Allotment Shed Solar Panel

[Malcolm Buggeridge]

How about a wind turbine?

I have friends in the narrowboating world who have them installed on their boats and they're not overly dear.

I think there's a website called gongoozlers.com that may be worth a look at.

[chef]

Look at what the Boating / Caravanning fraternity use they have similar needs

HTH

I would but I believe I was banned from their forum

[Troll]

Look at what the Boating / Caravanning fraternity use they have similar needs

HTH

[Contreras]

He wants to power:
- a single light bulb for lighting the interior of the shed in the evenings for a few hours
- a portable radio (to save on batteries) for most of the day
- to be able to charge his mobile phone once per day

My knowledge in this area is almost zero, so my questions to my techie CUK friends are:

what will he need other than, obviously, a solar panel to make this work?
how much is it likely to cost?
can this be installed easily or is an electrician required?

It's a DIY job.

Probably £100-£150 for parts :-

Panel: e.g. NEW 10W 12v Energy+ Solar Battery Charger - TUV ISO - Monocrystalline - UK Stock | eBay

Battery: Numax CXV31MF Sealed Leisure Battery 12V 110Ah 1000MCA 500 Cycles XV31MF - Leisure Batteries - Numax Leisure Batteries

Lamp: NEW 12 VOLT 15 WATT FLUORESCENT CFL LIGHT BULB E27 ES SALE PRICE | eBay

Fittings: here, here, here, here, and here.

And for charging/using 12V accessories, one of these just cut the plug off.

Might need a bigger panel to keep the battery topped up depending on expectations of "in the evenings for a few hours", and whether that is say every evening or just once or twice a week.

I've been thinking of doing something similar for the garage but never got a round tuit. I have used Tayna for batteries and they are OK, but the ebay links are random examples so DYOR.

[Moscow Mule]

Helpful, thanks. But that doesnt solve the radio and phone charger issue and requires them to drive to/from their house to the allotment whenever they want to charge up/replace the lamps.

Have a google for it - there's a site that does a kit that would meet you requirements. Battery might be more expensive that he solar kit though...

[RSoles]

My worry with this idea would be that the panel might walk overnight.

[chef]

I use high power re-chargeable LED Lamps. They last from 4 to 8 hours. (£10 to £18) One is always on-charge and they get swapped over after after usage.

Helpful, thanks. But that doesnt solve the radio and phone charger issue and requires them to drive to/from their house to the allotment whenever they want to charge up/replace the lamps.

[Paddy]

I use high power re-chargeable LED Lamps. They last from 4 to 8 hours. (£10 to £18) One is always on-charge and they get swapped over after after usage.

[chef]

hmm maybe I might get a better response in Technical, Admin can you move this thread please?

[chef]

My father has an allotment which has a 4mx3m shed, 4mx4m patch of grass and a large area for gardening with a greenhouse on it in which they spend several weekends each summer at either gardening or simply gossiping with their allotment neighbours. I've been asked the question "your technical, I was thinking of getting a solar panel put on the roof of the shed." which I know isn't a question but in my fathers eyes it is. Bear with me on the specifics of the sentence, I didn't get to choose my parents or direct their use of the language.

He wants to power:
- a single light bulb for lighting the interior of the shed in the evenings for a few hours
- a portable radio (to save on batteries) for most of the day
- to be able to charge his mobile phone once per day

My knowledge in this area is almost zero, so my questions to my techie CUK friends are:

what will he need other than, obviously, a solar panel to make this work?
how much is it likely to cost?
can this be installed easily or is an electrician required?