How to attach a solar floodlight to a shipping container
If you have been looking for ways to attach a floodlight directly to shipping containers, you may have already found our instructions for installing a full height floodlight kit, but not thought about using a solar floodlight instead of a conventional wired one. Here we’ll explore the advantages of attaching a solar floodlight above your shipping container.
If you do not need to mount your solar floodlight as high as 6.4m, you can use just a single Domino Clamp, a vertical 48mm tube clamp, and a universal floodlight bracket, which we have conveniently assembled, in our half height floodlight kit. This will enable you to attach your chosen floodlight to the 80cm pole (also provided) and then mount it to any one of the top corner castings of the shipping container.
Why mount a floodlight lower down?
The half height floodlight kit is perfect for loading area safety lighting, so especially if you have other lighting in the area of your shipping container, then this might be all that you need. If you chose a floodlight with a PIR (passive infrared) then you also have the added bonus of it picking up movement close to the container and only turning on when required. Our kit is the only floodlight kit on the market which secures the tube (and therefore also the floodlight) securely to the container, unable to rotate or be lifted up (in high winds, for instance).
The kit is very easy to install in a matter of minutes, which is particularly useful for short or medium term installs.
Why attach a solar floodlight to a shipping container?
Solar floodlights are incredibly convenient for a number of reasons, especially in areas where we find shipping containers.
- Their internal batteries will often come pre charged and therefore usually work straight out of the box.
- With no wires or cables to worry about, they can be installed very quickly and safely by someone with no experience in electrical wiring.
- Solar flood lights also give you the freedom to install your shipping container floodlight absolutely wherever you need it, regardless of how far the container is from mains voltage, and with no cables running to your container, there’s no cable trenches to dig, no trip hazards and no unsightly overhead cabling.
- When used with a solar floodlight, our fully assembled half height floodlight kit is so portable that the container can be moved even when the floodlight is still attached.
When looking for a solar floodlight to use, we recommend finding one which attaches using its own adjustable bracket like in the video, as opposed to a wall mounted version, some of which are harder to position to where you need them. Also, make sure all electrical products you buy are CE certified and RoHS compliant.
How to put it together
- Start by installing the Domino Clamp in either the shield or Stadium shaped holes in one of the corner castings at the top of your container following our detailed installation instructions if you're unfamiliar with the technique.
- Attach the 48mm vertical tube clamp using the M12 set screws and washers provided.
- Now you can assemble the floodlight bracket and use it to fix the floodlight to the top of your aluminium tube.
- And once that's all together and secure you just need to lower the tube into the tube clamp, position the floodlight where you need it to point and finally to tighten up the two grub screws with an 8mm hex key.
Attaching a floodlight higher up.
If you do decide that you would rather mount your floodlight higher up you’ll have almost everything you need to secure your floodlight and long pole (longer than 3.2m) to a shipping container with our full height floodlight kit. All you’ll need in addition to the kit is a scaffold tube at the length you require (as well as the shipping container and floodlight of course). This would give you the room to also add a universal CCTV bracket to the same pole.
Inside the kit you’ll find two Domino Clamps, a pair of Interclamp vertical tube clamps, with one bored through, bolts and washers, and a universal floodlight bracket. To find out how to install our full height floodlight, read the How To here.
For more ingenious container solutions, useful information and offers delivered direct to your inbox, sign up to our information email 📨 or subscribe to our YouTube channel 📺
