How do i cost-effectively provide basic light with solar power?
Question:
Answer:
Here is a couple of quick ideas for you.
Get solar yard lights. They are small and if you have enough of them you will get ok lighting and they do last all night even in the winter where the days are only about 8 and 9 hours long.
If you get solar panels you will then need batteries. This will work but pretty bulky. You can get 12 or 24 volt compact fluorescent lamps or LED lamps
Here is a catalog in PDF format. Look on Page 70 for the lighting.
I think the Swedes have figured this out. Use solar collectors to collect energy, then use this power to distribute the energy to where it needs to go.
Switch all of your lighting needs to progressively switched LEDs. Higher initial cost, but longevity and bang for buck on DC, far exceeds anything else now. If lead acid batteries are going to be hard to find and service there, take lithium ion camera batteries packs, they have no charge memory and blow ni-cads away for longevity. Catch is you will never find replacements there. They are still not everyday items in the first world. Again expensive, but very high return and reliability. Don't drop them; goners quick. Expect to have to replace/supplement them with locally purchased lead acids. Don't forget switches and wiring, those Will be like gold there. And buy a bunch of cheap Chinese solar panels and expect to replace their crappy external wires. You'll need a volt/ohm meter, and rechargeable batteries for that. For your situ, I recommend against bothering with anything 110vac. But if you have to, there are small inverters all over the market now. They are heat sensitive and short lived; great if you're just camping, suck for living out. You might spend $1000, and weight of 100 pounds, but be set for many rough years of service.
You had better practice making, rearranging and repairing these systems here, where a screw up won't cost you your lighting for the duration. Get to know your system in the dark.
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