Nigel M wrote:

Thanks for all the ideas, here are a few more questions:

In uk.d-i-y, Harry Bloomfield wrote:

www.maplins.co.uk stock a range of solar cells. One of the smaller ones
intended to charge a 12v battery would easily cope with replenishing
8watts used for one hour.


I think I may have underestimated slightly. The unit from Maplin looks
ideal, and there are two stables. So assuming each 18W unit takes around
1.5 amps, then this is 3AH. I don't see how a, say, 120mA solar panel
could replenish this. Or have I misunderstood something?


Simply wire in twin flex (the smallest size of mains flex is adequete)


That's the answer I wanted, I didn't think cable was correct.


Almost any switch can be used, but probably a pull cord switch as used
in a bathroom might be best.


Surely there are normally only for use with AC. I would have thought
that a fluorescent lamp would present an inductive load to a DC source,
so wouldn't this mean I needed a special switch?




Not really, no.