Solar panels

[carthorse]

I bought a solar panel from maplins yesterday to help my electric fence battery and put it on this morning and was amazed that it worked [flashed ]in even dull weather and the energizer on fence was flashing and bleeping really fast.I have kept it in the plastic package to keep rain off and covered battery leads with a bucket.
Is anyone else using these, are they any good.
I saw they had larger more expensive ones would they be any good on the roof of my stables to give me some light in the evening.Thanks

 

[shellonabeach]

I have been looking at these but they seem so expensive.

Which one did you get from Maplin if you don't mind me asking?

 

[carthorse]

The small one which is reduced to £9.99 so half price. I have no idea how good it will be but worth a go, in the summer mine are out at night so should help to charge during the day , not sure how much help it will be at the moment .Also thought I would put one in the window of my lorry to keep my battery in living topped up.

 

[shellonabeach]

I've just ordered one, thank you, for that price it's worth a go!

 

[dixie]

Hi,

I had solar panels put on my stables a while ago and they worked a treat with some low wattage bulbs, I also needed an invertor though to change the volts to watts or something technical like that !

I'm not sure though what the panel was as it was supplied by an electrician friend or how it would compare to the Maplins one though. Sounds a bargain at 9.99.

 

[carthorse]

Thanks , the £9.99 one would not be strong enough but I have some lights that work of a 12 volt battery and thought the big ones might work.

 

[SpruceRI]

Hi Carthorse

What do I need to get to enable me to work lights off a 12v battery?

Thanks

 

[carthorse]

I have just got lights like inspection lights that are made to be worked from a car battery

 

[SpruceRI]

Oh, like mechanics use?

thanks