solar lights?

ganga gurl420

Well-Known Member
I'm already planning next year's grow where I plan on doing a hoop house.
I want to get them in the ground sooner and I know they will need supplemental lighting.
Out of curiosity, if one was to place several solar yard lights on the plant (I'm thinking at least 4) do you guys think that would be enough to keep them in veg?
I constantly see 30 and 40 watt solar lights for pretty cheap.
K...thanks everyone.
 

Miyagismokes

Well-Known Member
I always thought about this... I wanted to mount the solar panel on the rib of the hoop house, then basically remove the spike and let the light part hang below the rib....
Leave the photosensor wiring intact, so they'll kick on as normal.
 

charface

Well-Known Member
Ive posted this a bunch but this is how I extend the daylight hours in order to put my plants out once the frost hazard has passed.

This is a string of exterior 11w lights hung on rebar.

Works great.

I believe there is a total of 250w on that stringer.
I don' know how little you can get away with

IMG_20180509_214354.jpg
 

ganga gurl420

Well-Known Member
Ive posted this a bunch but this is how I extend the daylight hours in order to put my plants out once the frost hazard has passed.

This is a string of exterior 11w lights hung on rebar.

Works great.

I believe there is a total of 250w on that stringer.
I don' know how little you can get away with

View attachment 4146567
I didn't want to use electricity tho...so that why I wondered if several solar spot lights would work ;)
 

ganga gurl420

Well-Known Member
I always thought about this... I wanted to mount the solar panel on the rib of the hoop house, then basically remove the spike and let the light part hang below the rib....
Leave the photosensor wiring intact, so they'll kick on as normal.
Sounds like a good plan...
 

charface

Well-Known Member
I didn't want to use electricity tho...so that why I wondered if several solar spot lights would work ;)
If electric driven light works solar powered will as well. Just be sure you surround the plant.
That is my opinion based on that you can trick a branch by putting a paper bag on it to deprive it of light.
At least that's the logic I use and it has always worked.
 

ganga gurl420

Well-Known Member
I set mine to come on from dusk until 1 am.

Some people just have them on an hour at midnight.

Probably works but Im a little to set in my ways and paranoid to try that. Lol
I have so much woods here no way anyone would see except from air...but if I'm in a green house with a defused plastic it won't be too clear what's going on lol. (I hope)
 

too larry

Well-Known Member
Like charface said, a sting of LED lights will work to keep them in veg. Running them for 2 hours at midnight will do the trick. It is the longer nights, not the shorter days, that make a plant trigger to flower. So if you break the night up into 2 shorter nights, the plant thinks it's summertime and will keep on vegging.
 

torontoke

Well-Known Member
Only problem I can think of right away is that those solar lights are pretty much self sufficient and closed units so how would you wire it to a separate timer?

What you are trying to do is called the gas lantern routine. Google it
Farmers in holland I believe used to use gas lanterns for an hour in the middle of the night to manipulate crops since lanterns were invented.
It works however certain genetics don’t like it and will mature and flower overnight sometimes
 

too larry

Well-Known Member
Only problem I can think of right away is that those solar lights are pretty much self sufficient and closed units so how would you wire it to a separate timer?
She might have to go the 12 volt battery route. Just charge it with the solar panel, then run the lights and timer off the battery.

Here is a chicken coop door light timer. I'm sure with a little searching, gg420 could find something to work.

https://www.amazon.com/JVR-Chicken-Digital-Programmable-Terminal/dp/B00WR0ELCO/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1528575353&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=solar+lights+with+timer&psc=1
 

charface

Well-Known Member
Or if her lights come on automatically at dusk then stay on till 1ish
It seams they would

Thats the schedule I run and i predict her solar lights would do the same naturally.

But you gotta stay up all night to find out. Lol
 

torontoke

Well-Known Member
She might have to go the 12 volt battery route. Just charge it with the solar panel, then run the lights and timer off the battery.

Here is a chicken coop door light timer. I'm sure with a little searching, gg420 could find something to work.

https://www.amazon.com/JVR-Chicken-Digital-Programmable-Terminal/dp/B00WR0ELCO/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1528575353&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=solar+lights+with+timer&psc=1
Totally do able
And using 12v would make sense.
I’m just glad it’s not another person hoping to light up an entire indoor grow with solar.
 
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