Tarp/tent lighting

gelandangan · Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2013 9:19 pm Post subject: Tarp/tent lighting

Just want to share what I use to light up my tarp/tent on a camp.

These images are taken on two separate trips, in the past few months.

Guess who that blob is..

It is much more brighter than what the camera captured on the photo. Plenty of light to read my kindle, clean my gun, cook food and eat under it.

The light string is one of these cheap eBay Christmas light you could get for a few dollars including delivery from China.
Plenty of light from 3 AA battery, so far I have get about 8 nights worth of light (maybe about 5 hours a night) with the same set and it still going strong.
The current drain measured to be about 30 mA and since a standard AA eneloop have about 2000 mAh, I expect a set of battery would last at least 60 hours of use, thats about 12 nights with my average usage!!

I get the idea from Leipmeister in the BushcraftOz forum.
Damned shame not to share.

Elvis · Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2013 10:33 pm Post subject: Re: Tarp/tent lighting

thankyou for shareing that, it sure looks like a great idea.

Vince · Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2013 11:06 pm Post subject: Re: Tarp/tent lighting

Good idea Gelan...imagine how good the light would be with a couple, or more, strings of fairy lights mate. I take it the "lights" are actually LED?

I might just have to get some of these and give it a try.

gelandangan · Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2013 11:14 pm Post subject: Re: Tarp/tent lighting

Yes they are LED lights.
Thats how it could use only 30mA of current.

Oh yeah, in emergency, you can switch it to BLINK as well.
great for attracting attention.
Of course if you are good in electronics, it can be changed to blink SOS.

Vince · Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2013 11:20 pm Post subject: Re: Tarp/tent lighting

gelandangan · Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2013 11:32 pm Post subject: Re: Tarp/tent lighting

LOL.. Just "found" an image of the setup during day time..
My hammock is in the background.

There is an eye sore sitting in the chair there.

Vince · Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2013 12:18 am Post subject: Re: Tarp/tent lighting

Now that's a nice little campsite mate...nowhere near as "exotic" as ours. Laughing

Elvis · Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2013 1:48 am Post subject: Re: Tarp/tent lighting

very classy indeed.

pete4d · Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2013 5:56 am Post subject: Re: Tarp/tent lighting

TRBLSHTR · Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2013 10:34 am Post subject: Re: Tarp/tent lighting

That must be "roughing it " eh? Laughing

Vince · Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2013 7:55 pm Post subject: Re: Tarp/tent lighting

No Troubles...that ain't roughing it mate. Roughing it would be using only a swag...and really roughing it is a sleeping bag on the ground under a hootchie. Very Happy

PaulS · Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2013 11:13 pm Post subject: Re: Tarp/tent lighting

A sleeping bag on the ground with a hootchie over it was normal when I was back-packing in the mountains of Washington. Roughing it was just the bag buried in the snow to keep warm.

gelandangan · Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 1:23 am Post subject: Re: Tarp/tent lighting

Why roughing it?
Even in a walking trips, I got my hammock and tarp.

Past my days of "coat camping" or sleeping under a tree just covered with my coat, no sleeping bag and no tarp.

Outdoor is to be enjoyed.
Roughing no longer has appeal in for old bones, it cut down the enjoyment somewhat.

To each their own but..

Elvis · Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 1:36 am Post subject: Re: Tarp/tent lighting

hear hear give that wise man a beer!!!!!
sleeping on a deerskin to try and smooth out the ruts and bumps in the cold hard ground gets less and less appealing the older I get.
a poofter pad (closed cell foam) goes with me now, still hard but not too bad, and alot warmer than nothing, a pile of vegetation under you helps a heap too just give yourself enough time to gather it.

Vince · Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 4:16 am Post subject: Re: Tarp/tent lighting

Elvis...I use a closed cell pad on my stretcher mate. When I used to sleep on the ground, first thing I would do is scratch a hip hole then lay my ground sheet and pad...it was toasty warm because the pad actually insulates you from the cold ground.

If you can afford it, and are able to carry it, a self inflating Thermarest matress/pad is brilliant. I have a 3/4 length one I sometimes use.

Nothing wrong at all with your camp Gelan, although I find a hammock is a bit hard on my back these days...I wake up as stiff as a board and I'm not able to do anything for a couple of hours, or until the pain meds kick in and kill the owies.

Paul...doesn't burying your sleeping bag in the snow just turn it into a freezer mate...or do you have the bag inside a Goretex bivvy bag?