Powering LED Xmas Lights with Solar Power
LED Xmas lights consume only .072 watts of electricty per bulb. This means that a standard set of 70 LED Christmas tree lights will only draw about 5 watts of power. With the LED string lights drawing so little power one can easily operate a substantial outdoor display with a very basic solar power generation unit. A solar powered LED holiday light display would be ideal for homeowners in the southern U.S.
I would be very interested in hearing any comments anyone has on solar power units. We are hoping to set this up as a demonstration.
Tags: Conservation, Consumer Products, Green Tech, Home and Garden, LED Christmas lights, LED Christmas tree lighting, LED Christmas tree lights, LED holiday lights, LED string lights, LED xmas lights, Solar
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November 24th, 2007 at 12:59 am
Good god, bring on the solar power already! I’ve always been fairly environmentally minded, but could do much better if I wasn’t so convenience-minded. I do recycle, and I know that many types of recycling consume so much power that the pollution toll for the power generation needed to recycle often is hardly worth it; but I recycle every bit as much to reduce landfill/ocean garbage as I do to preserve resources, so I don’t think my efforts are a total waste. But I digress…
I’d love to see how viable this is. I love the concept of solar power… much more so windmills. Among the “green” alternative energy sources, solar and fuel cells are my darlings. I just don’t get why solar power is so bloody expensive; I’d cover my roof with panels in a heartbeat if it wouldn’t bankrupt me.
When reading that oil hit $99/barrel and talking about it with friends, family and co-workers I just say bring it on! Sure it’s going to hurt, but it’s also an inevitability. I’d love for oil to price itself out of viability. The sooner that happens (or the sooner we run out) the better for all as we are then FORCED to concentrate our efforts on something far, far better. We are capable of kicking the awful oil habit, there’s just no financial motivator to do…yet.
May 1st, 2008 at 6:30 am
Re: LED christmas lights. We are totally on solar power; no grid hook-up whatsoever. Last year, post-christmas, I purchased several strings of white LED christmas lights (75% off!) and we use them throughout the house, especially in the kitchen during the long winter evenings. It’s a great way to go that uses very little power. QUESTION: We have a number of outdoor solar LED yard lights that don’t function any longer, any way to re-use, re-cycle and or salvage parts? Solar, composting, LED, growing food, all the way to go! Suzanne e-mail me @ tonasket-1@myway.com
December 26th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
I live in Florida and after the 2004 hurricanes and a wet-broken gas generator I decided to look for some dependable source of energy. I got a subscription to Home Power magazine, and there I got lots of ideas to start my solar power system. I started with 3 panels and couple of batteries now I have 5 panels and 10 battery bank box.
I opted for stand alone system because I don’t trust my power company, they are crooks. Anyway I have 5 kyoceras 130 watts and 10 Trojan 6 volts batteries. A 5000 Watt inverter and voltage regulator. I did the whole installation myself. Now when I lose grid power I still have solar power. At night I use my battery bank to run small tvs and lights. I use compact fluorescent lights but in the bathroom and kitchen I use led lights everybody likes them.
I am saving like $200 to $250 a month on my electric bill and when the power goes I don’t have to hassle and go and buy gas for my generator and run lines to here and there. I bought in Home Depot and do it yourself book on electrical wiring and did the whole electrical installation myself. Now I have a 5.2 Kw system that cost me 5K and it is probable worth 20K if you have a contractor do it.