Led growlamp powered by free electricity

[Aberdeenplotter]

This isn't a dream.

Earlier this year I asked Grow Northern from whom I bought a mains powered LED growlamp if it would be possible to produce a similar growlamp but powered from a 12 volt battery, trickle charged from a solar panel.

They confirmed it would be possible but would need a minimum number of orders before putting this into production.

We have a chicken and egg situation. No-one will order without knowing the cost. Cost cannot be established without knowing the potential size of a production run.

Buyers also will have the upfront cost of a 12 volt battery(not necessarily new) and the solar panel.

Is there interest out there for such a product? I'd like to produce feedback to Grow Northern that will persuade them to have a go at this and at least establish a cost so genuine interest only please.

Comments also appreciated as to possible downsides.

[King Carrot]

Have you any idea of the wattage of the diodes or lamp in the mains powered one to get an idea of the power consumption?

[Aberdeenplotter]

I got the following information from Grow Northern today.

"models are available in multiples of 11 watts and 9 watts. The price for 1x 11 watt unit, power supply and brackets is £40. Most of the cost of that is delivery from the manufacturer to me and then me to you so we could get the price down to £25-30 if we can get them to deliver straight to you. The 11 watt models are available in the strip light shown in the last picture I sent. The majority of the pictures seem to be of the 27 watt model that has a alloy heat sink and looks to be the best quality model. This available with the bracket and power supply for about £65 but again we can get the price cheaper if its delivered straight to you. Individually the 9 watt unit with the brackets and power supply is £35. I'm not 100% on the spectrum's but from the price list it looks like the 11 watt is a flowering supplement light and the 9 watt units are for vegetation."

Pics also received

[Aberdeenplotter]

also these pics

[King Carrot]

Done the sums and as I'm not up to date with the latest solar charge panels, I wondered if a small 12 v wind generator as some yachts and small boats have, or even a combination of the two might be a better option to avoid a frequent flat battery ? I’m just thinking this as Sunlight isn't at its strongest when this would be in use.

[Jimmy]

A very simple calc ...
Given a unit is 11 or 8 watt say 10 for ease of calc.
Then w=v*i
With 12v at 10 watt this would be i = w/v =10/12 = 0.8 Amp or say 1 amp.
So a single unit would draw continually 1 amp from a 12v battery.
Assuming that the units would be on for 12hours and charging for 12 then you would need to be putting at least 1 amp back into the batteries for the whole 12 hours of daylight.
So my conclusion would be
1) The size of solar panels for a guaranteed top up would be quite big.
2) A single unit probably wouldn't give all that much light.

Don't forget old Sol gives us a huge amount of free power, but only when he is awake !

Anyone want to comment on my calcs cause it's a while since I did any Ohms Law stuff.

Jimmy

[Jimmy]

Also consider ...
How long do you want to use the lights is it for a short seasonal period ?
Given the cost of the lights + batteries + solar panels, it might be more cost effective to just pay the electric bill !

[Aberdeenplotter]

Jimmy, the real benefit of this is of course where we do not have electrical power. In our allotments being a good example. At home, I have growlights burning over my exhibition leeks and onions from late october/early november till about mid March so you will appreciate that for me, there is real potential for cost savings.

[Jimmy]

I still suspect it might be a dream.
But given sufficiently large panels possibly backed up by wind power it might be doable.
Any other alternatives ?
Can you grow under gas lights/mantles ? Perhaps a gas bottle?
A small generator ?

Jimmy

[King Carrot]

Anyone want to comment on my calcs cause it's a while since I did any Ohms Law stuff.

Jimmy

That's what I got...solar chargers would not supply enough to keep the battery going, even if you had a couple set up in full sun at that time of year.

I still suspect it might be a dream.
But given sufficiently large panels possibly backed up by wind power it might be doable.
Any other alternatives ?
Can you grow under gas lights/mantles ? Perhaps a gas bottle?
A small generator ?

Jimmy

It might be possible to pick up a first generation wind generator on ebay relatively cheap.

It might also be possible to rig a small car or motorbike alternator to some blades as wind generator. I know people that have done this with some level of success – I think the biggest problem was stopping them from spinning too fast and/or flying off in 50mph winds but check up on the internet.

[arpoet]

I like the idea, but i think that any light showing down most lottie plots would attract all the local toe rags and it could lead to damage and/or theft. Plus any solar panels on top of a shed or greenhouse would soon vanish.

[starloc]

Lights on an allotment....., You will get attention from the police, and worse from low life scumbag druggies, the type who will not believe that you do not grow canabis with the lights, they will think you are hiding the real crop and try to make you tell them where it is....

Druggies will smash there way in to see whats there and probably steal everything and smash anything else up, if local druggies spot it and you are there they will come to see you , fact ,

the way the druggies find any lights if they dont see it, the police get a report from someone or just from when they hover around with there helicopter ( they will ) the druggies will hear the reports on there police band radios ( they listen ) and come to see whats there

I have had a few conversations both with police and with local thick scally druggies about my grow lights in the house , one time my brother was ambushed at the house door by 3 masked men with knives in balaclarvers.....

LED or CFL lights in the house probably wont be seen, but they will see it on an allotment as there is no heat / light normaly there and heat always shows from the air even very low levels as they are looking for grow rooms used for illicit plants