Solar Power help needed please

[Scott Brandstetter]

I have decided to use solar power at my dock to keep my deep cycle battery charged. The unit I bought is 50 watts and came with the wiring and charge controller. The question I have is I would like to add a flood light to keep the dock lit at night and not sure what is best. Can I simply get a solar powered flood light and instead of using the little panel that comes with it wire it directly to the charge controller that came with my 50 watt panel. The other thought, but seems more complicated, is to get a 110 flood light and run the wires to an inverter and the inverter to the charge controller. Is my thinking correct?

Any help would be appreciated.

[roger wiegand]

Not to further aid and abet the ongoing degradation of our nighttime skies, but a 12V LED fixture will probably be your best bet.

http://darksky.org

[Pat Barry]

I would also try to find an LED light - much simpler (its DC) and much more efficient

[Jamie Buxton]

When you're battery powered, efficiency is very important. So, like Pat says, get an LED light.

But I can't help but asking... Why do you want to light the dock, when you're not there?

[Adam Herman]

i agree with the above. why not wire the light to a switch? I have designed several solar systems for different uses.

How long do you want the light to last if it is on all the time? maybe some of the solar post cap lights would work for you, they run for just a few hrs after sunset. If you want a light on all night, and you want to charge your trolling motor battery, 50 watts will not be enough.


current plan is to use the solar to charge the trolling motor battery, and use that battery to power the light at night?

[Todd Mason-Darnell]

I have two of these solar powered (or something very similar) at my place. I use them mainly for task lighting (as opposed to security lighting) and they work great:

https://www.amazon.com/Outdoor-Solar...r+lights&psc=1

[Bert Kemp]

sorry wrote this with out looking at the link here , mines like it.

I have a solar flood light on the side of my house its motion detected . When I drive in at night it goes on and stays on for 1 min after I'm out of range. the time is adjustable . Been up for 3 years now still working . Got it at HD around $70

I have two of these solar powered (or something very similar) at my place. I use them mainly for task lighting (as opposed to security lighting) and they work great:

https://www.amazon.com/Outdoor-Solar...r+lights&psc=1

[Keith Outten]

Remember that 12 volt is much safer around the water.