Solar-powered LED lights

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Was at the store yesterday and found that Brinkmann (the flashlight folks) have a new solar-powered driveway light. Not the old incandescent ones that barely last through the night, but new ones that use yellow LEDs. At WalMart, they had both single and double LED models (~$19 and ~$20 respectively), so I got one of the doubles. The yellow LED is a wee surface-mount-y looking critter - just a small square of plastic with a dimple on the top, and 4(!?) leads. The battery is a single, standard NiCd AA (dunno where they found a LED that'll run off <1.2 volts, but maybe that's why they chose that funky little square/dimple thingie). With just a 3-4 hours charge (I got it late in the day) , it lasted from sun-down to at least 2 AM, when I went to sleep. I fully charged it today, so will do a better test tonight. The switch is a photo-sensor - no light falling on the sensor turns on the LED. It's at least as bright as the standard yellow LED replacement flashlight bulbs I've bought in the past - and it has a nice little hanger from which to suspend it. I removed the base, reflector, etc. to allow light to shine straight down. I could read from it quite easily. So... for $20, you don't just get a LED emergency (and "readable") light, but also a built-in solar battery charger (and battery)! And since the battery compartment is accessible, you could put other NiCd or Alkaline AAs in it also... Try one!

-- Hugh (hewiggins@mindspring.com), October 02, 1999

Answers

Hugh, in what department did you find the lights at Walmart? Thanks.

-- mwerks3 (mwerks3@yahoo.com), October 02, 1999.

Caution, a june bug gives more light. Second AA cell? For what? You can only take out what the tiny panel puts in. My personal opinion to that plug. W.

-- wolfie (me@me.com), October 02, 1999.

I've seen those before, albeit not from Brinkmann. They're only really good for markign edges of things you'd rather not drive or step on/over. As for use for reading, the guts from one might be (barely?) sufficient, but hey, they're a helluva lot cheaper than the LED gizmos I've seen (not to mention built. ;-D)

He found his way back and posted under the name...

-- OddOne (mocklamer_1999@yahoo.com), October 02, 1999.


I purchased 7 of these little buggers a couple of months ago from Wally's World. I hung them in the four corners of my living room and one from my ceiling fan, one over the kitchen table, and one in the bathroom. In this arrangement they put out enough light to see by. Actually kind'a quaint and romantic. Gives you that sitting around a campfire kind of ambiance, and are not visible through my windows when the blinds are closed. Off of a AA battery they last a good 24 hours at full intensity, but the light deminishes after this but will last 36 hours or so. Came in handy when my electricity went out for 5 hours a couple of weeks ago during a thunder storm. Added to this I have a propane lantern, a solar generator (215 amp hours with inverter), plenty of flashlights and batteries, 2 solar battery chargers, AM-FM shortwave radio, propane heater, propane stove, solar oven, 125 gallons of water, a bicycle, plenty of "personal protection" and plenty of food and vino. I think I'm pretty much set. Now, the final thing I need to do is build my solar distiller and I'm set for whatever may occur.

-- cb (LED@Light.net), October 03, 1999.

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