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PenMan's avatar
PenMan
Explorer
Jul 15, 2013

Outside Post Lamp With Sign

I recently made a post lamp with an engraved sign. It has an LED lamp and runs on 12 volts. I made it so I can plug it into the TT battery or use AA batteries (I have an almost unending supply of slightly used AA batteries). It will run 12 to 16 hours on the slightly used AA batteries. Now I'll try to post my first pictures on the forum.



9 Replies

  • Doug33 wrote:
    I see a generator in the pic!


    If you look really close, you can actually see two Honda generators. They're not needed to run the light however. :B
  • RoyB's avatar
    RoyB
    Explorer II
    The one thing on mine is the smaller PVC pipe holding the sign is not glued in place. It just slips into the PVC hole. This way you can remove it when you break it down for transport. The bottom PVC part is a standard post section that will screw down to a wooden floor. Mine has a two-foot square piece of 1/2-plyboard for the base. I just pile some fire wood pieces or rocks if I remember to bring some along on the plyboard base to keep mine from blowing over. Lay leaves around the everything after setup.

    For Transport and storing I just pull out the sign holed and remove three screws from the base 1/2-inch Plyboard and it is easy to store now...

    All of my outside lights are 120VAC operated. I have these connected to 120VAC from an INVERTER when camping off the power grid. I usually have two of these type desk lamps from Lowes mounted at the edge of the picnic area with one pointing up into the trees and one pointing down to bushes. This keeps the big bugs over at the edge of the camp site and makes for a nice inside area soft lighting for us reflecting down from the trees overhead. I use the CFL low wattage light blubs in the clamp on lamps.


    I also use one of the remote 120VAC adapters that I can turn ON-OFF using a remote key FOB. Can light up the patio and greeting lamp post with one quick operation. This is PN RC-012-1 and I got mine from ACE Hardware- Have seen them in Sears as well..


    Been carrying mine around for about five years now... My glass pieces in the light assy started to come out so I had to use some RTV to glue around the edges of the glass to hold them in place...

    Roy Ken
  • I made mine sign out of PVC pipe from Lowes. It cost me less than $30.00. I used a solar light for my post light. I took the light and cut off the base, fits right into the top of the PVC reducer. The whole assy. breaks down into two pieces and stores in my closet. I have the light so that if I am in the shade during the day I can move it to the sun.
  • jbrowning wrote:
    Hi Penman, great lamp post can you give directions on how you made your lamppost? I like the idea and would like to make myself one along with the 12 volt light.

    Thank you
    Jim


    Here are some details. The pole is 3" PVC. If I were just going to use 12 volt or 120 volt I would have used 2" PVC instead but I wanted to be able to run on AA batteries too so I bought a battery holder that holds 8 AA batteries in series to get the 12 volts needed to power the LED lamp. I got everything from Lowe's except the LED lamp which I got from Amazon. I made the pole in two parts. The top includes the pole light mounted on an 18 inch length of 3" PVC pipe. I had to turn a hardwood adapter on my lathe to mount it. The wires from the lamp connect to the battery holder and I put a switch in line so I can just turn it on and off easily. It has a connector so I can plug in a cord that runs up from the bottom part of the pole to connect to the trailer battery if I want to. The last piece on the top part is just a 3" PVC connector which is cemented to the bottom end of the top section. The bottom part of the pole has a toilet flange for a base and about 36" of the 3" PVC pipe. I used a 3/4 dowel to hold the sign. I would have used a PVC pipe for the sign except it is hard to go from the 3" size down to 3/4" or 1" and have it look good so I used the dowel. I just drilled a hole in the side of the 3" PVC to fit the dowel and then a small hole for a screw on the opposite side so I could use a screw into the end of the dowel to hold it in place. The top section with the light just slips onto the top of the lower section. One other thing I did was to modify the pole light which came with clear glass from Lowe's. I made some replacements for the glass by cutting clear plastic pieces and engraving them so they look frosted instead of clear. I didn't want the light to be too bright so I don't bother any neighbors. :B I hope this all made sense. I used two large nails to hold it in place on the grass. The sign is just 1/8" hardwood that I engraved (I own an award, trophy and custom gift shop) and cut on my laser to match my trailer and added the lower sign with our names and location.
  • Hi Penman, great lamp post can you give directions on how you made your lamppost? I like the idea and would like to make myself one along with the 12 volt light.

    Thank you
    Jim
  • Nice Job, all of you. I have a nice wood carved signed but no light. I'm a vampire (like it dark) so I can see the stars but I admire your handiwork.
  • Nice job I made mine but didn’t use a 12 volt light… I just might have to make another one…

  • RoyB's avatar
    RoyB
    Explorer II
    I didnt see the photo here... I picked up one from Pigeon Forge on one trip where was selling them...

    This one was made up from PVC pipes and a regular outside lamp assy from LOWES... This one used a 120VAC screw in bulb... Breaks down into two sections for transport..

    The guy took info from us and sent back a lettered name plate for it... Turned out pretty neat.. We use different decor wraping around it depending on the season... Has a flat board on the bottom so just pile firewood logs or rocks on it to keep wind from blowing it over...



    NOTE I see your picture now nice lamp post...

    Where we camp at our home camp ground at Westmoreland State Park not too many lights around there so I just had turned off my lamp post at 10PM getting ready to close down for the night. A whole bunch of little kids with flash lights then came thru heading for the bathroom.. I heard one of them say "Wasn't there a light here awhile ago ?' SO after they all went into the bath house i turned it all back on hehe... Then after they got went back to their camp site I shut it all down again...

    Roy Ken