hands in about a week or so.

I'll post my impressions when received and after its placed into service.

oregon

[oregon]

The brown truck delived the one, well-packed, box. I plugged the solar panel into the light and turned the array on. All LEDs work and, as a group, it is quite bright in the daylight. Of course, the batteries came charged from the jump so I'll see how the light performs from just sun charging very soon.

I figured to place the light on one of those tall white vinyl posts, facing north, you see fences made of. And, the solar collector on the rear of the post facing south. I'll mount the post into an appliance that I will drive into the ground and then bolt the post into it, making the post removable. I can mount the light and solar panel just prior to installing the pole. About $35 for the pole and ground mount. So for about $100 I have a remote driveway light.

I might affix the house numbers to the post so that newbys to this neck of the woods get an idea of where they are.

oregon

[oregon]

I think that I will experiment with the light tonight to see how it works and just where to place it. Gonna have to locate it with some exposure to the southern sky for sure.

oregon

[oregon]

First night of hand-held use: On a full factory charge of the battery the floody array leaves nothing to be desired in the white light department. The amount of light is more than I expected and colors render well. The light can be pivoted as can the motion dectector so fine tuning or changing the direction of throw or motion sensing is easy.

After its been installed for a while I'll see what a solar charge delivers in terms of light output and post what I find. Location, aiming of the solar panel and weather will mean alot with this light.

oregon

[rkJr]

First night of hand-held use: On a full factory charge of the battery the floody array leaves nothing to be desired in the white light department. The amount of light is more than I expected and colors render well. The light can be pivoted as can the motion dectector so fine tuning or changing the direction of throw or motion sensing is easy.

After its been installed for a while I'll see what a solar charge delivers in terms of light output and post what I find. Location, aiming of the solar panel and weather will mean alot with this light.

oregon

Thanks for trying this one out. I'm curious how it will hold charge over night. are you going to use it as a motion sensor security type light, or just general illumination?

[oregon]

are you going to use it as a motion sensor security type light?

Yes.

The motion sensor switch makes sense to me because it would act to conserve the battery by turning on only when needed. Either someone arrives or departs. I'm out in a rural area, on 5 (mostly treed) acres, with no street lights or other ambient light except for the moon.

The gravel drive comes thru trees and timber bamboo opening onto a lawn in front of the house. The light and solar panel will go into a small island of ivy/shrubs on the lawn where the drive "y"s into overflow parking on the left and garage on the right. If all works well the light will illuminate this fork in the drive.

At this location there is a clear line of sight to the southern sky across the lawn so the solar collector should get fed if the sun ever shines, and it usually does in the summer, over this neck of the woods.

I already have over 20 solar/nicad LED lights, mostly single LEDs giving dim amber light, around the place. This one really raises the lumen bar. This place can't be seen from space at night but I'm working on it...

oregon

[oregon]

Here are three pics of the finished product, before placement of the house numbers on the post. The white post is hollow and just barely accomodates a wooden 4x4 inside. I hammered a post grabbing, 2 bolts tighted it, appliance into the ground with just a short piece of 4x4 to take the hits. I attached 4 ft of pressure treated 4x4 to the ground appliance. Finally I slipped the white hollow post sleeve over the wooden post and I was ready to fine tune the lights settings and the angle of the solar collector.







Thank you for looking and thank you kindly for your comments.

Update, 4-4-08, so tickled with the first one I ordered another light/panel for installation on the same post. I want a full 180 degrees of flood light in this part of the drive. I'll locate the solar panel on the same side as the 1st solar panel just below it a bit. And, the light will go just to the left of the current one on the next side of the post clockwise.

oregon

[Glasstream15]

Please tell me those things inhale deeply. I DO NOT need to order one.






And I have it on my Costco wish list.

[oregon]

Please tell me those things inhale deeply. I DO NOT need to order one.






And I have it on my Costco wish list.

They act like an efficient vacuum acts. You should avoid ordering any.






Better get two. I show it to a friend and all but had to pry it out of his hands to get it back.

oregon

[Newuser01]

This looks nice and thanks for doing a review!

Now, how about beamshots!!!

Patiently waiting.

Regards.

[oregon]

Now, how about beamshots!!!

You have forced me to face my worst fear: night photography, groan.

All I've ever asked of my equipment and my skill is to take pictures of what I see as I see it and archive that sight for later. An ideal, never quite realized even in broad daylight. Can't be deficiency in my skill sets so must be equipment, I say. These pics will not show you what I see, unfortunately. Taken pre-dawn this morning with a Panasonic Lumix FZ8 in light rain, using aperture priority and then intelligent mode. My hat is off to you successful beamshot bull geese and you know who you are (any hints appreciated). Might just have to use the Canon.

The camera doesn't show the brightness nor the color rendition that I see. I don't see daylight brightness or rendition by any means. But, the light performs better than the pics would have you believe.

Photo taken from behind the light looking the way the light points.


Looking toward the path of the light from behind the light post.


Looking from beside the light at the gravel drive.


Thank you for looking.

oregon

[Newuser01]

It is nothing to be afraid of (meaning taking pictures....Just try and be happy!!)

Nice pictures none the less. I'm not a photog in any means. This gives meaning to what you can except.

Regards.
Victor

[oregon]

It is nothing to be afraid of (meaning taking pictures....Just try and be happy!!)
Victor

OK, alright. This time with a Canon PowerShot SD950 IS. Some cars in the shot. Photo taken on tripod behind light post. Oh, added 2nd light and solar panel to further illuminate parking area.





Slightly better photos with the Canon vs the Panasonic.

oregon

[TigerhawkT3]

Cool stuff!

Now that that's out of the way ( ), on to the photography. I have a similar camera, the FZ50, and I don't think I've ever gotten shots like that. I hardly do any night photography, but I've taken several beamshots with it. My best guess of the issue is that the "intelligent" ISO is boosting the gain way up. One of dpreview.com's biggest complaints regarding the FZ50 was the noise created by so many pixels on such a small sensor (because of the super-zoom), so I have my ISO permanently set at 100, the lowest it goes. For better pictures, try using a tripod, allowing slow shutter speeds (long exposure times), and limiting the ISO as much as possible. Generally, you'll want to leave the ISO low, and only play with aperture, shutter speed, and how much light you have. Don't get me wrong; they each have their pros and cons, but none of those will cause that immense amount of noise.

Also, I noticed that some pics, especially the ones of the manual, were quite blue-tinted. Two words, my friend: white balance.

Happy shooting, and enjoy your lights.

[oregon]

Thank you kindly for the encouragement and the photo tips Newuser and Tigerhawk.

Here's a daylight pic of the latest update to the light post, added another array and solar panel to the same post, to the relief of last night's dinner guests who parked away from the house.

Pretty good light coverage now, and the second set went up in ten minutes. I am trying to fight the urge to put a light on each side of the post.

oregon

[bitslammer]

Wow. I couldn't resist and just ordered 2 of those my self along with 2 of these:
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Productgroup.aspx?Prodid=11268530&whse=BC&Ne=40000 00&eCat=BC|50126|27588&N=4019882&Mo=13&No=13&Nr=P_ CatalogName:BC&cat=57752&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1 &lang=en-US&Sp=C&topnav=


Can't wait to see them all in action even though I have no idea where I'll put the motion sensor light.

[oregon]

[quote=bitslammer;2433803]2 of these:
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...S&Sp=C&topnav=

Excellent find bitslammer. I think I need some of those green spotlights. Good sized solar panels on those makes me think that they should produce some power for the batteries and juice for the LEDs.

You'll love this use for the motion light. My sister tells a story of camping out and visiting the outhouse at night. Once inside she drops her flashlight and it is lost. She waited until help arrived in about 1/2 an hour. Take the motion light camping and light the outhouse.

oregon

[Newuser01]

( ), on to the photography!!

Yeah! Let's go.

I just like to add one thing. Even if you don't have a tripod, put the camera on a chair/box - what ever and shoot it with self timer feature. That's how I've done it even taking pictures of (even) people at night. (I can't hold a camera steady!). A bit hard to look and compose but it works great!!

Back on topic. Seems that these lights are great for saving $ in the long run not mentioning the cost of running hardwires out of the house. Good enough to function as a replacement motion sensor lights most of us have in front of the house/garages!!

Good stuff.

Regards.
Victor

[oregon]

tripod, put the camera on a chair/box - what ever and shoot it with self timer feature.

Back on topic. Seems that these lights are great for saving $ in the long run not mentioning the cost of running hardwires out of the house. Good enough to function as a replacement motion sensor lights most of us have in front of the house/garages!!

Thank you kindly Victor for the photo tips and the encouragement to use these lights to replace "connected to the grid" motion lights, which I have on all sides of my shotgun shack.

I have a tiny tripod, thx DX, and had the camera/tripod on a chair when the pics were taken. 1/2 your advise. Unfortunately, I did not use the auto-timer. Next time. I really appreciate the photo tips.

I would love to be able to switch a large portion of my electricity needs to solar/battery/led and give the grid a rest. The germans lead in solar and they are putting up a mfg plant a few miles from me. I hear $75k starting wages for engineers.

oregon

[Newuser01]

A couple of images to encourage you to take more pictures.

Taken with P&S Canon A530 manual mode 8 sec set down on the front porch.




Enjoy.

Regards.
Victor

[oregon]

A couple of images to encourage

I am encouraged now thanks to you and the good results from your point-&-shoot.

All the best,

oregon

[rodfran]

When on motion mode, will it work all night on one day's charge?

[IcantC]

Good find on both those solar lights. Might have to grab some. Thanks.

[seattlite]

Anyone know if this is bright enough to be used in an 8' x 10' shed for general lighting?

[oregon]

The LED array produces a flood of light which should work well inside a small shed. If you have southern exposure for the solar panels then your chances for success are inhanced. I have filtered, lots of Douglas Firs, southern exposure which gets worse during the winter as the sun sits lower. With Costco you can return what you don't like so you only risk your time.

Both lights have been working fine during this summer. I have no complaints and no problems with charging, lighting or the motion detector switching. Looking into the light directly is done at your own peril as they are bright against the night's surrounding darkness at my place.

oregon

[hank]

Another one at Costco

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...S&Mo=3&topnav=

Sunforce Solar LED Motion Light with Detached Solar Panel Module
$37.99

[oregon]

Update, February 15, 2009, after record snowfall has past: Both arrays are still working without issue.

Next installation will have the solar panels higher off the ground in order to catch more light when the sun is low on the horizon. My location has the sun shining over large fir trees on my southern side so lifting the panels should aid charging in the winter.

oregon

[Chillyrodent]

Newb here. Wondering what you think of it a year down the road?

Thanks.