It seems that 12v garden lights are becoming an endangered species as solar takes over, they're OK but during the dark months are limited. I've got a good and reliable 12v system set up, is there a way, via resistors or something I can adapt solar lights to fit in as they are normally around 3v?

I suppose I could wire 4 in series -anyone got any suggestions?

Simplist way would be to rewire them with a different resistor for 12v

I have found the solar lights have a fairly crappy, low capacity rechargeable battery fitted, replacing it with something a bit better helps.

 

(I use a "Chinese Lantern" solar light as a night light in my daughters bedroom).

I've done some research and found this seems to be what I need. Tree chop scheduled for next week, then it's she'd build followed by lighting rewire.

A quick Google reveals no shortage of 12V garden lights available.

I'm trying to replace 1 watt LED spike lamps and to get some LED spot lamps, my Google searches have found that they are rarer and more expensive than a year or two ago. If I go back to halogen ( hot running & high power usage - 20w) they are plentiful. I suspect they are the ones you found. Multicolour LEDs are also common but I'm worried that they'll be a different colour every time the timer switches them on :-(

I have found the solar lights have a fairly crappy, low capacity rechargeable battery fitted, replacing it with something a bit better helps.

 

(I use a "Chinese Lantern" solar light as a night light in my daughters bedroom).

 

Found the same. REALLY poor batteries normally first issue, or water ingress.

These are some of the ones I looked at, plenty more, don't know if they are what you are looking for.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/12v-led-garden-lights

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/201010053813?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108

That's why I'm wondering whether I can solder cables into them and run via a transformer and or voltage regulator. If I fill the battery compartment with silicon hopefully they will have a reasonable life and operate during winter. We want light in winter as the lounge has full length, full width glazed folding doors overlooking the garden. We also have a hot tub, the best time for using hot tubs is on cold winter nights, particularly in the snow :-)

Thanks, for the eBay links I have found these as well as a limited number on various garden centre type sites. I'm looking for the spot lamp types, smaller if possible than those on eBay. The other potential problem with the eBay ones is whether they will change colour randomly, the colour changing ones I have experience of cycle through the colours, changing each time you switch off and on.