Solar light with a timer?

[l'abeille]

I'd like to light the coop to help with egg laying in the winter, but don't have electricity out there. Has anyone found a solar-operated light that has a timer function so I don't have to turn it on and off? Or maybe a battery-operated light with a timer?

 

[Uzuri]

I have yet to find one BUT if you know an electrician who likes to fiddle with things, it's not difficult to build an in-line timer in a light so long as you have access to the battery leads.

You're going to need someone who has access to and knowledge about timer/counter chips and who either is into figuring out his own setup or kitbashing this design to work with a chip that's actually still in production: http://www.reuk.co.uk/Timer-Circuits-With-4060B.htm (I just can't find 4060Bs, or I'd have built this out ages ago; bread boarding is fun but it's been too long since I took my computer hardware course, and I forget how to design my own ).

You have your person build this (or something similar) out, and install it in the light housing, and you're good to go.

Well, there's a bit more to it than that, including setting things up to reset the timer and things, but again, if you find someone who can build it for you, they're going to know what to do for all that.

Edit: that site also has a page on 12V battery timers in general and kitbashing a thermostat: http://www.reuk.co.uk/12-Volt-Programmable-Timer-Switch.htm Those might be more like what you're looking for. Again, you'd have to install most of those on the battery leads, so you're going to have to do some playing around.

 

[l'abeille]

thank you!