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http://www.ledlights.greenwatts.info/ This simple project converts two solar garden lites and some PVC thin walled central vacume pipe into a pocket sized LED solar powered lamp that can be used as a night/comfort light or reading lamp. The finished lamp is water proof, will float and will last virtually forever and cost under $10 to make.
The circuit uses two NiCd AA batteries in series which under-drives the LED array giving off enough lite to be usable but consuming very little power. The batteries will last for thousands of recharges, the LEDs are rated for over 100,000 hours and the solar cells last over 20 years.
The circuit uses two NiCd AA batteries in series which under-drives the LED array giving off enough lite to be usable but consuming very little power. The batteries will last for thousands of recharges, the LEDs are rated for over 100,000 hours and the solar cells last over 20 years.
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Signing UpStep 1Materials and Components
Disasemble the solar garden lites we are going to use the solar cells, the NiCd AA baterries and one of the Schottky diodes that you will find on the little circuit board. The solar cells may be glued into place but you should be able to carefuly free them. We will also need some wire, a small resistor and 12" of central vacume pipe. For tools you will need a utility knife, 20watt soldering iron, and small screw driver. You will also need clear silicone, PVC cement and super glue. http://www.ledlights.greenwatts.info/
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never thought to use pvc pipe like this even though you can make beer mats out of yogurt pots in the same way and plant pots out of old vinyl
im going to have a go at making something like this but to power some leds on a photo switch and charge batteries by solar iv not had much look with the led though cant get the right power to them they work fine with 2 aa batteries but wont seem to work in parallel(just 1 lights up)
Wayne