Solar Lighting

[livelifebyluck]

I found these solar lights on amazon

I'm planing on using them for my coops but heres my question to anyone that has better under standing of this and how they work.

Can I some how hook up a timer to these solar lights so that they come on early in the am?

 

[dc3085]

The short answer is probably not but the ad doesn't show me enough of the electrical setup to say for sure. You would need to somehow install a timer between the solar storage panel and the lights themselves in place of the photocell. If using a 110v AC setup this wouldn't be a problem but the solar panel is going to generate an unknown voltage and it will be DC not AC. Also I'm not sure that the batteries are designed to store the charge for that long. Even if you found a way to offset the start time of the lights the batteries may have lost some stored current by then. If you could tell me what the output voltage of the panel was I could possibly help you find a timer or switch that would allow you to control it, of course you would have to splice it in in place of the photocell.

Edit: you could probably trick the photocell into reversing its operation by pointing a spectrum light at it during the night and covering it manually during the day. Lot of work though.

 

[QuailRaiser]

you can usually get a time switch at most hardware stores, and set it for a certain time

 

[GrandmaBird]

We have the solar Christmas lights and they charge in the sunlight during the day, they do not omit any light then but come on after dark. Did you want day time lighting? if so these will not do the job. Most solar lights do not hold enough energy to stay lit for more then about 4-5 hours a few of the path lights we have stay lit a bit longer but they are not very bright. Hope this helps.

 

[livelifebyluck]

Yes all these answers help a lot basically what Im planing on doing is having it in the quail pen.

I currently have 56 eggs in the incubator and was going to suplement light early in the morning so they would lay.

The eggs I have are in the incubator are standard wild color coturnix eggs.

Will they without light at the "normal" 6 or so weeks even though we have short days right now?

 

[dc3085]

About half of my older hens (7-9 months) keep laying even with the diminished light. My new breeders I raised for this year are almost 4 months and because I haven't turned on lighting haven't laid a single egg. So basically if they have been already some will keep on laying with the 8 hours of light but in my experience they never start laying without 14 hours of light.

 

[livelifebyluck]

About half of my older hens (7-9 months) keep laying even with the diminished light. My new breeders I raised for this year are almost 4 months and because I haven't turned on lighting haven't laid a single egg. So basically if they have been already some will keep on laying with the 8 hours of light but in my experience they never start laying without 14 hours of light.

Yea this is my first Quail attempt so I have no existing hens.

Dang it that stinks so I'm going to have to figure a way out to supplement light.
This is the one selling point for the boyfriend of why I should get quail!!
So my only option that I can think of since I have no electrical out there, is to manually turn the solar lights on in the morning!
Blahh

 

[dc3085]

Yea this is my first Quail attempt so I have no existing hens.

Dang it that stinks so I'm going to have to figure a way out to supplement light.
This is the one selling point for the boyfriend of why I should get quail!!
So my only option that I can think of since I have no electrical out there, is to manually turn the solar lights on in the morning!
Blahh

Sorry it's sunday my work brain was turned off.

Look at these

You'll need all three components but basically you'll end up with a small solar panel, a car type battery, and an AC inverter (solar panels put out DC power)

The only drawback is that you will need to purchase a relatively expensive battery like this one so that it can run a light for the amount of time you need. But if you have no power there something like this may be your only option.

The battery amazon suggests to put with that solar panel would last about 10 minutes running a light bulb at 110v ac. If you could find a DC light 12V and say 75 watts, you could get by without buying an AC inverter and not have to have such an expensive battery.

 

[livelifebyluck]

Ha I understand thanks for the help I'm going to look into this!!!

 

[marksouth]

I use 12 volt warm white led lights that come on a strip and use a digital timer all found on amazon. I already had a 45w solar panel and hooked it up to a deep cycle marine battery for storage. Works great and hens lay like crazy.