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Bunker79

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Hi all hope your all well.

I am going to be looking for some knowledgeable individuals over the comming weeks to guide me in the right direction as I embark on creating low cost 12v rechargeable floodlights for my youth football team to use for winter training as due to covid restrictions our usual school hired facilities are not available to us.

There are 12v floodlight on the market but at costs of upwards of £1000 per light which is way beyond our reach.

Our team is not from an affluent area and money amoung the club and parents is very tight at present.

I have a few ideas but will need some guidence, advice and tips along the way.

Cheers

 
So the idea is to build 6 sets of floodlights. Each set comprising of 2 x 70w LED COB panels and each set running off a 12v battery/Power pack.

My main dilemma is what battery to go for, these need to run for 1.5 to 2 hours max once a week.

Size and cost are my main restrictions, a lithium ion battery with DC socket would be ideal but unsure if there is a viable option available at low cost or do I build slightly larger power box in a weatherproof box of some type with a 12v scooter type battery, possibly 20ah and wire the box up with power switch and sockets.

Any ideas and suggestions would be great.

Cheers

 
In simple terms you need to calculate the total amps required by your lights..

and the duration you want them to stay on for...

example that may help you decide.. 

If you had a 20watt 12v LED floodlight.

Power (watts) = Volts x Current (amps)

so Current = Power / Volts..  e.g.  20w / 12v = 1.66amps.

So if you wanted 10 of these lights to run for two hours you would need 1.66amps x 10lamps x 2hours =  33.2ah 12v battery.

Have you considered 12v Leisure batteries as used in caravans/motor-homes..?

typically staring around 70ah or 80ah 12v.

You may also need to consider if battery lifespan is affected if it is regularly having significant discharge & recharging..?

Or, if its outside and noise is not a problem....

have you considered a small 230v generator and something like 230v builders site lamps?

Guinness    

 
I'm afraid you are looking at leisure  batteries for repeated charge/discharge use.

They are twice the price of an apparently similar car battery, but for a good reason. Internal construction is different, using more lead, and very noticeable when you want to carry them around!

Also don't skimp on the ampere hour rating you calculate. The quoted battery rate will be optimistic !

If you use long leads between lamps and battery use large core section cable, at least twice the size you would use for the same current at mains voltage. Cable volt drop will be much more significant at twelve volts than at mains voltage.

I realise all my comments spell £££, but there is no point in you wasting cash on something that doesn't work.

Have you considered asking any local hire shops about favourable rates on a generator or two?   They could maybe make publicity from sponsoring you?  Mains led floods are cheap.

 
SPECIAL LOCATION said:
In simple terms you need to calculate the total amps required by your lights..

and the duration you want them to stay on for...

example that may help you decide.. 

If you had a 20watt 12v LED floodlight.

Power (watts) = Volts x Current (amps)

so Current = Power / Volts..  e.g.  20w / 12v = 1.66amps.

So if you wanted 10 of these lights to run for two hours you would need 1.66amps x 10lamps x 2hours =  33.2ah 12v battery.

Have you considered 12v Leisure batteries as used in caravans/motor-homes..?

typically staring around 70ah or 80ah 12v.

You may also need to consider if battery lifespan is affected if it is regularly having significant discharge & recharging..?

Or, if its outside and noise is not a problem....

have you considered a small 230v generator and something like 230v builders site lamps?

Guinness    
Click to expand...
Leisure battery to big and heavey, each of lights would need to be on it's own battery as cant have cables trailing around as it's a trip hazard.

Club already have site lights and generator but they are to big to transport to pitch and far to noisy to train with and upsets local residents.

I know it can be done as 12v battery sports floodlights already exist there just to damn expensive, 

 
leisure battery or aroud 80Amp is about £75. Lithium version is more like £450 last time I looked at such things.

Quick search on Amazon pulled up this at £30 and 5 hour life. 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/RUNACC-Rechargeable-Folding-Portable-Rotatation/dp/B07XYQB1CF/ref=sr_1_5?adgrpid=52248995974&dchild=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAiML-BRAAEiwAuWVggoU1xHCq9Vtbwldg0aDefL6AmcsMPf25HSkykaV45_rxvZRi7a5xHxoCWp0QAvD_BwE&hvadid=259060897868&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9045313&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=6144922279901468478&hvtargid=kwd-297525170353&hydadcr=28154_1821064&keywords=portable+floodlight&qid=1607525627&sr=8-5&tag=googhydr-21

or this at £80 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rechargeable-Waterproof-Emergency-Repairing-Construction/dp/B07MJ6XSR2/ref=sr_1_38?adgrpid=52248995974&dchild=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAiML-BRAAEiwAuWVggoU1xHCq9Vtbwldg0aDefL6AmcsMPf25HSkykaV45_rxvZRi7a5xHxoCWp0QAvD_BwE&hvadid=259060897868&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9045313&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=6144922279901468478&hvtargid=kwd-297525170353&hydadcr=28154_1821064&keywords=portable+floodlight&qid=1607525768&sr=8-38&tag=googhydr-21

 
Last edited by a moderator:
There are these as well? 
https://www.google.co.uk/search?

initial investment may be high but it’s good gear and has 3yr warranty in most instances. 
if you can afford the high output range of batteries these are better. 
it may be worth approaching hire companies to see what they have to give you something to physically try before purchasing? 

 

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