GolfVenture Posted January 30, 2013 Share #1 Posted January 30, 2013 I need to add 2 outdoor lights to my detached garage about 75 feet from the house. It has 110 to the garage but I would need to add more breakers and wires (80 feet). Home Depot has this on sale "EXPA Solar powered outdoor white LED light with motion direction " for $39.97 each. Uses Rechargeable battery lithium polymer 7.4 Volt/1500mAh is included I've not installed Solar before. In long run, any opinions which would be better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickardracing Posted January 30, 2013 Share #2 Posted January 30, 2013 All of my experiance with solar lights have been with patio and driveway markers. If you have some cloudy days or the lights do not get enough direct sunlight they will not last all night long. If you want them to stay on all night long, you may want to run the 110. If you just want them to come on with the motion detector and then go out after a few minutes, go with the solar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djh3 Posted January 30, 2013 Share #3 Posted January 30, 2013 The new stuff may be better. But my experience with the solar stuff aint been great either. Mostly the same driveway lights, patio and I had one of them rocks that has the address in it that lit up. None of which seem to put out much light. Whats your breaker to the garage now? Adding 2 lights on the motion detedtor shouldnt be that much of a draw to have to completly rewire. Run the new flourecent type flood lights, they draw less power and are as bright as say 100w flood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyinfool Posted January 30, 2013 Share #4 Posted January 30, 2013 The lithium polymer batteries do not like cold. They loose a lot of power fast when they get cold and also do not charge well when cold. I would be concerned about brightness and duration in the winter. If you already have some power in the garage, a couple of lights does not sound like it should push anything over the edge where you need a complete rewire, unless of course you were just looking for an excuse to rewire anyhow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyR Posted January 30, 2013 Share #5 Posted January 30, 2013 I have a number of solar powered lights and light strings at spots along my driveways, garden, and even a path thru the woods. But, they seldom stay lit past midnight. Even in summer with short nights, they seldom stay lit until daybreak. If amount of amps available is a concern on your current wiring, use wired led lights for the floods and in your garage. The draw will go down substantially. I haven't tried the motion detector led floods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wes0778 Posted January 30, 2013 Share #6 Posted January 30, 2013 What about LEDs, which can be run off any 12V power supply? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GolfVenture Posted January 30, 2013 Author Share #7 Posted January 30, 2013 What about LEDs, which can be run off any 12V power supply? These are LEDs that run off (Rechargeable battery lithium polymer 7.4 Volt/1500mAh) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin-vic-b.c. Posted January 30, 2013 Share #8 Posted January 30, 2013 I have changed my outdoor lights, porch, driveway and back yard floods to new 110V LED and they are fantastic, low amperage draw means you can piggy back them with another fixture such as garage door opener or an outlet with very little concern. The floods make the old 100 floods look like night lights. All I have ever seen of the solar outdoor lights they are next to useless, and yes I bet that the cold makes them worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GolfVenture Posted January 31, 2013 Author Share #9 Posted January 31, 2013 I have changed my outdoor lights, porch, driveway and back yard floods to new 110V LED and they are fantastic, low amperage draw means you can piggy back them with another fixture such as garage door opener or an outlet with very little concern. The floods make the old 100 floods look like night lights. All I have ever seen of the solar outdoor lights they are next to useless, and yes I bet that the cold makes them worse. Thanks... I think I'll go the 110 LED... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dacheedah Posted January 31, 2013 Share #10 Posted January 31, 2013 The solar power lights won't get you through the night and the batteries won't last all that long. I have to change the ones on my dock a couple times a season. W#hen they don't get enough sun and completely discharge it seems they don't get enough charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creole Posted January 31, 2013 Share #11 Posted January 31, 2013 I need to add 2 outdoor lights to my detached garage about 75 feet from the house. It has 110 to the garage but I would need to add more breakers and wires (80 feet). Home Depot has this on sale "EXPA Solar powered outdoor white LED light with motion direction " for $39.97 each. Uses Rechargeable battery lithium polymer 7.4 Volt/1500mAh is included I've not installed Solar before. In long run, any opinions which would be better? How many lights are you planning to put on a circuit? As others have stated unless the garage circuits are severely overloaded, adding a few lights shouldn't require the need to run new circuits just for them, unless you had other expansions in mind. Each 100W (standard) bulb will pull .83 amps. So two light fixtures with two 100 watt bulbs adds less than 4 amps total to the circuit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackjack Posted January 31, 2013 Share #12 Posted January 31, 2013 Check this out: http://www.dailysteals.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GolfVenture Posted January 31, 2013 Author Share #13 Posted January 31, 2013 How many lights are you planning to put on a circuit? As others have stated unless the garage circuits are severely overloaded, adding a few lights shouldn't require the need to run new circuits just for them, unless you had other expansions in mind. Each 100W (standard) bulb will pull .83 amps. So two light fixtures with two 100 watt bulbs adds less than 4 amps total to the circuit. Rethining my current circuit, the only things that stay on are the freezer and battery maintainer. I have 3 garage door openers and several outlets but they are rarely used. I could easily go off the line from the garage door openers. Thanks everyone. It helps to talk things out with others. I do like the 110 LED motion detector suggestion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etcswjoe Posted January 31, 2013 Share #14 Posted January 31, 2013 You could always go for something like this, it charges a battery then the inverter gives you power from the battery. http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200466740_200466740 I was thinking of seeing if ths could be mounted inside my trailer lid and used when I go camping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeWa Posted January 31, 2013 Share #15 Posted January 31, 2013 I need to add 2 outdoor lights to my detached garage about 75 feet from the house. It has 110 to the garage but I would need to add more breakers and wires (80 feet). Home Depot has this on sale "EXPA Solar powered outdoor white LED light with motion direction " for $39.97 each. Uses Rechargeable battery lithium polymer 7.4 Volt/1500mAh is included I've not installed Solar before. In long run, any opinions which would be better? Brian I use solar lights along the drive in my back yard. They are great in summer but suffer during our short dreary winter days. If possible I recommend wired with a solar on-off switch. That said the Home Depot solar units are really easy to install. Just stick um in the ground where ever you want them. Just make sure they are not under a tree shadow. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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