Solar Light/Timer/What do you think?

Okay, so I am thinking about doing a solar light for our coop when I build it next month. I am wondering if anyone uses solar power for this purpose. I found a light here http://www.amazon.com/Designers-Edg...UTF8&coliid=I18XUBAWF4SRWU&colid=63G761KBFKT3

It has a rechargeable battery and all that good stuff. Now, I have never used solar other than the little yard stakes for the walk way. I am assuming that this works the same way, in that it charges during the day, and at night I can flip the switch and use it. So can I put this on a timer somehow to come on in the early morning for the girls?

Any other solar suggestions would be great. I am going to put in windows, but we do have dreary/dark weather around here in the mornings (and sometimes all day too), so I want another light source.

How would it be possible to put it on a timer with no outlet?

I actually have an equivalent version of that same light, but use it in my storage shed.

Since that uses 3 AA's, it's a 4.5 v DC light. You might search around for a timer that works on 4.5 v...but good luck! Even the selection of 12 v DC timers seis dismal.

I'm currently running a 160 lumen, 12 v, 1.2 w yellow LED in my coop, on at 4am and off at 7am. It's powered by a 12 v deep cycle battery, located nextdoor in the barn, which is charged by a HarborFreight 45w panel array. There's still plenty of power left for indoor/outdoor barn lights, a (AAA/AA/C/D) battery charger, a pair of 9v remote speakers (receives MP3 music broadcasted from my LR computer), and so on.

A lot of the components were ordered off Ebay, direct from China (quite contrary to my normal spending practices...but with electronics, what choice do we have?). Auctions are long gone but if you search using these phrases you'll find items a'plenty:

TIMER: $15, free shipping...
DC 12V Power Programmable Timer Time Relay 16A 16A

10 LIGHTS: $17.80, free shipping...
G4 6-5050 SMD LED Warm White Light Bulb Lamp Car Marine

10 BULB SOCKETS: $1.99 + 3.99 shipping
10 Halogen Bulb Socket for G4 G5.3 Base MR16 MR11 Light

I attached the light and socket to the inside lid of a babyfood jar, attached the lid to the coop wall, and ran using speaker wire to the timer and battery. The Ebay auctions left me with 9 lights to spare: used for illuminating the barn interior and entrance, rigged to standard AC lightswitches.

Another idea. Search for "LED candle timer" and you'll find all sorts of really cheap solutions...just keep those batteries fresh!

And of course the good news, is...you won't actually need the light until Fall!

Thanks so much for all that info. I love knowledgeable help in forums.

mommabice said:

Okay, so I am thinking about doing a solar light for our coop when I build it next month. I am wondering if anyone uses solar power for this purpose. I found a light here http://www.amazon.com/Designers-Edg...UTF8&coliid=I18XUBAWF4SRWU&colid=63G761KBFKT3

It has a rechargeable battery and all that good stuff. Now, I have never used solar other than the little yard stakes for the walk way. I am assuming that this works the same way, in that it charges during the day, and at night I can flip the switch and use it. So can I put this on a timer somehow to come on in the early morning for the girls?

Any other solar suggestions would be great. I am going to put in windows, but we do have dreary/dark weather around here in the mornings (and sometimes all day too), so I want another light source.

Click to expand...

So what did you end up doing?
Thanks for your time.

Has anyone else come up with an easy option? Thanks again.

LED candle timer... great idea. no worry about electricity or fire hazard.

Here's one from eBay. $9 free ship, pack of 4. Ships from Iowa.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Everlas...ES-Pack-of-4-with-Timer-Feature-/271380000887

Not sure how long it lasts... 5 hours a day on a

mommabice said:

I am thinking about doing a solar light for our coop when I build it next month.

Click to expand...

First and foremost I am subject to -40º temperatures.

Lighting has it's advantages and disadvantages

Your egg production (in the short term) will increase.

You birds, chances are, may molt at an inopportune times (middle of winter) where their biological clock may be thrown out of whack.

You could loose birds (if you are subject to winter) as a result of this due to cold and poor feathering.

Your birds will be spent after 2 years instead of 3 is what it boils down to.

Your birds will suffer added stress to produce with the extra lighting

I do not add extra light due to the extreme cold over winter.

I buy extra young pullets near the end of summer and I will get regular eggs all winter long every day from these birds with no extra light needed (Golden Comets to be exact).

My older birds enjoy a well deserved hiatus and lay sporadically.

This is my experience talking it may not be right for you.

recreational vehicles (trailers) have 12 volt dc systems, you can look at those stores also, they have some lighting ideas

In ref to Hokum Coco That is very good info to know, I never heard it put that way!! Thanks for the info

I don't know where you got your information, but it seems to be very incorrect.

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2011/09/supplemental-light-in-coop-why-how.html

Please do not post information which can be construed as old wives tales.