Portable Outdoor Floodlight

seansy59

I want to make a small (maybe about 6ft tall) portable fluorescent worklight for outdoor use in my yard (similar to those portable MH worklights). I do alot of outdoor yardwork, and I found myself always working after dark, trying to use a flashlight to finish the last bit of the weeding, garden, or another project.

The light will be made out of wood. A base for it, and I planned on using 4 daylight CFL bulbs at "120w" output each using only 23w each. 2 floodlight kits with weatherproof boxes, a lightswitch in a weatherproof box with weatherproof cover, and conduit. The run of wire in the conduit is only going to be about 4-5ft, maybe less, and it will be moved alot. Is it ok to use the 16/3 SJOOW wire inside the conduit since it is not "permenant wiring". This wire is also going to be used for the plug wired on with a ground 15a plug.

It is not a permenant oudoor light, and will be stored in a shed when not in use. Although, the light may be caught in one or 2 "summer storms" no doubt as many other things have before (radio, tools, etc.) Reasoning why I am making it a bit "weatherproof". Never plugged in though if it rains, but left out instead stored inside.

dmxtothemax

So what is your main concern ?
It seems to be reasonablly weatherproof,
certainly enough to be left out side occasionly.

joecaption

http://www.plumbersurplus.com/Prod/D...248988/Cat/778
Or just buy one of these.
Lighter, folds up when not needed, more light then what your suggesting to use.

hawkeye11

That's what I was going to suggest, too. It will end up being cheaper than what you're suggesting to build, and a lot easier to maneuver around.

seansy59

Thats what I was going to buy at first, and would'a loved too, but I need something that won't use alot of energy (ie. why I am opting for fluorescent) 1000w for the worklight will never run on the only outlet I have (shared with other outlets in the house and a den)

The only thing I was worried about on the light was the wire in the conduit. But since its not a permenant thing, stranded wire is needed for movement. Since solid copper will break over time.

joecaption

Why not? That's only about 8 amps on a 15 amp line.
I use one on almost every job I work on just pluged into 15 amp outlets and have never tripped a breaker.
If it does then you have some wiring issues that need to be fixed.

seansy59

Nope, no wiring issues. We have a 200amp panel, electric heat, electric stove, electric for window A/C, but the one circuit that I plug into (through a window, no outside outlets) has a tv, computer/printer/modem, hi-hats, all outlets and lighting for den and a hallway, and also an electric "plug in" fireplace that gets used during winter or window A/C in summer. This is all on a 15a circuit. We have had multiple electricians come in and they all say its fine, and they couldn't rewire it either without taking down all the drywall because of the location of the panel. Wayyyy out of cost.

Our fridge, front porch outlet/exterior lighting, 2 kitchen outlets, and living room outlets are all on a 20amp circuit. Its tripped many times whenever we tried to run a leafblower or contractors plugged into the outlet for their powertools.

Thankfully, we have another dedicated 15a outlet in the garage, so we don't have to worry about that circuit anymore. Sadly though, this circuit is too far away for where I am working in the backyard for use.

rrolleston

Do you have attic or basement/crawlspace?

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Please ask me about my special discount for people that shut up and stay out of my way! With Electricity there is the right way to do it and the dead way. Just because it works does not make it safe.

rrolleston

I would make it all out of a PVC pipe frame some T fittings. Attache the switch box and flood light to the PVC and sacrifice a lead cord for the plug.

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Please ask me about my special discount for people that shut up and stay out of my way! With Electricity there is the right way to do it and the dead way. Just because it works does not make it safe.

Alan

They make smaller bulbs for those things. . . .


http://www.google.com/products/catal...ed=0CH0Q8wIwAA

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seansy59

Very small crawlspace (inaccesable in most spots) and right under the panel, you can't get through to from underneath.

rrolleston

Makes it very difficult when people build homes like that.

I have seen those portable lights they are nice I have a permenant halogen on my back porch can hold a 500 watt bulb but I think I only have 100 maybe 200 at most and it lights up the whole back yard.

__________________
Please ask me about my special discount for people that shut up and stay out of my way! With Electricity there is the right way to do it and the dead way. Just because it works does not make it safe.

Gary Sutherland

There's a lot of this kind of stuff out there. Pretty efficient but maybe more than you want to spend.

http://www.lightinguniverse.com/port...ights_396.html

Gary

seansy59

OK! I am thinking about maybe buying one of those 1,000 watt worklights. I know its 1,000 watts used, but can I plug it into a 200ft+ extension cord to reach to my dedicated 15a outlet all the way in my garage.

The cords I have are all 16gauge regular outoor work cords. I know motors strain on loads, but lights may just be a tad dimmer.

My main concern is will the cord be okay with the long cord?

dmxtothemax

You can easily change the lamps to a lower wattage,
there are many different wattages of lamps available
500w,300w,250w,200w,150, & 100w.
You can also rip out the j type lamp base
and put a standard es base in, and use a CFL.
easily done,waterproof and looks good.
And uses very little power.