Hey everyone, I recently installed a new mailbox that lights up the address numbers at night, but it's about 1000 feet away from my house, so traditional landscape lighting wiring isn't an option. The instructions say I need a 12V low-voltage power source, like for landscape lights. I'm looking into solar options and would appreciate any recommendations for quality solar lighting that can connect to a 12V system and has a battery life of at least 24 hours. Here's the link to the product in case it's helpful: https://www.wayfair.com/outdoor/pdp/tedstuff-optional-uptown-light-kit-tdsf1031.html
6 Answers
If you want to save on power, consider using a motion detector to activate the lights as it gets dark. It'll cut down on energy usage significantly!
I think a 30-watt solar panel combined with a charge controller and a 12V battery of about 35 amp hours should be enough for your setup.
Running 110V power to a mailbox that's 1000 feet away isn't practical, but 12V could be manageable. You could consider getting a 500' spool of lamp wire for about $80, which should do the trick!
The key thing to consider isn't just the voltage but also how much current your light will draw. If it's LED, you're likely looking at around 50mA. This means you'll need a battery that can handle at least 1.5Ah for a 24-hour run. For winter, if you can expect about 4 hours of decent sunlight, you might need a solar panel that’s around 80 to 100 watts. Just a heads up, if you're in a snowy area, you'll want to make sure the panel stays warm, either by burying it deeper or adding a heating element, which can get complicated.
For affordable and effective nightly lighting, I recommend garden or walkway solar lights. They're my go-to for similar projects and work great!
A smaller solar panel could work just fine! Look for ones that are designed for security cameras or floodlights, as they are pretty reliable.
Definitely go for the specific landscape lighting cable; it's built to be buried and comes with tougher insulation!