Red LED solar 12v Feeder lights

[sean_bart1]

Ok all you engineers and just plain crafty guys. I need some ideas for a red feeder light setup. Now i know they can be bought ready to go but..... For 1, I'm not spending 300+ on something I can build for 100 bucks... And 2, I like to tinker. If you've seen a good one and have some ideas, post em up. No idea is a bad idea!


What I really want is:

1. Red LED as bright as I can get em.
2. 12 volt system
3. Solar recharge(not a must but handy)
4. Motion sensor activated
Please don't send me a PM that you or your bud builds em and its X amount for X model.

I'm looking for good ideas to build upon and set up to my exact needs.

 

[armadillo]

Check with the game warden if you are going to be hunting at night. Any artificial light is illegal (I think) in TX for any game animal.

That said, I tried a home made red LED last summer for hogs. When I got it bright enough to see the crosshairs, the hogs wouldn't come to the feeder. Another hog hunter I know told me he had the same experience - he thinks hogs are able to see a red light but deer and other animals can't.

The set up was simple - get the highest brightness rated red LEDs you can and wire 6 in series - plugged into a 12 volt battery. You can leave it on for a week on one gel-cell 12 volt battery.

 

[Big country]

As long as you're not hunting deer, turkey or other birds hunting at night with a spot light/ artificial light is perfectly legal. As far as what you're talking about SB I hunted pigs over one of these setups one time the pigs will get used to the red light so solar power is a must. The ones we used weren't and they would go out at about midnight. I know that sounds late but for the way we were hunting that was about when I would start needing that first pinch. LOL But a motion censor would help conserve energy as well. As the light goes You can get red Tail lights (regular and LED) for a decent price at TSC, and probably find some cheaper at a junk yard. So in short motion censor, tail lights off of something (LEDs like you said are far better), and a solar panel wired battery system. and you aught to be set for piggy poken at night. The motion censor is just something I thought of while hunting over the red lights the last time I've never tried that so I don't know how it would work. But in my experience if they can use a feeder without the light they will so all for one or one for all. The place I hunted also had pigs that would stay in the brush until your light went out then come in so they was schooled! LOL
Hope this helps with your brainstorming and ideas. and I might be able to help you throw one together when the wife and come up there.

 

[ConnRadd]

Hey Sean,
I bought the Primos (100 yd) light that mounts on top of your scope.. It will hit about 50 yds and the battery life is "ok". So, I started looking around and see if I can convert it over to an LED... I think I have it, but I'm not all that great at sodering.

Look for either:
SSC P7 LED Light (up to 900 Lumens) - White Only
or
Cree LED Light (400+ Lumens) - White Only

I just rec'd a P7 LED and a 3 mode Driver (5.5 to 15.5 volts). The driver will allow me to use 6 volt or 12 volt battery. My goal is to convert my Halogen Primos over to this P7 and get at least 450 lumens. (Which is bright as hell). Having a brite LED is one thing, but you got to have a refector that will make it a spot light.
Since the Primos has a red cover, the white light is ok. But, by making something more stationary; I sell plastic and have access to red acrylic all day long. So, I thought of using flood lights for a car and put a red lens on it...

As for the red lights and hogs; it does not effect them at all. I've hunted in a stand that had fixed lights on it. Once we heard the hogs come up, we hit the switch and lit the whole place up in red. Those piggies just kept eating the corn and were looking for more. They were approx. 35 yds away from us...

Sean, I'd be more than welcome to share more info that I have on lights. Just let me know and I'll send you my number...

 

[Big country]

Most of the time pigs keep right on trucking like you said but once they figure out and they will that the red light mean dead they will wait until the light dies or go to another feeder. If you have a water source on your place slap a red light on a pole out there to (good for yotes. LOL)

 

[ConnRadd]

Here's a picture of the P7 LED:

 

[Big country]

Okay WTH is the trigger looking thing? I know haw to wire them together but that internal workings part is what I'm lost with. LOL!

 

[ConnRadd]

Me and you both...

 

[sean_bart1]

I like the red LED tail lights and it gives me a good idea. I converted my jeep to the round LED's and remember people bitchin' about them on trail rides. That gives me an idea! I think I may have a design around those lights.


ConnRadd, Let me know how the Primos conversion goes. I got one of them too, and wasn't so impressed with it.

Thanks guys you gave me a good idea.

 

[Big country]

Like I said I have only dealt with setups like that. They weren't actually tail lights and they had to be turned on manually by getting out of the stand and walking to them turning them on and get back into the stand. I just threw the whole set up together for an idea I had walking back to my tree stand on that hunt in the dark after tuning the light on. So I haven't tried it at all. LOL!

 

[sean_bart1]

Well I went to Academy, TSC, and Lowes. Got some parts and I'm gonna start tinkerin'.
I bought a 55 gallon metal drum 8ft. tall feeder, 3 round LED tail lights, a motion sensor, battery, 1/8in. plate of steel, solar panel, and some random junk. Hopefully I'll have the pimpest feeder in town..... If not Big Country told me to do it and its all his fault it wont work right!!!

 

[Big country]

You might as well blame it on me it was my half brained idea! LOL. One thing I just thought of tho. Do you put the motion censor pointed to the path or the ground under the feeder?

 

[sean_bart1]

I got a 360 degree censor that I'm going to mount under the broadcaster of the feeder. I'm hoping it will be high enough to trigger. If not I'll get some 2" square tubing and raise the feeder a few feet.

 

[Big country]

COOL! You think it will keep a charge threw a night without needing a second battery thrown in the mix?

 

[ConnRadd]

Sean, if you need some red plexiglass; let me know. I'll cut the sizes you need and send them to you.