I'm looking for something I can use at camp. Does anyone have any recommendations?
Solar string lights
- Thread starter Socal Hillbilly
- Start date
Quick search on the great Amazon brought up this:
Has good reviews. I too was thinking of what light source to get for my CVT awning.
Has good reviews. I too was thinking of what light source to get for my CVT awning.
I don't know of any solar options but I have the Luminoodles are they are great. Big Anges offers a similar product. I also somehow ended up with a set of Eno string lights a random REI visit. They are more fun by they change colors and dim. Run on a couple batteries. Kids love them in the tent and around camp sight.
Only solar ive seen on the market are biolight brand. But I have no experience so can't recommend.
Only solar ive seen on the market are biolight brand. But I have no experience so can't recommend.
I wonder if the Luminoodles in conjunction with a solar battery charger would work. Hmm...
I saw the biolight but its to small for my use.
The smaller Luminoodles are USB powered. So you can run them from a small battery pack or plug into a hot USB port in your vehicle. How you charge that battery pack back up would be up to you. There are some with little solar panels on top but it takes days to bring them back up to a full charge.
- Chris
I have this small charger. It works great and has been indestructible. If you go this route I recommend buying direct from power practical, the maker. I had a different battery from them, now discontinued. I emailed pp and they shipped me a brand new unit with apologies. I like to support companies that stand behind their product.
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0501/2453/products/Luminoodle-Plus-battery-pack_88b69207-e7c1-4f10-8874-3170836764c3.jpg?v=1486054611
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0501/2453/products/Luminoodle-Plus-battery-pack_88b69207-e7c1-4f10-8874-3170836764c3.jpg?v=1486054611
This is what my plan is. I have the 5 foot luminoodle, generic USB 20 watt solar panel and 20k MA battery pack. I did a test run and my battery pack was drained about 1/2 way. So it's likely sustainable to charge via solar during the day and use the lights at night. The only thing about the luminoodle I don't like is some of the LED's have a very SUBTLE green tint, but the rest are crisp white
The original versions are single color and can't dim. I haven't noticed the green tint. The new ones are dimmable and you can choose a bunch of different colors. I like red to keep some of the bugs away. Also, the magnets have been improved in the new version but still not great.
I wasn't able to find a different battery pack from ENO. It uses a proprietary plug that looks like a headphone plug rather than a USB plug.
