Solar Powered Garden Led Light

[coolguy]

The Led Bug has gotten me bad about 3 or 4 months ago. Since them I've acquired a bunch of Led and Incandescent flashlights. I've also been noticing the lights my neighbors have been using. Since last month I noticed a white light with a violent tinge reflecting off of the walls of the houses across the way. I assumed that it was one of those flood lamp versions with about 20 or 30 leds that you would find on theledlight.com. Due to the cost I was never interested to purchase one of these, as I do not have 300 dollars to spend on a garden light. However, the other day I was browsing through walmart to find some solar powered garden led lights for 35dollars and less. I suddenly got really excited at the prospect of lighting my backyard, which btw has no ambient light coming from street lights. My backyard is DARK! A great place to test all of my lights. In any case have any of you seen these cheaper solar powered lights around. I've seen a few on yahoo doing a search with the terms "solar powered led light" The one at Walmart boasts 3 leds and runs for 14 hours on a charge. It also runs off of 2 nicds.

Anyway what's your opinion on these lights?

Thanks!

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

well, jademountain.com has a bunch of that stuff.

 

[The_LED_Museum]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by coolguy167:
The one at Walmart boasts 3 leds and runs for 14 hours on a charge. It also runs off of 2 nicds.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Might work fine in southern latitudes, but 14 hours isn't enough for those of us stuck up north. Around here it's dark about 17 hours a day in the winter. And it's even worse in Alaska.

 

[coolguy]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by telephony:
Might work fine in southern latitudes, but 14 hours isn't enough for those of us stuck up north. Around here it's dark about 17 hours a day in the winter. And it's even worse in Alaska.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Wow I never realized it stayed dark so long up there in Washington! I heard that Alaska gets dark nearly all day during winter and lighted almost all day during summer. Here in Hawaii there isn't too much difference between the two seasons we go through. In a manner of speaking there really isn't 4 distinguishable seasons here. In any case do you think 3 leds drawn from 1.2 volt nicds will be bright enough to illuminate the immediate area, say 10 feet. I really don't think the leds will be as bright as the ones on the attitude. I'm assuming the leds will be driven somewhat closer to the infinity.

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

See if they'll let you try it out first. I've seen too many solar LED lights called "markers" or "mood lights" that put out practically no light at all.

All you'll see in a useless dim glow.

 

[lambda]

Interesting note about solar garden lights. I was reading where Brinkmann Corp. had to recall a bunch of them. Seems the nice clear plastic ring lens on them does more than just spread the LED light out. Seems in full sun light, at the right angle, it's been starting fires by concentraiting the sun on dried twigs/mulch/etc.

Light by night, fire by day!