Lighting an open playa installation cheaply

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 9:15 am

CapSmashy wrote:
phil wrote:> And the thing will be useful at other times of the year.

Like when, for instance?

Power failures and work related uses.

You know, I'm totally sick of relying on others' generators. Sometimes I need that charge now, dammit! I suppose it will be useful post "the big one" but I don't see it coming into handy at work.

*mutters*

SubCultist · Post by **SubCultist** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 2:14 pm

Thanks for all the suggestions. My wife ended up picking up some battery powered LED strands. I've got 45 continuous hours so far out of one set of batteries. They should do the trick for us. Total cost for all the strands and batteries we'll need is going to be much cheaper than even a used EU1000. The cheapest I found before we scrapped the idea of using a gennie was $285, and quite a bit more cash in gas. Hence, why we decided against it in the first place

We've already contacted the org. We're not first timers. We know how it works. :)

SubCultist · Post by **SubCultist** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 10:12 pm

Here are the lights we got if anyone is interested. They began to be noticeably dimmer around the 40 hour mark, but are still going after 78 hours (though they are very dim now).

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-STRINGS-LED-Batte ... 2ea98630cd

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 5:58 am

The packs can be converted to D cells for longer life.

teardropper · Post by **teardropper** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 1:45 pm

Ugly Dougly wrote:You can get one of those battery powered strobe lights that they issue for maritime flotation vests, and put in on top of your structure. Just replace the batteries every so often.

Yes. I use a battery powered strobe on top of my motorhome for camping on the playa at times other than BM, like Rendezvous, when you can camp anywhere. Add maybe a bunch of landscape LED solar lanterns.