First solar project: motion-activated solar lights for a pair of sheds

[ilyaz]

Good (sunny) day everyone!

First post. A total newbie when it comes to solar.

Have this project in mind. Not sure how DIY it is, or if it's feasible. Here we go...

1. Have this pair of attached sheds. Each is about 12' wide.
2. Want to install a motion activated solar light in the left corner (red circle in the photo)
3. The side of the roof that's visible in the photo is southern-facing, but I have a lot of vegetation on the left side (tall bamboo etc). Therefore I want to put solar panels next to the bigger shed on the right.
4. I don't want to put panels on the roof since it's old and may not hold the weight. So I install them next to the shed (attached to an arm that's attached to the frame of the shed -- shown in the photo)
5. In addition to the outside light on the left, I want to install another motion-activated light inside the bigger shed.
6. Location is suburban Maryland.

Questions:

1. This design allows 1 maybe 2 panels of decent size. How much energy could this produce on an average summer day? Would it be enough for both lights? If not, what about the outdoor light?
2. Obviously, I would need (i) lights, (ii) panel(s), (iii) a battery, (iv) wiring, (v) whatever I need to make whatever will be holding the panels. What else?
3. Can I place the outdoor light that far from the panel, or will I lose too much voltage?
4. If this solution is feasible, how "DIY" is it, that is, are there essentially kits available that do this?
5. Overall, is this actually feasible as a reliable power source for the 2 lights? Or fuhgeddaboudit? Or something in between?

TIA!

 

[irv818]

Unless there's something that you haven't mentioned, that's way overkill.

There are dozens of solar motion activated lights on Amazon for $25 to $50 which should work.
Look for one which has a long cord between the light and the solar panel.
I have half a dozen of these, different brands, and they all work ok.
The solar panels are so small, you can mount them on a fence post, tree trunk that isn't shaded in winter, or most anywhere.
Since the current generated by the solar panel is so small, there's no reason you can't extend the wire if necessary.

 

[MG_Solar]

Hey there! Your plan's got potential. Get primo panels and a solid battery. Calculate your light wattage and runtime, so your setup doesn't fizzle out. For the outdoor light, watch the distance—it's all about the right wires. DIY kits are your pals here.