I have a garage which needs rewiring for lights. The lights haven't
worked in there for years. Now I assume under Part P I would either get
someone in or do it myself and then get it certified. A third option is
to put a solar power setup in there. Currently my local tesco is selling
a solar power kit for sheds which need a 12V car battery to complete and
get it working. My garage is south facing which is good for solar and
the lights are rarely used even in winter so it won't need a vast amount
of power anyway. I'm beginning to think it's a winner.

Any views? Anyone else done it?

Thanks
--
John

John wrote:
I have a garage which needs rewiring for lights. The lights haven't
worked in there for years. Now I assume under Part P I would either get
someone in or do it myself and then get it certified. A third option is
to put a solar power setup in there. Currently my local tesco is selling
a solar power kit for sheds which need a 12V car battery to complete and
get it working. My garage is south facing which is good for solar and
the lights are rarely used even in winter so it won't need a vast amount
of power anyway. I'm beginning to think it's a winner.

Any views? Anyone else done it?

Thanks

Apparently less than 1% of diyers get the part p certification done.
for solar, a car battery is the wrong type, you need a leisure
battery. These survive the use paterns of solar lighting. Castoff car
batts can be used, but expect much less life and be sure not to
discharge it at all far.

You dont tell us the specs of the system you mention. whatever it is,
white reflectors can be used to improve harvest in winter.

http://www.wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index....d_acid_battery
http://www.wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index....y_construction

it may well be a runner in principle, if you dont mind the limitations
of a small solar kit versus the flexibility of mains.


NT

wrote:
John wrote:
I have a garage which needs rewiring for lights. The lights haven't
worked in there for years. Now I assume under Part P I would either get
someone in or do it myself and then get it certified. A third option is
to put a solar power setup in there. Currently my local tesco is selling
a solar power kit for sheds which need a 12V car battery to complete and
get it working. My garage is south facing which is good for solar and
the lights are rarely used even in winter so it won't need a vast amount
of power anyway. I'm beginning to think it's a winner.

Any views? Anyone else done it?

Thanks

Apparently less than 1% of diyers get the part p certification done.
for solar, a car battery is the wrong type, you need a leisure
battery. These survive the use paterns of solar lighting. Castoff car
batts can be used, but expect much less life and be sure not to
discharge it at all far.

You dont tell us the specs of the system you mention. whatever it is,
white reflectors can be used to improve harvest in winter.

http://www.wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index....d_acid_battery
http://www.wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index....y_construction

Interesting. Thanks. I obviously need to do a bit more research into it all.

it may well be a runner in principle, if you dont mind the limitations
of a small solar kit versus the flexibility of mains.

Ah well, we've lived without mains lighting in there since we moved in
in 2002 so any lighting is better than stumbling around in the dark. So
much else to do in the house that we've never got round to it...
--
John

"John" wrote in message
...
wrote:
John wrote:
I have a garage which needs rewiring for lights. The lights
haven't
worked in there for years. Now I assume under Part P I would
either get
someone in or do it myself and then get it certified. A third
option is
to put a solar power setup in there. Currently my local tesco is
selling
a solar power kit for sheds which need a 12V car battery to
complete and
get it working. My garage is south facing which is good for solar
and
the lights are rarely used even in winter so it won't need a vast
amount
of power anyway. I'm beginning to think it's a winner.

Any views? Anyone else done it?

Thanks

Apparently less than 1% of diyers get the part p certification
done.
for solar, a car battery is the wrong type, you need a leisure
battery. These survive the use paterns of solar lighting. Castoff
car
batts can be used, but expect much less life and be sure not to
discharge it at all far.

You dont tell us the specs of the system you mention. whatever it
is,
white reflectors can be used to improve harvest in winter.

http://www.wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index....d_acid_battery

http://www.wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index....y_construction

Interesting. Thanks. I obviously need to do a bit more research into
it all.

it may well be a runner in principle, if you dont mind the
limitations
of a small solar kit versus the flexibility of mains.

Ah well, we've lived without mains lighting in there since we moved
in
in 2002 so any lighting is better than stumbling around in the dark.
So
much else to do in the house that we've never got round to it...
--
John

Why not get a caravan type fluorescent light and old car battery, and
accept the fact that you have to carry it down to the house
occasionally to charge it. There are cheap small solar panels on
fleabay that will give a trickle charge, enough to stop it dying, - I
use one on my Fordson tractor to keep it useable over prolonged idle
periods.

AWEM

John wrote:
I have a garage which needs rewiring for lights. The lights haven't
worked in there for years. Now I assume under Part P I would either get
someone in or do it myself and then get it certified. A third option is
to put a solar power setup in there. Currently my local tesco is selling

The third option is just get on and do it. If you already have mains in
the garage, then what you are doing would probably count as "minor
works" anyway from a part P perspective - should anyone ask - which they
won't.

rant_on

This is one of things that ****es me off about clap trap like part P, it
is actively discouraging you from making what should be a dramatic
improvement in safety to the garage. In the grand scheme of things, you
are far far more likely to kill yourself with a trip and fall while
stumbling about in a dark garage, than you are to electrocute yourself
adding some lights.

/rant_on


--
Cheers,

John.

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