P1000 Boondocking /Camping Lighting

[rudyeng]

Hey guys I wanted to share my Boondocking / Camping lighting solution. All in under $ 80. I bench tested several times before final assembly. Works awesome !

I carry a 12' custom tripod for hunting so I set up a removable bracket with a 1" solid aluminum round bar.(Last pick) . That's a very handy attachment. Multiple uses may add removable deer winch attachment in the near future. Each stub out holds over 200#

Back to the lights:

24"- 3/8" x1" aluminum flat bar
12"- 1" aluminum pipe. Think it was 1/8. Used 1/2 for top & bottom
6'-3/4"x1/8" aluminum square tube (Slides inside 1" aluminum pipe i.e. removable)
Lights: Exzeit Waterproof LED Work Lights for Truck, 150° Flood Led Light Bar
Carry extra 100 amp/hr battery & solar panel. Incredible light output. I will post the actual amp draw I think it was 5 amps in total .
Everything is collapsible and stores unnoticed on the buggy. This is the unfinished version. I will update the pics and performance numbers in the near future.

Best of luck !

Rudy

 

[TripleB]

Hey guys I wanted to share my Boondocking / Camping lighting solution. All in under $ 80. I bench tested several times before final assembly. Works awesome !

I carry a 12' custom tripod for hunting so I set up a removable bracket with a 1" solid aluminum round bar.(Last pick) . That's a very handy attachment. Multiple uses may add removable deer winch attachment in the near future. Each stub out holds over 200#

Back to the lights:

24"- 3/8" x1" aluminum flat bar
12"- 1" aluminum pipe. Think it was 1/8. Used 1/2 for top & bottom
6'-3/4"x1/8" aluminum square tube (Slides inside 1" aluminum pipe i.e. removable)
Lights: Exzeit Waterproof LED Work Lights for Truck, 150° Flood Led Light Bar
Carry extra 100 amp/hr battery & solar panel. Incredible light output. I will post the actual amp draw I think it was 5 amps in total .
Everything is collapsible and stores unnoticed on the buggy. This is the unfinished version. I will update the pics and performance numbers in the near future.

Best of luck !

Rudy

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Fancy

 

[rudyeng]

I wish eliminate the generator and additional gas/Coleman fuel. Everything is solar & Battery powered. I should have transitioned years ago. The output on the led lights is amazing. I will post a pics once everything is set up 100%. Still balancing the amount of amp/hr per day -vs- Solar panel & battery.

The solar panel & Battery upfront cost varies form $ 200 to $ 600 for lithium phosphate 100amp/hr. You can do the Walmart deep cycle setup of around $ 80 then charge at home as need. No solar panel required. You can easily get 4 nights out of the basic non solar setup. Say 4.5 hrs/night. Any cheap solar panel can extend your range

 

[Smitty335]

Hey guys I wanted to share my Boondocking / Camping lighting solution. All in under $ 80. I bench tested several times before final assembly. Works awesome !

I carry a 12' custom tripod for hunting so I set up a removable bracket with a 1" solid aluminum round bar.(Last pick) . That's a very handy attachment. Multiple uses may add removable deer winch attachment in the near future. Each stub out holds over 200#

Back to the lights:

24"- 3/8" x1" aluminum flat bar
12"- 1" aluminum pipe. Think it was 1/8. Used 1/2 for top & bottom
6'-3/4"x1/8" aluminum square tube (Slides inside 1" aluminum pipe i.e. removable)
Lights: Exzeit Waterproof LED Work Lights for Truck, 150° Flood Led Light Bar
Carry extra 100 amp/hr battery & solar panel. Incredible light output. I will post the actual amp draw I think it was 5 amps in total .
Everything is collapsible and stores unnoticed on the buggy. This is the unfinished version. I will update the pics and performance numbers in the near future.

Best of luck !

Rudy

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I just use the camp fire for light. HA!

 

[rudyeng]

No bigfoot in your area ?

 

[Hondasxs]

Kool idea.
I love camping out of the trail.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

 

[ODAMO]

No bigfoot in your area ?

We got female Bigfoot round these parts and they’re usually in heat .
You don’t have to run faster than them, just faster than your buddy.

 

[Smitty335]

We got female Bigfoot round these parts and they’re usually in heat .
You don’t have to run faster than them, just faster than your buddy.

Little foot on the way!

 

[rudyeng]

Update: 4.4 amps total draw. Lights are awesome !

 

[WagginTail]

Nice

 

[rudyeng]

Lights worked better than anticipated. I'm going to throw in a on/off/all rocker switch to lower the amp draw. This will allow me to use 1 or 2 lights as needed. The one light option works great and will draw only 2.2 amps but it's nice to be able to light up the area if needed.

 

[someguy1313]

nice

 

[crewcabrob]

Look like it works really well. I'm looking for a light that I can take from white to red for better night vision preservation.

Rob

 

[bumperm]

With advances in LED lighting and battery technology, I find wearing a quality headlamp to be very convenient as it leaves both handsfree and the light goes where you need it. If you want red to preserve night vision, that's available too. Fenix headlamps

 

[crewcabrob]

Yep, I have a couple of Fenix lights. I have been using Zebralights.com for my headlamps for quite a few years.

Back to the Original Post: I take it that the $80 you have in to your project is for the lamp heads, wire, aluminum but doesn't include the power source?

Looks like a ton of light...

 

[rudyeng]

Correct batteries not included. You have 2 options. A cheap $ 80 Walmart deep cycle battery or an advanced lithium phosphate battery setup. Both can be charged at home prior to the trip.

The math is pretty simply based on the 4.4 amp draw I can get 22 hrs (Say 20 hrs) out of a 100amp-hr battery but I really only use the lights at night for 4 hrs + 1 hr in the morning say 5 hours/day. I can light up my camp for 4 days. The lights are so bright I can turn one off and get 8 days out of the system. The mount height facilitates great light coverage.

I actually added a 220W solar panel and lithium phosphate battery setup to extend my stay as needed. I can charge my phone, gps, and other life safety devices without having to worry about power consumption.

 

[crewcabrob]

Sounds like a great setup!

 

[bumperm]

Yep, I have a couple of Fenix lights. I have been using Zebralights.com for my headlamps for quite a few years.

Back to the Original Post: I take it that the $80 you have in to your project is for the lamp heads, wire, aluminum but doesn't include the power source?

Looks like a ton of light...

A little OT, sorry . . . just to add, I have a couple of Zebralight headlamps also. When I bought them 4 or 5 years ago, to my thinking they were the best thing going in small headlamps - nicely made. With the continuing incremental improvements in LEDs efficiency and light output, I'm sure they are better still now. One thing that doesn't appear the have changed much, if at all, is the complicated user programming interface for changing 2nd layer brightness levels and more. "four double clicks" to do what?? 🤔 Fenix'user interface is simpler and model designs are more prolific.

One new Fenix feature, I like a lot, is the sealing method for the outside micro-SD charging port. Instead of a rubber plug, which can get torn off or is fiddly to use, there's either a rotating collar or part of the light body rotates a few turns to reveal an O-ring sealed port - slick design.

 

[rudyeng]

I use the Fenix during my AM/PM walk to my tree stand. It's a fantastic light.

 

[trigger]

The guy that bought my travel trailer yesterday had one of these, pretty slick.

https://www.amazon.com/Rechargeable-light-Battery-backup-Emergency/dp/B07ZQM5BKY?tag=sxsweb24-20