For independent camping its handy to have a nice outdoor light.
There are a few commercial ones sold but I like the Led units as they are less power hungry.
I basically installed a 48 led unit into a aluminium cover to stop it getting wet. It has a switch on it and is easily available for around $60.00.The cord can go to a golf buggy battery or an external van point. My light has a 10 meter lead so the power from the van is no problem.
I put two spikes on the base to better stand up in soft soil.

We do a lot of cooking with a camp oven and with this type of light it is easy to prepare food by the fire and inspect the cook pot.
The pole is adapted from an old adjustable tent pole and easy to make.

There are a hundred ways to put this sort of thing together, but the double spike on the base is a good idea as I have never had it fall over yet.

DT,
love your workmanship and the portability of it.only limited by power lead length but then again most ppl eat inside or at a table setup just outside so leads wouldnt be that great an issue when cooking outside.That would throw a serious light too in freecamps where theres no streetlights

With those 2 earth stakes it would be stable in wind too.

Its amazing what us humans come up with when theyre got issues.

rredbeak,
Was it you who had a problem with your leg; if so how is it?(Sorry, off subject)
glanyard

yea it is me and im still on blood thinners but swelling has completely gone,wish my other leg would swell rofl.

in a few months i go back for another ultrasound and see the total picture.

but its beautifull,no pain,no swelling and unaware i ever had it.

IF youre a traveller n SIT for LONG hours,and then you start leg pain.SEE a doc immediatley,So easy fixed and the other way could mean clogged lungs n certain death...

DT
ive never seen a golf buggy battery so maybe we're talking on n the same.

But in my van [most vans] the Gas stove clicker and the Gas fridge igniter battery is 12V and around half the length of a small fire extinguisher. VERY portable n i reckon itd run those leds awhile then just clip it back into the house batteries circuit to recharge it after use.

the golf buggy ones would have understandably much more grunt i imagine

I love threads like this...not only do I get great ideas...but I get to admire the ingenious creativity of you people out there.

My problem is that with all the great ideas I see (and occasionally have myself) I have to consider the balancing act of weight and "things". Not the first or only person with that consideration.