How to Make a PVC Camping Light

A PVC camping light is an outdoor solar light that stands above the ground and provides light 360 degrees around the post. The camping light is portable and provides cross bars to hang a name plate or other identification. PVC or polyvinyl chloride pipes are inexpensive and simple to work with. No electrical or specialty skills are needed to create this light.

Things You'll Need

  • PVC caps, 2-inch diameter, 3
  • Marker
  • Solar light
  • Utility knife
  • Duct tape
  • PVC pipes, 2-inch diameter, 1-foot long, 5
  • PVC Cross connector, 2-inch diameter
  • PVC pipe, 2-inch diameter, 17-inches long, 2
  • PVC Pipe, 2-inch diameter, 4-feet long
  • PVC T-connectors, 2-inch diameter, 4
  • PVC Glue
  • PVC pipe, 2-inch diameter, 2-feet long
  • PVC 90 degree elbow connectors, 2-inch diameter, 4
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place the solar light on top of one of the PVC caps and mark the location of the spike on the light. The solar light needs to be in the center of the cap. Cut a hole in the end cap with a utility knife so that the spike slides into the cap and the light sets on the top of the cap.

    • 2

      Slide the solar light into the end cap and place duct tape on the inside of the cap around the spike. This will seal the cap so that rain water does not leak into the posts.

    • 3

      Apply a small ring of PVC glue to the inside rim of the solar light end cap and insert a 1-foot pipe into the end of the end cap.

    • 4

      Coat the outside of the bottom of the 1-foot pipe with glue and slide the cross connector onto the glued section of pipe. Create the cross bars by inserting the 17-inch pipes into the two ports on the cross connectors that are at a 90 degree angle from the light. Glue the inside ridges of the other end caps and slide them on the end of the crossbars.

    • 5

      Insert a four foot pipe into the open port on the cross connector. This does not need to be glued unless you have storage area for a five foot pipe. The lamp post can be broken down to travel in a small area. The cross bars come out the light and one-foot pipe comes off and the base is removable.

    • 6

      Insert the 4-foot pipe into the bottom or vertical port on a T-connector. The connector should have two open ports on each side of the pipe. Glue the insides of the two open ports on the t-connector and insert an 11-inch pipe into each port.

    • 7

      Apply glue to the outside edges of two 2-feet pipes and insert the ends into the elbow connectors. Turn the elbow connectors on each pipe the same direction. This creates a "U" shape out of each 2-foot pipe.

    • 8

      Place glue on the outside of the ends of four 1-foot pipes and slide the pipes into the open ports of the elbow connectors. Connect the two "U" shapes together with two-t-connectors to create a square. Turn the T-connectors to the middle of the square.

    • 9

      Insert the 11-inch pipes into the ports on the T-connectors to complete the lamp. These pipes can be glued to the T-connectors if desired.

    • 10

      Allow the glue to set for three hours.