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Tired of the feeble light from your Solar-rechargeable Garden lights? You can more than triple the light output with this new circuit. Works even with red or orange lights - as long as it runs off a single AA rechargeable battery!
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Signing UpStep 1Remove the old circuit board.
Cut the wires as close to the board as possible. We'll need the wires from the solar cell and the battery holder, so cut them as close to the circuit board as possible. If there are wires from a light sensor (colored Green here) we can cut those too - it's not needed anymore.
The board can go and join the others we removed from other projects.
The board can go and join the others we removed from other projects.
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I would like to first thank the original poster for this circuit.
I have been trying to build one of these myself using this schematic as a guide. Unfortunately, I cannot get an FJN965, and so I have used the NTE11 which is apparently an equivalent component( I think the pin out may be different though). I have used a discrete inductor as well as a wound one that I have made, and I am still having trouble with getting the voltage to boost to 3.3 V , though it does turn on and off depending on whether sun is out or not ( turns on when I cover with my hand and turns off when I let the light hit my solar panel ). My battery voltage is mimiced at the LED.
If you have a 6v supply already, then you will not need to 'up-vert' the voltage at all. Just connect the LEDs through a suitable resistor and add a light-sensing switch for day/night operation.
Hope this helps - let me know your exact application (# LEDs, etc) and I can provide more help in assembling your light.
If you have 15-ft (5m) if a thin insulated wire, you can make your own - just wind the wire around the barrel of a felt marker (anything 1/2", 12mm in diameter will work). You don't need to be neat, just jumble wind into a donut shape and tie or tape together after removing from the form. This will give you a 22uH air-core inductor, and will be able to handle up to 1-A of current.
You can also get an assortment quite cheaply here on eBay.
Lost something in the translation huh? I have a project which involves music here.
And with thise parts you want to assemble a single light with 4 LEDs. is that right?
Then the simple solution is to take 3 batteries, and charge them with 3 solar cells with a diode in between - like the picture below.
My suggestion is to charge the lights up first and see how well they serve your lighting needs. If mains power is avilable, it may be a better solution to build a LED "bulb" like this one here, which has the brightness of a 25-40watt bulb but only uses 3 watts for under $10.
If you bought the 10mm LEDs from RS, then be warned - they are not "brighter" they just have the beam more focused - so it forms a very tiny spot of light, so they may not suit your needs.
Great Job and great instruction!
here my job! -> http://peppeska.wordpress.com/2009/04/04/pimp-my-solar-garden-light/
and here my circuit ->
To connect LEDs in parallel, you have to connect ALL the positive (longer) leads together and all the negatives together. The circuit is inherently current limited to about 100mA, so as long as your LEDs can handle 100mA it should be fine.
An advantage of LEDs (over incandescents) is that they work almost as well even at 75% of their rated current, so you can add 50% more LEDs and they will not look washed out.