Solar Panels / Batteries for Powering Outdoor Things?

[sgnihttrams (ocd+adhd+alz+md+asd+fms+tldr+lol=me :))]

I know there are other threads that relate, and over time, I will try to link them here.

For starters, for people that have a BloomSky weather station, since the solar panels that come with it are more than is needed for the unit itself, it makes sense to try to use it for other things, if at all possible…

Continuing the discussion from Bloomsky Weather Station:

@tommyincville

Are ppl having problems with the enclosure breaking down? Mine needs to last 3 more months. Then I can shut it down and repurpose the solar panel.

@michaelahess

I was thinking the same thing a while back, but I really kinda like this thing and the video’s it makes. The solar panel is just big enough to be useful for a bunch of other ideas I have though…

@sgnihttrams

I’d love to see what other things you have in mind.
If willing, please do share at some point (general ideas and concepts as well as specifics on how you’re going to make the connections, etc).

@michaelahess

I have LED lighting around the stairs of my deck, with a not too pretty extension cord going to it’s power supply. First thought was put some agm batteries with a charger on them and have the panel charge during the day for light at night when I’m on the deck, the solar panel would be much less conspicuous on the other end of the deck than the extension cord from the side of the house.

Second idea, same as the first, almost. Put an automatic gate opener on one of my gates that’s nowhere near power, panel to charge.

Edit: sorry this is off topic, I’ll shutup for now on this.

[quote=“sgnihttrams, post:1249, topic:38202, full:true”]
No sorries required. It’s great info that we should capture.
So, I created a thread for it…[/quote]