Looking to Install Small Panels for Lampposts on a Ranch

[sultan316]

So it's been a while since I've been on here, but I'm wanting to install some panels on my ranch on the rural side of town. I want them to power lampposts that are going along a very long driveway. Perhaps 15-20 posts fairly spread apart, but along the same line. The whole driveway is perhaps a 100 yards long. I'm thinking of something like this:

IMG_1406.jpg

What would be the best method of connecting everything, and is it feasible to do it myself? Also, any recommendations on types of panels (sizes, wattage, brands, etc.)? I've built my first 60w solar panel (non EVA; the older greenhouse version with plywood) so I have some intuition on the subject, however, I'm very much a complete beginner when it comes to methods of spacing and most cost effective solutions to problems such as mine.


My thoughts on possible options are

1. A panel on every lamppost each with its own battery and necessary equipment on the post
2. A panel on every post, but wiring up every post to a single battery bank at the end somewhere
3. Somehow a large single area for panels and then wiring to power each light on it's own

Any help?

[Sunking]

First step is to determine how many watt hours each post light will need.. Watt hours = watt x hours.

So if those are 10 watt lights you want to run 10 hours then 10 watts x 10 hours = 100 watt hours.

[sultan316]

First step is to determine how many watt hours each post light will need.. Watt hours = watt x hours.

So if those are 10 watt lights you want to run 10 hours then 10 watts x 10 hours = 100 watt hours.

I mean I would be running a typical lamppost bulb (I believe they can be a typical bulb) for anywhere between 5-10 hrs every night. Hoping an LED or CFL bulb works (not positive if strong enough to illuminate the road) then that's 10-15 watts. So my desired watt hours is between 50 and 150 watt hours for each light.

[Sunking]

So my desired watt hours is between 50 and 150 watt hours for each light.

You have to pick a value. A system that generates 150 watt hours is exactly 3 times larger than one that generates 50 watt hours. If you design for 50 wh and then use 100 or 150 wh will destroy the very expensive batteries.

[sultan316]

You have to pick a value. A system that generates 150 watt hours is exactly 3 times larger than one that generates 50 watt hours. If you design for 50 wh and then use 100 or 150 wh will destroy the very expensive batteries.

Ok I think 8 hours for a 15w bulb is reasonable and a safe bet, so let's say 120 watt hours.

[Sunking]

Ok I think 8 hours for a 15w bulb is reasonable and a safe bet, so let's say 120 watt hours.

OK what is your location so we can determine panel wattage required? Right now I can tell you light each pole will need a 12 volt 50 AH battery. I can also tell you this is going to be very expensive. Just a 12 volt 50 AH battery is going to cost you around $120 each, and the panels, charge controller, utility box, and material will be around $300 for each pole. Best guesstimate is $around $400 to $500 per pole and that does not include the lighting fixture and light.

[sultan316]

OK what is your location so we can determine panel wattage required? Right now I can tell you light each pole will need a 12 volt 50 AH battery. I can also tell you this is going to be very expensive. Just a 12 volt 50 AH battery is going to cost you around $120 each, and the panels, charge controller, utility box, and material will be around $300 for each pole. Best guesstimate is $around $400 to $500 per pole and that does not include the lighting fixture and light.

Location is Houston, TX. Why does each pole need it's own 12 volt battery? Excuse my lack of knowledge, but isn't that a little overkill? That is a little expensive, but it might be necessary. How would you go about doing a project like this then? If you wanted to illuminate a driveway (let's just say using lampposts for now) in a ranch where everything is spread out, would you make it all solar, or do you think regular electricity is the way to go?

[russ]

Location is Houston, TX. Why does each pole need it's own 12 volt battery? Excuse my lack of knowledge, but isn't that a little overkill? That is a little expensive, but it might be necessary. How would you go about doing a project like this then? If you wanted to illuminate a driveway (let's just say using lampposts for now) in a ranch where everything is spread out, would you make it all solar, or do you think regular electricity is the way to go?

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[sultan316]

Look at our sponsor's site http://www.solartown.com/store/catal...and-lamp-post/

Oh this is awesome. Much cheaper than what sunking expected my DIY project would cost. I'll still want to look into both options though. Thanks for the heads up

[SunEagle]

Oh this is awesome. Much cheaper than what sunking expected my DIY project would cost. I'll still want to look into both options though. Thanks for the heads up

Just be aware that the ones that russ showed you are more for decorative lighting and will not necessarily provide a lot of light. They are great to look at and add a lot of esthetics to a dark driveway or patio.

I have installed a number of much smaller ones similar to the Mission Solar lantern on page three of that website. Mine came with stakes and hooks for the lantern which are low to the ground but they do provide enough light on our side walk at night.

The system that Sunking was proposing is a little more robust in both battery output and charge controller capabilities.

[Sunking]

or do you think regular electricity is the way to go?

Sure do, it would be a lot less expensive.

There are two ways to do this with solar.

1. Is like you stated earlier with a panel on at each pole or a self contained system on each pole. That means a panel, charge controller, and battery at each pole.
2. Is a central system with one large panel, large controller, large battery, and inverter. Power is taken from there as AC to each pole light which means trenching in a conductor or going over head.

Then there is a third way. Supply commercial Ac power by trenching in (or over head) from the main house or nearest building with commercial AC.

[Noob]

Oh this is awesome. Much cheaper than what sunking expected my DIY project would cost. I'll still want to look into both options though. Thanks for the heads up

I picked the most expensive unit in that list (two headed "Pagoda") and while my math is probably off, it seems the 8 LEDs it uses run 12 volt at 100 mA each, which would come to 0.8 A * 12 V = roughly 9.6 watts. For 8 hours that comes to 76.8 watt hours.

The dollars per watt on this unit (at 9.6 watts) are $52/watt.

The 15 watt system Sunking was describing was roughly $30/watt before light and fixture, so neither project seems out of line with the other?

Also, it doesn't seem any of the premade product point down street-lamp style as I thought you wanted.

[sultan316]

Ok so I've been looking around a little. My first instinct is that the light, like some of you have stated, is probably not very strong nor is it even pointing downwards (if it's strong enough to illuminate the road, then I don't really care where it's pointing though). It's going to be difficult to determine if it's economical to make this into a solar project. The cost to make these posts run on regular electricity would be high since everything is so spread apart. There is a small house that has power lines running to it, but there's going to be a lot of construction on the property in the next decade. Solar might prove beneficial to remove the added expenses of rerouting everything.

Also, am I missing something here, but where are the panels to power these things? Are they just really small, or just not shown? And Noob, I think there are cheaper and more productive units then that Pagoda (on other sites if not here), so it might skew the results a little. Thank you for the math regardless. I believe I'm going to have to do a lot more of it for this project.

[Sunking]

Sultan here is the challenge. You want to illuminate the road right? That cannot be done with solar or ACCENT LANDSCAPE LIGHTS. You are now talking something like 75 to 150 watt HID lighting where each pole will use something on the order of 750 to 1500 watt hours each night for each pole. If you have 8 light poles then that is around 6 Kwh to 12 Kwh each night.

That is not a job for solar. We are now talking a 2500 to 4500 watt solar panel array, and a 2000 pound battery at a central location costing you some $20,000 or more dollars just in equipment cost for the solar part. Of that $20K is $10K in batteries that have to be replaced every 5 years. YOu will still be stuck with the cost of trenching in the AC line from the solar system to each pole.

So you are a lot better off just running commercial AC power. A whole lot less expensive to install, operate, and maintain. Not only that you do not have to worry about how long the lights stay on. See where I am going with this?

[SunEagle]

Ok so I've been looking around a little. My first instinct is that the light, like some of you have stated, is probably not very strong nor is it even pointing downwards (if it's strong enough to illuminate the road, then I don't really care where it's pointing though). It's going to be difficult to determine if it's economical to make this into a solar project. The cost to make these posts run on regular electricity would be high since everything is so spread apart. There is a small house that has power lines running to it, but there's going to be a lot of construction on the property in the next decade. Solar might prove beneficial to remove the added expenses of rerouting everything.

Also, am I missing something here, but where are the panels to power these things? Are they just really small, or just not shown? And Noob, I think there are cheaper and more productive units then that Pagoda (on other sites if not here), so it might skew the results a little. Thank you for the math regardless. I believe I'm going to have to do a lot more of it for this project.

Since the lamp is very low in wattage the "panel" is very small. Mine are about 1.5" x 2" in size which is just enough to recharge the very small internal battery. Again these lights are more aesthetic and not for providing illumination.