Light bulb for shed

H

HeyBub 13 years ago

My son reported seeing this on a YouTube video, so I can't vouch for its accuracy.

While bemoaning the lack of light in various African hovels and tar-paper shacks, some residents came up with a novel approach. They cut a hole in the substance laughingly called a roof and inserted a filled, plastic water bottle!

According to my son (who may have been drunk), the result was illumination roughly equivalent to a 40-watt bulb! And, I guess, you could have more than one.

Admittedly not much brightness, but more than a 3" skylight and, of course, it doesn't work at night.

Unless you have a flashlight serving as a replacement for the sun...

Anyway, I thought, if it works, the water-bottle concept is a clever one - a concept that might be an interesting experiment.

Vote

E

Ed Pawlowski 13 years ago

I can see it working. The water would transmit the light from the exposed surface.

Vote

B

bob haller 13 years ago

It was on 60 minutes. Indeed it does work:) but cant work in freezing climates:( the water in the bottle would freeze.

I have seen light tubes at Lowes. They are a pricey version of the water bottle...

Vote

J

Joe 13 years ago

Is the illumination equivalent to a 40 watt LED or a 40 watt incandescent?

Vote

J

John 13 years ago

Someone always has to piss on the parade. :)

The hole in the roof would be my concern.

John

Vote

G

Gordon Shumway 13 years ago

formatting link

As Paul Harvey said, "Now you know the rest of the story."

Vote

S

Stormin Mormon 13 years ago

incandescent?

Someone always has to piss on the parade. :)

The hole in the roof would be my concern.

John

Vote

=

= 13 years ago

There's a long tradition of such things. The idea was used on ships to bring light to below-deck areas from outside via glass prisms. See:

formatting link

You can still buy such prisms.

Tomsic

Vote

M

Malcom "Mal" Reynolds 13 years ago

Was it a LED bottle or incandescent hole

Vote

C

clare 13 years ago

It is true. They are used quite extensively in the Philipines and indo-china, and is becoming more common in Africa as well

Vote

C

clare 13 years ago

in a freezeable environment just add sugar or salt to lower the freeze point. - or hooch

Vote

C

clare 13 years ago

approx 40 watt 240 volt incandescent bulb - which is less than a 12 volt 40 watt incandescent 04 a 40 watt halogen - or a 40 watt LED.

Vote

C

clare 13 years ago

The hole is easily sealed - and is GENERALLY cut undersised and flared up with a hammer to be a snug fit to the bottle. You need to remember also that many of these roofs are not particularly water-tight to start with - often made of used/recycled steel or aluminum, os a rough facsimile of same. A small beed of caulking or pitch seals the joints

Vote

C

clare 13 years ago

How about an Acrylic Sun Spreader Hole????

Vote

A

Ashton Crusher 13 years ago

And just how long do you think that NON-UV protected plastic is going to last?

Vote

U

user01 13 years ago

Would you need a roofing permit or a plumbing permit...or both?

And how would the HOA react?

Vote

E

Ed Pawlowski 13 years ago

Probably longer than the rest of the roof. Do you honestly think that is a problem?

Vote

C

clare 13 years ago

How long does a lightbulb last? What do you do when it burns out? What does a water bottle cost compared to a light bulb? and how long does a water bottle last laying in the ditch?

In other words, it is a total non-issue.

Vote

S

Stormin Mormon 13 years ago

Vote

A

Ashton Crusher 13 years ago

Well, plastic of that variety I have had sitting outside for a couple months turns quite brittle. So yes, I would expect it to be a problem.

Vote

Light bulb for shed

Join the Discussion

Didn't find your answer?