Bought a set of solar LED deck lights - with a remote photocell/battery
pack.

I want the photocell/battery pack on the shed roof to get max charging,
but the cable ain't not long enough.

Makers say "Unfortunately it is not possible to extend the length to the
solar lights, or add extension cables".

Why would that be?


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On Thu, 11 Jul 2013 18:39:25 +0100, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Bought a set of solar LED deck lights - with a remote photocell/battery
pack.

I want the photocell/battery pack on the shed roof to get max charging,
but the cable ain't not long enough.

Makers say "Unfortunately it is not possible to extend the length to the
solar lights, or add extension cables".

Why would that be?

I would think...voltage drop. Just use very thick cable?

--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
My posts (including this one) are my copyright and if @diy_forums on
Twitter wish to tweet them they can pay me £30 a post
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor

On 11/07/2013 19:02, Bob Eager wrote:
On Thu, 11 Jul 2013 18:39:25 +0100, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Bought a set of solar LED deck lights - with a remote photocell/battery
pack.

I want the photocell/battery pack on the shed roof to get max charging,
but the cable ain't not long enough.

Makers say "Unfortunately it is not possible to extend the length to the
solar lights, or add extension cables".

Why would that be?

I would think...voltage drop. Just use very thick cable?


Could it be they don't trust customers to make the joins weatherproof?
Easier to say your customers that you can't than "you are an idiot who
wouldn't do it properly"! :-)

--
Rod

polygonum wrote:
On 11/07/2013 19:02, Bob Eager wrote:
On Thu, 11 Jul 2013 18:39:25 +0100, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Bought a set of solar LED deck lights - with a remote photocell/battery
pack.

I want the photocell/battery pack on the shed roof to get max charging,
but the cable ain't not long enough.

Makers say "Unfortunately it is not possible to extend the length to the
solar lights, or add extension cables".

Why would that be?

I would think...voltage drop. Just use very thick cable?


Could it be they don't trust customers to make the joins weatherproof?
Easier to say your customers that you can't than "you are an idiot who
wouldn't do it properly"! :-)

You might find (if the unit is pre-wired) that the cable is permanently
connected to the battery and cutting it to extend it will but a dead
short on the battery.
Just a thought

Bob

On Thu, 11 Jul 2013 20:01:34 +0100, Bob Minchin wrote:

I would think...voltage drop. Just use very thick cable?

Could it be they don't trust customers to make the joins
weatherproof?

Or that the maker doesn't want get involved in "weather proof"
connectors at all. Decent weather proof connectors aren't cheap...

You might find (if the unit is pre-wired) that the cable is permanently
connected to the battery and cutting it to extend it will but a dead
short on the battery.

Only if you just take your snips and cut straight through the cable.
With figure of eight cable it's perfectly possible to snip one wire,
then the other. Or split the cable into two wires then cut each one
in turn. Other forms of cable can also be dissected and the
individual wires separated out.

I'd say it's perfectly possible to extend the cable but we'd need to
know more about these lights first.

--
Cheers
Dave.

Probably because nobody thought of it at the time, most likely!

Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
...

Bought a set of solar LED deck lights - with a remote photocell/battery
pack.

I want the photocell/battery pack on the shed roof to get max charging,
but the cable ain't not long enough.

Makers say "Unfortunately it is not possible to extend the length to the
solar lights, or add extension cables".

Why would that be?


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Yes, I was laughing cos some I've had for years have IDC connectors for the
lights so you can string them out to the length you want. Hardly
waterproof, but workable.

Besides, if the system is not protected against a short its pretty dire.
Mice love cables to chew on I have found.

Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ll.co.uk...
On Thu, 11 Jul 2013 20:01:34 +0100, Bob Minchin wrote:

I would think...voltage drop. Just use very thick cable?

Could it be they don't trust customers to make the joins
weatherproof?

Or that the maker doesn't want get involved in "weather proof"
connectors at all. Decent weather proof connectors aren't cheap...

You might find (if the unit is pre-wired) that the cable is permanently
connected to the battery and cutting it to extend it will but a dead
short on the battery.

Only if you just take your snips and cut straight through the cable.
With figure of eight cable it's perfectly possible to snip one wire,
then the other. Or split the cable into two wires then cut each one
in turn. Other forms of cable can also be dissected and the
individual wires separated out.

I'd say it's perfectly possible to extend the cable but we'd need to
know more about these lights first.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Thu, 11 Jul 2013 18:39:25 +0100, The Medway Handyman
wrote:


Makers say "Unfortunately it is not possible to extend the length to the
solar lights, or add extension cables".

Why would that be?

Maybe the "cable" has some resistance to limit charging current - or
is made with some tinsel that nobody can connect to...
I would look at the ends of the cable first to see if normal copper.