Foto-lectric Garden Lites

T

TheBoatman

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I recall a thread here earlier discussing the merits of such lites for use as anchor lites. I even posted myself saying that they were burning bright and had given no cause for concern.
I now have to report that since the reduced daylite these lites are definately not for winter use. Mine have just about gone out now. Summer yes a possibility, winter, definately not.

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Think that was general comment before ...... I know someone who has one and he reckoned that it did not last all night anyway ....

Good for something though !!!! Maybe finding boat when going home in evening after a few ??


<hr width=100% size=1>Cheers Nigel ..... <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.geocities.com/solentlifeuk/>http://www.geocities.com/solentlifeuk/</A>
 
Re: Garden Lites-cunning plan

All you have to do in winter is to tape a bright torch so it is pointing directly onto the photo electric cell. You will find that this will charge the apparatus sufficiently, even on the gloomiest winter's day. /forums/images/icons/crazy.gif

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Re: Garden Lites-cunning plan

So why not have a battery lantern then - if you are going to 'torch' a solar-garden light ???

<hr width=100% size=1>Cheers Nigel ..... <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.geocities.com/solentlifeuk/>http://www.geocities.com/solentlifeuk/</A>
 
Re: Garden Lites-cunning plan

The clue is in the 'cunning plan' subject line and the little yellow icon..../forums/images/icons/wink.gif

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Sorry - teach me to look

Mmm - /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>Cheers Nigel ..... <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.geocities.com/solentlifeuk/>http://www.geocities.com/solentlifeuk/</A>
 
Looked at them to put around my drive and car-park at home ..... but the number required - near dozen + the local price here of 20 quid a throw has made me take a second thought ..... !! The problem of stopping the thieves as well ......

But back to boat - I think they have a few uses that I can think of and the B&Q ones back in UK are better priced than my Local Latvian ones !!!


<hr width=100% size=1>Cheers Nigel ..... <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.geocities.com/solentlifeuk/>http://www.geocities.com/solentlifeuk/</A>
 
Told ya told ya told ya .. na na na but ye wouldnae listen .. say sorry properly ... na na na na! Ooops sorry thought I was in the playground again;-)

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Not so ....

I bought a Homebase one, disassembled it, checked out the CB and modified it to a p-pwm output circuit. It was fine this morning and switched itself off at 0740am. (Cost of modification 89p) Even with the 2 crappy "600 mAH Ring solar power battery pack" batteries it still works all night long and should work on Dec 22-23 from 4pm through 8am even if the preceding day is overcast.


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Re: Not so ....

Exactly my thoughts, except mine came out as Huhh?

<hr width=100% size=1>Life's too short- do it now./forums/images/icons/wink.gif
 
Re: Garden Lites-even more cunning plan

Been thinking about this for a while, well 30 secs actually.

What you need for winter is a christmas tree type arrangement of these lights.

As the sun sets the top one will light up. This will shine on the layers below doing 2 things. Firstly it will fool them into thinking it's still light and so keep them turned off. Secondly it will help top up the charge in them.
As the top lamp's battery runs down then the next one in the stack will come on and so on down the stack until dawn.

Am I on to something and should I run down to Makro and clear the shelves?

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Re: Garden Lites-even more cunning plan

That is fantastic. Of course it will work, however there is a consequence of your ground-breaking invention you may not have thought of..... the first light will only be able to produce an illumination of - well lets call it 'one fairy-power' (1 FP) - however by the time the apex 'queen' fairy light (QFL) goes out and the second-layer comes on, the light output has increased to 2 FP AND has been charged up for slightly longer than the 'queen' fairy, and therefore layer F2 will remain illuminated for slightly longer than the QFL.
At this point, layer 2 in the array (which has 2 fairies) has received 'extra' illumination for a while after sunset, to the tune of 1FP. So the 2nd layer fairies each receive 1/2 (half) a FP each. NOW here is the fascinating bit.....

The same process occurs between layer 2 and 3, but this time the 3 fairies on layer 3 are charged by the 2 fairies above - SO each fairy on layer 3 gets 2/3 of an FP each.

The four fairies on layer 4 are getting charged by the 3 on layer 3, i.e. 3/4 FP charge each.. and so on, and as the more astute of us will recognise, this growth in charge (and therefore light output) will carry on until each fairy light receives as much energy as it gives out! With ever-increasing arrays of fairy light there is no need for any of us to go to sea in the dark at all.

You are a genius Colin and I will be the first to buy shares in your new company.

Regards

Dobby the house elf.



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or simply ....

a LED emits a stream of single wavelength photons as light. If you pulse the power supply at say 1000 Hz with an off/on cycle of say 75% off and 25% on you will not be able to detect any light intensity change with the eye nor any change in the distance of visibility of the light. However, the power needed by the LED for the same apparent light intensity will be reduced by about 60%.



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Re: or simply ....

He's made it flicker very fast, so it's not on 100% of time. That way it saves energy


You won't notice the flicker, cos it happens so quickly .

<hr width=100% size=1>Me transmitte sursum, caledoni
 
Re: or simply ....

Clever. But why doesn't it look less bright as a result? It clearly is less bright when averaged over time... Persistence of vision??? Something else going on??? Anyone know?!

Cheers
Patrick

<hr width=100% size=1>Sailing a Victoire 25 on the Scottish West Coast
 
Re: or simply ....

Persistence of vision, the effect which makes cathode ray TV with phosphor screens (glow for a little while after beam of light hits) will have an effect in stopping the flickering being seen.

However, I suspect the actual intensity of illumination (if measured accurately) will be less TANSTAAFL (there ain't no such thing as a free lunch)

<hr width=100% size=1>Me transmitte sursum, caledoni
 
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