04-08-2010, 02:34 PM
Rob,
We got to story telling and neglected to answer your question about a light.
It probably could be done, but there are some large considerations. First, what kind of switch do you want to flip with maybe 10,000 volts on it? If you can get past that, that same 10kv is too much for an average bulb's designed use and current requirements.
Your only practical solution would be a neon bulb. Before LEDs they were the indicator light of choice and came (still do) in various bases and sizes. As you might suspect, the usual color is red and not a lot of light. They were an indicator, not an illuminator. The voltage ionizes the neon gas in the envelope and it glows. With the high voltage, you would have to limit the current once the gas ionizes by putting a resistor in series with the bulb as required to adjust the glow to something the bulb could sustain over time.
I neglected that resister one time when I was pulling a trailer home at night some four miles. I put some in a string of six or so on 12 volts. Good red light. But by the time I got home, several were already out, and the others on their way toward dimming out. One limiting resistor would have avoided that.
There is another way possible if you can get on the input side of the transformer, and you want your light at the transformer. Measure the voltage going into the transformer (from the solar cell) and get a bulb that will operate on that voltage. It will be low enough voltage to safely switch. The available light you can expect will depend on the solar panel's wattage, and that could be stretched if your usage was more than moderate, by charging a battery with the solar cell which you would then use as your primary energy source. Here again you would want a series resistor into the battery so a low battery wouldn't hog all the current and disable the charger until the battery was recharged.
I hope you are familiar with Ohm's Law for such calculations. It's easy but only after you see how it is applied. Most any electrician or elctronics tech will figure what you need if you take them your figures.. voltage, and bulb current rating. Or let them recommend a bulb from their mfgrs. lists.
Hope that's helpful and not too many "ifs" and "ors."
~Wayman
We got to story telling and neglected to answer your question about a light.
It probably could be done, but there are some large considerations. First, what kind of switch do you want to flip with maybe 10,000 volts on it? If you can get past that, that same 10kv is too much for an average bulb's designed use and current requirements.
Your only practical solution would be a neon bulb. Before LEDs they were the indicator light of choice and came (still do) in various bases and sizes. As you might suspect, the usual color is red and not a lot of light. They were an indicator, not an illuminator. The voltage ionizes the neon gas in the envelope and it glows. With the high voltage, you would have to limit the current once the gas ionizes by putting a resistor in series with the bulb as required to adjust the glow to something the bulb could sustain over time.
I neglected that resister one time when I was pulling a trailer home at night some four miles. I put some in a string of six or so on 12 volts. Good red light. But by the time I got home, several were already out, and the others on their way toward dimming out. One limiting resistor would have avoided that.
There is another way possible if you can get on the input side of the transformer, and you want your light at the transformer. Measure the voltage going into the transformer (from the solar cell) and get a bulb that will operate on that voltage. It will be low enough voltage to safely switch. The available light you can expect will depend on the solar panel's wattage, and that could be stretched if your usage was more than moderate, by charging a battery with the solar cell which you would then use as your primary energy source. Here again you would want a series resistor into the battery so a low battery wouldn't hog all the current and disable the charger until the battery was recharged.
I hope you are familiar with Ohm's Law for such calculations. It's easy but only after you see how it is applied. Most any electrician or elctronics tech will figure what you need if you take them your figures.. voltage, and bulb current rating. Or let them recommend a bulb from their mfgrs. lists.
Hope that's helpful and not too many "ifs" and "ors."
~Wayman