I've been wondering whether or not those lights are any use. We have a fairly long drive, there are no streetlights, and I thought it might be a good idea to mark the edge of the drive with them.
Sheila
Jill, by Oban, uses permanent ones. They help them, their friends and customers on their heavily shaded drive. I'm not sure of the durability of the cheap plastic ones we use but for temporary use in camping they're ideal.
Mary
I was wanting to avoid (the expense and effort of) a major project like running power down the drive....... And it's not just our drive - there's about 60 feet of track (which isn't actually on our land) from the road to our gate. At night, it's very easy to miss the turnoff - people tend to notice they've passed it, and have to turn around and come back. Perhaps we'll buy a couple of the solar ones, and see how well they work.
Sheila
You'd have to buy an awul lot to match the permanent ones - and there's no runing cost.
Mary
Doesn't your vehicle have lights? B-)
That of course doesn't help if you are walking. Mind you it has to be very cloudy (to block the moon) or to be under thick tree cover for night vision to be no good, just star light is enough to move around in.
The front path of a hotel I used to stay at in Leeds went under some big Beech trees. That was a dark path but of course with the hotel lighting and street lights you didn't develop proper night vision. They fitted some of those cheap LED solar power things to mark the path sort of worked but in winter they didn't get enough light to last more than a few hours, being under the trees.
It is in the open or if there's any scattered light from other sources but it's not the case in every situation.
Beech *trees* lose their leaves in winter, some light will get through. They don't have to shine all night - although ours did even at Christmas and New Year, during the longest hour of darkness and shortest of light. I admit to being surprised.
Mary
More often than not, I'm on foot.
The house is on the northwest coast of Scotland, in a very remote area - no streetlights, and no near neighbours. On moonless nights in the winter, it can be difficult to see your hand in front of your face. When I take the wheelie-bin down to the road, I've taken to wearing one of those headband torches - like a miner's lamp.
Sheila
I was going to suggest that but forgot. Daughter on Welsh farm (where we use them) has used one for many years and wouldn't be without it. Spouse uses one too when we're down there but I like to see the guys marked.
Mary
My assumption about an indoor 12V transformer was based on the fact that (a) they are for indoors(!) and more significantly (b) they are intended for hiding under floorboards etc and obviously aren't intended for 'exposed' use (any more than a junction box, for example)...
...OK, so are you saying you obtained it like that (if so, where?!) or did you pot it yourself? If so, is that OK from an overheating point of view? And what would that involve - dumping it in an adaptable box-full of builder's resin, or something more? I must say I'd much prefer a 12V PSU (say 50-60W?) suitable for this application off the shelf, but haven't been able to find one.
You know, I'm still struggling with this! I reckon 12V is the way to go, but where can I find suitable components? I've tried the likes of Halfords locally; TLC, Maplins, Screwfix etc online, but there doesn't seem to be anything suitable. OK, I can buy a 10W car bulb, but who sells some form of socket or casing to fit that in?
Thanks David
You can get single / double (8 watt / 16 watt) fluorescent lights that run off
12 volts from any camp> > Lobster wrote:
Lidl (Nicolson Steet Edinburgh, at least) have some camping lights, either halogen or fluroescent, made by Osram, run off batteries but could probably be bodged as required, for a tenner each.
Owain
For what ever reason these seemed to hang onto about 50% of theirs. Certainly no where near leafless.
These lights gave up by at 2000, with it getting dark enough under the trees for them to come on about 1600 or before.
Bit like us then, nearest street lights are 1.5 miles away in the village all the others are further away and behind the fells which extend for miles around. The skies are wonderfully dark, just a tiny bit of glow from Carlisle 25miles away if you know where to look and a splodge from Teeside 40+miles away. I'm always amazed at the sight of the Milky Way, it's just there, you don't have to look for it, just arching across the heavens, glorious.
Stars a fine for that but bring in the cloud and you can't see your hand in front of your face. It's black, completely black, un-nervingly black.
Yep, have one of those very handy for nipping out side to do things.
That surprises me but I believe.
Where was that, then - you said Leeds. I'm in Leeds.
Mary
Bottom end of Roundhay Park. The previous owners sold just before Christmas and the new ones were not going to keep it going as a hotel.
It _is_ gorgeous, isn't it? We sometimes get to see the Norhtern Lights.
My doughter finds the vastness of the dark skies to be quite scarey. I love it.
They're also good for crawling around in lofts, under workbenches, and when working in computers.
Sheila
Ah, I did wonder if that's the one you meant. Used to be one of my haunts - but I don't remembr the trees as beech.
Mind you, I didn't spend much time looking up and anway in those days I was driving in and out - not much visibiltiy in a Moggy van.
Mary
>
Spouse uses his when looking for something in the bowels of his workshop.
It's a fixture.
Mary
Usual method is one of those round, waterproof mains plugs on a long length of arctic grade mains cable into an rcd, then into a shuttered socket.
sponix
Have a look at most of the caravan sites for all sorts of camping and outdoor kit. You'll be amazed at what kinds of things you can obtain for these activities now. Gone are the days of a cool boxes and packs of ice from the freezer you know. :-)
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