Off Grid RV- just need some LIGHTS!!!

[SolarRV]

Ok, first post here, new to solar, just figuring this out. Need to make solar/battery purchase in a couple weeks.
I have a travel trailer I am wanting to keep lighted at night, thats about all for the electrical needs.

I am wanting to run up to 4-8 of these bulbs for at least a few hours a night: http://www.bulbs.com/espec.aspx?ID=10614

23/8.3 Watt, 12.8/14.0 Volt, 1.80/0.59 Amp Miniature S-8 Bulb

I am looking at this battery but I am getting the sinking feeling this battery would only run one bulb of this type for about 12 hours or so, is that correct? Then I am sunk.

12V/18AH/20Hr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/180929731788?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

This is not even including probably a 250 watt solar charger to keep this battery charged enough? I'm in a pretty sunny area.

[Sunking]

You need to find a different light.

[SolarRV]

So, I'm looking at LED lights? That friggin little light bulb is going to drain the damn battery in 12 hours? Really?

[Sunking]

So, I'm looking at LED lights? That friggin little light bulb is going to drain the damn battery in 12 hours?

Your battery if you burn 8 of those lights will be dead and destroyed in 1 hour and 15 minutes at most. Those lights use 1.8 amps x 8 = 14.4 amps. Your battery is 18 Amp Hours. So 18 AH / 14.4 amps = 1.25 hours or 1 hour and 15 minutes. In reality due to Peukert Law less than 1 hour.

[SolarRV]

LED's here I come. If that. Sounds like you need a couple grand just for lighting.

[PNjunction]

While I'm not a big fan of their solar products, you may want to look into Goal Zero's led lighting. Their "light a life" and "estrella" lights both run at about 3 watts dc. Typically a bit of a blue color temperature. I cut off their custom connectors and made my own.

The Luna led light runs from usb, so that's handy.

You could even forego solar altogether - I really like the RayoVac Sportsman Xtreme SE3DLN led lantern if you don't mind using 3 D-cell batteries. Pretty good reviews from the guys at CandlePower forums, although the battery installation / twist at the bottom is a little funky if you don't line things up just right. It's my favorite led lantern since it is small, bright, and configurable. Of course my D-cells are rechargeable by solar externally, but then I'm kind of nutso....

[ppreceipt]

just buy some premade lights.

you are probably better off just buying some premade solar lights

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=solar+security

two of them have bad reviews. The other two have good reviews.

You can get two lights for $50. If you built it yourself I doubt you could do it much cheaper.

[russ]

Anything sold by horrible freight (or is that fright) that is useful for anything other than a boat anchor?

[inetdog]

Anything sold by horrible freight (or is that fright) that is useful for anything other than a boat anchor?

There are regular bargains on solar garden lights and security lights at big box stores and hardware stores. Some are good. You have a choice of finding one which uses a separate panel and running the wiring inside or just setting up a charging rack outside and bringing the lights in after dark. The two problems to watch out for in these units are degradation of the solar cell from weather exposure (not much you can do to change the design) and battery life (usually replaceable NiCd or NiMH or even LiPePO4 in larger units.

You can always just cannibalize them for parts, but most are designed to run off 1-5 volts, so connecting them to a 12 volt panel and battery system would not be economical.

[Sunking]

This is not even including probably a 250 watt solar charger to keep this battery charged enough? I'm in a pretty sunny area.

Just caught this part. If you use a 250 watt panel with a decent MPPT charge controller you would need a 12 volt 250 AH battery, and then you can run all the dang lights you want. If you put a 250 watt panel on the 18 AH battery you selected, it will rupture or explode charging at the 1C+ rate.

[axis11]

LED's here I come. If that. Sounds like you need a couple grand just for lighting.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3W-Cool-White-MR16-3-LED-Bulbs-focus-LED-spot-Light-Lamp-12V-3X-1W-/320845865627?pt=US_Light_Bulbs&hash=item4ab3e7629b

I have purchased a few of these 12v LED bulbs. They were rated at 3watts but actual test shows a power draw of 0.08 amps @12v. That's just 1 watt of consumption but the brightness was great for its size. Run 8 of those for 12 hours and it takes less than 8AH from your battery.

[SolarRV]

Ah, ok, so around $1200.00 should do it for a basic setup, I guess that's what to expect. So not this year.

Ive seen some LED lights that are replacements at 1 volt or watt. They just cost $30.00 a piece.

[ppreceipt]

Anything sold by horrible freight (or is that fright) that is useful for anything other than a boat anchor?

that's what the web site reviews are for. Cheap people love to complain so it's pretty easy to weed out the good products from the bad.

[SolarRV]

http://www.bluepacificsolar.com/rv-solar.html

Found this link also. But does not include batteries.

[ppreceipt]

why?

Why do you want to spend $1200 to $1600 for some simple security solar lights?

Maybe I don't understand your final usage? Because that is serious over kill for some security lighting