solar powered building lights

[Anonymous]

I am sure this has been worked out, and so I don't want to reinvent the wheel. I just finished a nice PIKO building. I thought I would like to put a solar powered light in it. It seems like the garden lights require alot of deconstruction to get the pieces out. Has anyone found a source of solar panel, light, rechargeable battery not installed in something else? Radio shack did not have any idea what I was talking about. I am not a whiz at electronics or soldering so I was wondering if something was already available with the battery, solar panel and light already figured out as to volts and mAmps and compatibility. thanks for any ideas. jackmallek

[ttrigg]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jackmallek

It seems like the garden lights require alot of deconstruction to get the pieces out. Has anyone found a source of solar panel, light, rechargeable battery not installed in something else?

Several places (Home Depot, Lowes, Wal~Mart, Ace, True Value, Wlagreen, Target, Kmart) have a cheap thin plastic solar light fixture. They are in the $10~$15 range. In most of these the "lamp" is about four inches below the solar panel. Just rip the "vanes" off the side of the fixture, cut the right sized hole in the roof and just suspend the entire unit, with the "bulb" up off the floor. My local H-D has a repair parts section, parts available: solar panel, control module, battery, lamp. The parts are about three times the cost of their economy unit.

UPDATE

Wal~Mart has a set of 4 for $15. Everything is in the lid. Pull out two small screws and you have everything in the hand, wired together. Cut a whole in the roof to pass the wires, battery and bulb/electronics through. If needed you can cut and splice longer wires as needed. Solar light 4 structures for $15, not too bad, I think!

[Neiler]

I got a nice fixture from The Real Goods catolog online. It has a large separate solar panel, battery Œ