Solar Sign Lighting

There are only four (4) components required to build a solar powered light. It's all the same wither you want to illuminate a sign, a parking area or landscaping. The components required are 1.) Solar panel(s), Charge controller, battery and a high efficiency D.C. fixture of your choice. The charge controller, battery and D.C fixture can all be purchased and connected very easily and are not too expensive. The panel(s) will be the most expensive part of your assembly. Building your own panel(s) will drastically reduce the cost of your solar powered lighting project. Building a solar panel is pretty easy and has the advantage of being able to custom build your panel to the wattage, voltage, size and shape that your project requires.

For example, if you are using a post to mount your light on, you could arrange the solar cells of your panel to be approximately the same width as your pole and just connect them so one cell is above the next one. Essentially you'll have a narrow but tall solar panel mounted on the south face of the pole. This will blend into the structure instead of being a focal point and wind catcher. 

You're basically building a weatherproof box with a clear top (face) that houses the solar cells. Enough of the cells are connected electrically negative to positive to reach your desired wattage and voltage. Breaking the cost down of the solar panel reveals that the solar cells are the most expensive part of the panel. It's possible to find some pretty good deals on the cells if you know where to look.