Solar Lighting in 40 Foot Shipping Container

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

Just wondering if it would be possible to rig up an independent solar-based lighting system for a 40 Foot (12.192 Metre) shipping container? The shipping container is located in a paddock without mains power. By the time I reach the closed end of the container the amount of available light is pretty dim.

I have no experience with solar other than using a panel to trickle charge a N70 12 volt battery. Can anyone recommend some Do-It-Yourself components for an effective lighting system? Thank you in advance.

Kind regards
Lionel

[Vern]

Probably the easiest would be grab a 40w panel, a charge controller, battery, and some of those led strip lights from say Kings, connect it all up, and just hook the light up to the battery when you need it.

[trout1105]

I did this a few months ago to a 20' container used to store farm chemicals in the middle of a paddock so that a 12v transfer pump could be used to pump chemical into the boom spray and I added a single LED light as well.

I used a spare fold out 120w pannel mounted on the roof which went to a MPPT controller into a 100AH deep cell battery, Works perfectly[thumbsupbig]

BTW the pannel didn't budge despite getting hit with a cyclone [biggrin]

[drivesafe]

Hi Lionel, this could be achieved pretty cheaply, depending on use times.

how often do you go to the container and when in the container, how long would you need lighting for.

EG, lights on for 10 minutes a day or 5 hours a day?

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

Thanks Trout and Vern for letting me know it can be done. Thank you to Drivesafe for suggesting that it can be done cheaply too. To answer your question about usage...

Ideally there would be three circuits:

The first circuit would be the priority where it would be a string of equally spaced strip lights down the length of the container.

Most common usage would be for 4 times a day for about 15 minutes each period of time.

The two following circuits would be "nice" to have. A circuit concentrated at the front of the container where I have it set up as a work area. The area could have a couple of work lights so I would be able to see during the evening and a bit into the night. This usage would be infrequent - however, handy to have.

Similar rarity of usage would be some work lights on a side of the container which are located above a couple of outdoor workbenches. Again - just handy to have some lights.

I will take a couple of photographs and post them up shortly.

Kind regards
Lionel

[NavyDiver]

Thing with most solar is the need to conform to grid or battery charging. "output voltage/current behavior of the solar cell must align with the battery-charging profile"

If you only need access during day light/sunlight I suspect wiring a panel to a nice sized LED light and one $30 second hand solar panel might work. Loads of larger second hand panels about. See gumtree or similar. With no battery the cost would be very low.

A simple circuit breaker to one wire from the solar panel could /may make it last a long long time.

Caravan lights (https://www.caravanrvcamping.com.au/coast-led-awning-light-pure-white-40cm-12vdc) or almost any of the 12 v LED strips (https://www.jaycar.com.au/84-led-linkable-aluminium-strip-lights/p/ST3936?pos=6&queryId=75bc79a365c16c227e4a856e2ddc41a8&sort=relevance) should be well covered by one larger solar panel.

Noting I a Sargent Scholz - Seek better advice :)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gud5jHHa3Fg

[rrturboD]

I've used a couple of these solar movement sensor lights in containers. One is ALDI, and other Kogan, both put out plenty of light and once lead threaded through container breather biz, set and forget.
kogan.com (https://www.kogan.com/au/buy/kogan-solar-powered-motion-sensor-led-flood-light-120-led-400-lumens/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=product_listing_ads&gclid=CjwKCAjw-sqKBhBjEiwAVaQ9az9Ruw9EVJX-fTzayys_O7t2SAwLcNSWVaR4524vRjKs-5Du2YKoCBoChicQAvD_BwE)

[Xtreme]

I don't think you'll have any trouble lighting your 40' shipping container.

I am currently running 13 x12V LED's and 4 USB charging points at home off an 80W solar panel, MPPT controller and 12v 100Ah battery (which is about 15years old). Most are 3x3W downlights, 2 are 30W floods and 1 is a 500mm strip. Obviously not all on at the same time but often the 8 downlights in the lounge are on continuously for 4 or 5 hours without a problem.

In 5 years I've only had to boost the old battery with a 240v battery charger once after more than a week of lousey weather.

[Corgie Carrier]

I have been running my 40x20ft shed on solar power for a few years now and it can be done really cheap.

After my disco blew a head gasket I used the dual battery setup to run my shed. It consists of an 80w panel into a pwm controller and a 100ah battery. The controller has two usb slots that I use to charge portable lights and my phone, also the load connectors go to a 8 way fuse box.

Connected to the fuse box is:
My 40lt fridge that runs 24/7 for cold water and if having a big day in the shed I will take food out there and cook a BBQ.
A car stereo with two 6x9 speakers (Gotta have tunes)
A couple of cigarette lighter sockets for accessories and lights, mostly 18-27w work lights.
and if I need to charge my drill batteries I have a 300w inverter

The lights you are going to use outside are they secure or might they get stolen if left out?
To counter getting stolen I have bought a couple of clamps (just the squeeze type but steel) and drilled a hole in the handle to mount the work light, then attached a lead to cig plug. Clamp it where ever you need it and the put it away easily. I also take these when camping.

Because you are only using lights, this would be a cheap setup for you.
DISCLAIMER: I have no association with this seller other than a very happy customer. I have spent thousands on lights, panels and other gear from him.

130W Solar Panel Kit Mono Generator Caravan Camping Power Battery Charging 12V 501560108538 | eBay (https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/332165964697?hash=item4d56a26399:g:ytEAAOSwfo5hLL0 E)

ATEM POWER 12V 50Ah AGM Battery Deep Cycle Mobility Scooter Golf Cart Camping | eBay (https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/393121918027?hash=item5b87e46c4b:g:oXIAAOSwqeBgHKi h)

Lights don't draw much power so a large battery isn't needed, depending on how much of your work is done at night. The more night work the bigger the battery that will be required.

I also use a 10w solar panel to keep my ride on mower battery charged and another to charge the battery on my 55lt weed spray setup.

[350RRC]

I don't think you'll have any trouble lighting your 40' shipping container.

I am currently running 13 x12V LED's and 4 USB charging points at home off an 80W solar panel, MPPT controller and 12v 100Ah battery (which is about 15years old). Most are 3x3W downlights, 2 are 30W floods and 1 is a 500mm strip. Obviously not all on at the same time but often the 8 downlights in the lounge are on continuously for 4 or 5 hours without a problem.

In 5 years I've only had to boost the old battery with a 240v battery charger once after more than a week of lousey weather.

So I'm going to have no problem running the lights in my shed with 4 x 200 watt panels and an mppt controller? Don't have a battery yet.

I wonder if I could run a TV through an inverter.

DL

[Xtreme]

So I'm going to have no problem running the lights in my shed with 4 x 200 watt panels and an mppt controller? Don't have a battery yet.

I wonder if I could run a TV through an inverter.

DL
Shouldn't be a problem, provided you have a suitable size battery & inverter.
I've run a 240v angle grinder from the inverter in my Defender. Can't recall off hand the size of my inverter but either 600 or 1000W.

[Lionelgee]

Shouldn't be a problem, provided you have a suitable size battery & inverter.
I've run a 240v angle grinder from the inverter in my Defender. Can't recall off hand the size of my inverter but either 600 or 1000W.

Hello Roger,

Thank you for the reply. My first priority would be to install solar lights. I am not looking at installing an inverter at the moment. Although solar systems I have been researching show that an invert would be an easy add on some time in the future.

Thanks to Navy Diver's earlier post I have been watching quite a few of YouTube clips about DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse and started from there including some Australia specific systems.

Kind regards
Lionel

[Blknight.aus]

I've got several variants of what you want to do setup for camping/ad hoc lighting including a more or less stand alone setup that runs off of a single USB solar panel and is nothing more than a few powerbanks with an inbuilt light and a couple of usb charged worklights. But for what you're describing...

you could pull it off with small motion sensor style solar lights inside wit the included panel sika flexed on the roof and the cable routed through the breathers with the light gooped to the roof or wall

Leier Solar Lights Garden Sensor Outdoor Dual Light Security PIR Motion 22LED | eBay (https://tinyurl.com/247j5kn2)

and a cheap kit off of ebay to charge the n70

50W 18V Solar Panel Mono Battery Charger Kit Regulator Controller Auto 2 USB | eBay (https://tinyurl.com/6n2su9yy)

and then pretty much any 12v led light you want for a worklight.

Pair 6Inch Led Work Light Bar Flood Reverse Fog Lights 4WD 725704267411 | eBay (https://tinyurl.com/vfnw4rvk)

of course with the N70 you could daisy chain any amount of led strip lighting you needed BUT, you have no redundancy, if the shifter drops off the bench and clouts the earth wire off the battery or shorts it out while you're down the back you loose all of your lighting in one go.

And then you can cut the costs by using second hand gear

Adding a small inverter for a few hours worth of use in a week wouldnt be overly taxing if you needed it.

[Blknight.aus]

I've got several variants of what you want to do setup for camping/ad hoc lighting including a more or less stand alone setup that runs off of a single USB solar panel and is nothing more than a few powerbanks with an inbuilt light and a couple of usb charged worklights. But for what you're describing...

you could pull it off with small motion sensor style solar lights inside wit the included panel sika flexed on the roof and the cable routed through the breathers with the light gooped to the roof or wall

https://tinyurl.com/247j5kn2

and a cheap kit off of ebay to charge the n70

50W 18V Solar Panel Mono Battery Charger Kit Regulator Controller Auto 2 USB | eBay (https://tinyurl.com/6n2su9yy)

and then pretty much any 12v led light you want for a worklight.

Pair 6Inch Led Work Light Bar Flood Reverse Fog Lights 4WD 725704267411 | eBay (https://tinyurl.com/vfnw4rvk)

of course with the N70 you could daisy chain any amount of led strip lighting you needed BUT, you have no redundancy, if the shifter drops off the bench and clouts the earth wire off the battery or shorts it out while you're down the back you loose all of your lighting in one go.

And then you can cut the costs by using second hand gear

Adding a small inverter for a few hours worth of use in a week wouldnt be overly taxing if you needed it.

[Blknight.aus]

the usb option (portable camping setup

the solar and main battery (mine doesnt have the battery this one does its just a small folding panel)
12000 Solar Panel external Battery Charger Solar power bank 2 USB DIY KIT | eBay (https://tinyurl.com/sr2rxwa8)

the battery banks with led lights
2200MAH RUGGED POWER BANK WITH LED TORCH IP65 9335432025033 | eBay (https://tinyurl.com/299w7pb9)

the area lights
20LED Under Closet Light USB Charged PIR Motion Sensor Cupboard Night Lamp Strip 659438785593 | eBay (https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/313668725616?hash=item49081ceb70:g:AA0AAOSwzh1hOrK 7)

the work lights
Portable COB LED Work Light Car Garage Mechanic USB Rechargeable Torch Lamp AU | eBay (https://tinyurl.com/2akjz62z)

with them all also being USB chargable and having their own battery if one goes flat you can just put it on a phone charger in the car

daisy chain them together with 5m usb cables if you need to. As a bonus if you're ever in a full black out its quick and easy to move them to the house.

[NavyDiver]

Issue I have with the small cheap panels is they are mostly crud. Solar lights I put in the front lawn are all dead now. The first year they all worked, 2nd year some. Now none at all work.

Ditto for the solar Xmas lights. The little solar panel on them still works but the small battery to move the power for those lights died. It was replaceable with a bit of cutting as it wasn't designed to be repairable [biggrin]

Suspect the large solar PV pannels many of which are still going well at 20 years plus of being on peoples roofs might have a bit more longevity and economy as cheap 2nd hand PV panels are plentiful and the mounts for them is cheap and easy. Going to refurbish my camping trailer and looking at a big 2nd hand panel for the deep cycle battery I put in it when I use it- Not often at the moment[bawl]