Need Good 12v photocells

[kenforu]

Northern tools

[91cavgt]

Yeah I already have my controllers and those are more than I have invested in the entire project. Still looking for photocells.

That controller is a photocell.

[Instinct]

Try AliExpress

[Sparkles]

Intermatic has good reliable 12v photocells


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[gonehuntin68]

That controller is a photocell.

No it's not. It works off the solar panel. When it stops reading more then about 6V from the solar panel it turns on the light. When it starts reading more then about 6V from the solar panel it turns off the light.

Here is one from ebay that is only $11.00 with free shipping. https://www.ebay.com/itm/PWM-Solar-C...-/142505969631

[gonehuntin68]

Yeah I already have my controllers and those are more than I have invested in the entire project. Still looking for photocells.

If $29.00 is more then you have in the entire project, it's not going to be much of a light unless you got your battery, solar panel and lights for free or at least the battery and solar panel for free.

[saltwater]

Well, I appreciate your opinion on my build, but I did have all the stuff laying around from other projects, battery’s where 7 bucks each, ammo cans , free, solar panels, I bought a kit off of cl , with 3 for 50 bucks. I think the controllers where 10 bucks each off of amazon. I had the lights from anouther project. I’ll post it up when I find everything. Ive had other lights, reason I was making this one like this is so I could replace components, not throw away the entire light.

[saltwater]

Intermatic has good reliable 12v photocells


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Thanks, don’t see any 12 volt ones though. So won’t work with my build.

[Sparkles]

Thanks, don’t see any 12 volt ones though. So won’t work with my build.

Well dang
I swear they used to make a 12v
I looked at the intermatic site and didn’t see it either


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[gonehuntin68]

Thanks, don’t see any 12 volt ones though. So won’t work with my build.

I'm surprised your still looking for a photocell when the solar charge controller I listed above is $11.00. Your going to have a hard time finding a decent 12V photo cell for under $11.00 unless it's used. Not only will the solar charge controller operate your light from dusk to dawn, it will also allow you to set the number of hours it runs after it comes on at dark. This is really handy if your battery or solar panel are not big enough to handle it running all night every night and after seeing your using a $7.00 battery, I think your going to need it.
Heck I found another solar charge controller on ebay that is only $9.00 with free shipping but you will have to wait for it because it ships from China and shipping usually takes 15-30 days.

Some things to consider
Your battery should be big enough to run the light 3 straight nights without being charged.
Your solar panel should be big enough that it's capable of suppling 1.5 times the power on sunny day that your light will use in one night.
For example, if your light uses 400mA a hour you would multiply that by 12 to come up with 4.8A a night your light will use. That means your battery should be a 12V 15AH battery and your solar panel should be 20 watt. This way your light will run all night every night even if you have cloudy days. Also the more you drain the battery down each night the quicker you will have to replace it and this is another reason that bigger is better when talking about batteries and solar panels because in the long run it will save you money. You also have to take into account that your solar charge controller and/or photocell is going to use about 10 to 15mA a hour and when you multiply that by 24 that is a additional 240-360mA day your system is drawing.

If you know how many amps your light is drawing I can help you make it right. If you don't know how many AH your light is drawing, it's all going to be a hope and a prayer that it runs all night.

[saltwater]

I ran the light for three days on just one battery, then when charging the battery back up, it showed it had only drained 5%. I will have two of those batteries on each light. 15 watt solar panels, I do not know the rate of the controllers I have. I will get more info so I can get a little help getting thru it. Thanks.

[gonehuntin68]

Do you have a link to the light your using, I can usually figure out about the amps it's using just from the led(s) they are using or from their specs.

[Mike D]

I ran the light for three days on just one battery, then when charging the battery back up, it showed it had only drained 5%. I will have two of those batteries on each light. 15 watt solar panels, I do not know the rate of the controllers I have. I will get more info so I can get a little help getting thru it. Thanks.

I’d like to know what lights you’re using too. I built a couple that used a 10 watt LED. It was plenty bright but a 16Ah battery struggled to make it through 1 night.


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[saltwater]

.


These are the lights I’m using, I bought several on clearance from academy. This one is very low draw, 40 ma. I was gonna use two strips per light, but they are brighter than I thought, so only using one to cut power consumption. Two deer feeder batteries, tied together, still twelve colts but I believe it doubles the amp hour rating, so 16ah.

Then the solar panels are out of the 45 watt kit from harbour freight. I found some on cl again yesterday for 35 dollars. The entire kit which is 3 panels and a controller, which I don’t think I’ll use at all with this project.


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[saltwater]

I’d like to know what lights you’re using too. I built a couple that used a 10 watt LED. It was plenty bright but a 16Ah battery struggled to make it through 1 night.


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Have pics of your setup??? I’d like some ideas about hanging it.