Give the gift of Robot Invasion

Give the gift of Robot Invasion
Solar powered robot ornament wishes you holiday greetings during the day but when the lights go out radios home for reinforcement.
 
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Step 1Parts:

Parts:
Electronics:

2N3904 Transistor
Rectifier Diode
1M resistor
Blinking LED
2 Rechargeable 1.5v batteries
Solar panel

Misc. Parts:

Copper plumbing parts
Grommets
Rivets
Brass & copper wire
LED holder
Copper mesh or beer can
Spring
Epoxy
Hot Glue
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81 comments
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Dec 12, 2009. 6:52 PMWasagi says:
 A few questions, what is the wattage of the resistor? Also, why is the transistor necessary? What exactly does the rectifier diode do? Do you think that I could butcher a solar cell from a calculator?

Great work!
Dec 22, 2009. 3:30 AMJodex says:
The wattage of the resistor doesn't matter on this project. Something like ½ watt is okay. Rectifier diode rectifies the current so it can flow only one direction.
Negative will go this way->  |<   <-and positive that way on the schematic symbol. The stripe is is also on the diode witch shows the cathode(negative). And a solar cell from an calculator may not have enough voltage or current for this project. Of course you can connect couple of them in series and try! And I don't know why is the transistor necessary. Seems like its amplifying the signal there..(?) I dont see anything why you can't make it without the transistor a bit different way... Well, I don't know too much about transistors so I'm not very very sure about what I said :-D
Dec 17, 2011. 4:39 PMsponge212 says:
After analyzing the diagram I think the transistor is a switch to turn off the LED while the battery is charging. If the LED is ON the battery is not charging. It won't charge and run the LED at the same time.
Dec 27, 2009. 2:23 PMWasagi says:
 Ok, thanks! I don't know very much about them either...
Jan 10, 2010. 6:08 PMMrlzeppelin says:
Where can you find a solar panel as such? What are the values on it?

Thank you
Dec 17, 2011. 4:34 PMsponge212 says:
Seems to me the solar panel would need to produce at least 3 volts to begin to charge the 2.4 volt battery which is in series with a diode which has about 0.6 volts of drop across it. More that 3V would be better.
Apr 30, 2010. 11:52 PMBeduk says:
you can buy them on ebay.You get many of them fo a few bucks.You can also buy them in the electronic store or radio shack near you.
Dec 17, 2011. 11:55 AMMisac-kun says:
is posssible to use a LDR instead of a Solar panel? (solar panels are a bit expansive on my country)

also, great idea! i think i will be making something similar for my friends Xmas gift! (i think i will use normal leds cus the hight briliance ones costs 1,50 where i live)
Dec 17, 2011. 4:30 PMsponge212 says:
Solar panel generates electricity to recharge the batteries. An LDR is a light dependent resistor and produces no power.
Dec 17, 2011. 2:17 AMFrozenIce says:
CHRISTmas people... NOT Xmas!!! YA HERD???
Dec 17, 2011. 3:58 PMl8nite says:
actually it should be Xma$$
Dec 17, 2011. 10:25 AMblack hole says:
Xmas does mean Christmas, if you take the time to look it up. From the book Imponderables by David Feldman:

"The X in Xmas actually the decendant of the Greek equivalent of Ch as in 'Christos' which means 'Christ.' The letter X has stood for Christ since at least A.D. 1100, and the term 'Xmas' was first cited in 1551. 

So, if it's not on a Christmas card, Xmas is okay to use. : )
Dec 17, 2011. 3:48 AMcanucksgirl says:
just so you know its HEARD... HERD is a group of animals...
Dec 17, 2011. 10:49 AMgolddigger1559 says:
looks like the humping robot from robot chicken
Dec 17, 2011. 9:12 AMcontrolledwrinkles says:
Excellent Instructable, well written and well photographed. Kudos to you for getting to be the Instructables project of the day.
Dec 17, 2011. 3:49 AMcanucksgirl says:
Very cute. The expression on your robot is priceless. I love it. (and I have no idea how to make it yet). LOL :D
Feb 22, 2010. 9:13 AMignoblegnome says:
I loved your idea so much I just had to make some of them. I made some modifications and came up with a bunch of different designs. I gave them out as gifts to my whole family this year, and they were a big hit!
You can see my version of this robot at http://letsmakerobots.com/node/13326.

I credited this post on Instructables, of course. Great work; thanks for the inspiration!
Gort-Chef-Arnold 062.jpg
Jan 18, 2011. 1:18 PMJoshuaZimmerman says:
Your robots inspired several that I made this year as Christmas gifts. Want too cute.

My boards said "Do the robot" or "Robo boogie!". Those being my two favorite forms of robot dancing.
Jan 18, 2011. 1:16 PMJoshuaZimmerman says:
I made a couple of these as Christmas gifts, people loved them!

If anyone is looking to have some made, contact me or visit my website http://www.bowndoggadgets.com. I can easily make one of several variations, and could always use some funding for my personal projects.
Nov 15, 2009. 12:37 PMMeCareFree says:
 Newbie here:  What are the voltage and mah of the solar panel and where can I get one that looks like the one in this instructable?  Thanks for the great project!
Dec 25, 2009. 10:51 PMporcupinemamma says:
Hi newbie Mecarefree!  welcome aboard the coolest website on the internet, with the kindest and most creative members in cyber space!!
Dec 22, 2009. 3:32 AMJodex says:
Try searching online. That might be the best or at least the easiest way.. Maybe
Dec 13, 2009. 12:31 PMqwertyuiop5433 says:
Where did you find your solar cell? Iv been looking around and can't seem to find a good one. Great project!
Oct 20, 2009. 11:04 AMRon-Ray says:
They have the 'cutest' little faces!  : |

{*idea} .. What if you used a thin hollow tube (empty ballpoint pen refill, etc.)  for the dish pole and ran wires inside...? 
{*idea} .. Could you use the "arms" themselves to conduct the charge voltage [+ | -}  (insulate inside body) and have no wires...? 
{*idea} .. Could you use a tiny micro-switch (through a rivets) to disconnect the system, for storage until next year...?
Sep 26, 2009. 5:22 AMReeceLV says:
Could anybody tell me if you could have a motor on it, because then you could make him drive away, or let the Satellite dish turn. Thanks in advance
Aug 27, 2009. 9:36 AMLordOlimar says:
Where did you get your rechargeable button cells?
May 5, 2009. 10:47 PMXkidXhavocX says:
Name him Chester Copperbot
Aug 25, 2009. 9:55 AMLordOlimar says:
YES! WIN!
Aug 20, 2009. 12:32 PMH-Sama says:
instead of a spring in the head, could one run another LED in the head so that the eyes and mouth would glow too? (or instead of the satellite?) and also would this electrical setup run 2 LEDs?
Aug 17, 2009. 9:14 AMpnorcross1 says:
Why not just get a green blinking LED, pop that on the dish, then a red led, and put that in the head. That way, the eyes glow an evil red when it gets dark, and then the alien/robot starts to "phone home". A nice plus for getting Christmas colors worked in there too!
Jun 11, 2009. 6:27 AMkoolaidman8 says:
these are so cool
Apr 4, 2009. 2:53 PMevilmadscientistman says:
heres an idea...why don't you add the blinking LED inside of the head and just use pop rivets so that it can shine through the holes and it looks all demonic with it's red eyes
May 25, 2009. 12:02 AMFalcore says:
That would be sweet...
May 16, 2009. 12:41 AMfrikkie says:
I dont wanna be cruel but.....I like youre instructable.
May 13, 2009. 7:39 AMmntbkrguy says:
This is such an awesome idea! Thank you for sharing your design.
Apr 1, 2009. 7:47 PMraykholo says:
from a distance it kind a looks like a big stack of pennies, but in a good way i like it and its definitely really cool 5*
Mar 25, 2009. 6:05 PMChoseTruc says:
Bravo! MrMunki. I gave you a Hi-5. LOL
Your Bot's face is so cute, because of the K.i.S.S. approach.
It's look like IronMan. Let's call it = COPPER_FACE. Haha!!
I go along with what cyc4015 wrote "...rivets...like googley-eyes."
I like the inspiration you provided, by sharing your creation.
Proof is=Comments from; influx/Dec 25 2008, and masynmachien/May 13 2008.
Now, if I may,..., I have one suggestion for the welded connections:
:> Heat-Shrink Wraps, instead of Duct-Tape...To avoid shorts.
And those were my 2 cents..
Hoping that you, and the lucky receivers, had a 2006 Christmas to remember.
Mar 22, 2009. 7:54 PMcotton says:
he is cool and cute i bet the girl i like would like one
Mar 21, 2009. 2:44 AMjinshengruan says:
That is so cute,very cool
Mar 20, 2009. 6:51 PMnick9321 says:
thats really cool, nice job!
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