Home-made Sun Jar

Step 1 Bringing them together

Step A:
Rip open the innards of the solar garden light. I know that may sound ambiguous but you'd be able to use a utility knife and surgically dissect the relevent components out (see image). Solar garden lights are easily available at your local major hardware store. If you're in Australia, try Dick Smith Powerhouse.

Step B:
Flip open the ikea jar and place the "solar garden light innards" as shown in the picture. Use blu-tack to keep it all together. Feel free to play around with the placements so the components would fit snuggly into the jar.

Step C:
Cut a strip of tracing paper and place it in the glass jar.
OR
Use a Glass Frosting spray .

Step D:
Close the lid of the glass jar with tender care and you're done.

Comments

[jpnagle59]

Thank you sir for the great idea and the instruc's to do it. I made a few, and the outcome is so nice. I had a bright idea after looking at them at night, and I did one more thing to your idea. I removed the 'spike' from the solar light that I used to make this build, and attached it to the bottom of the jar which raised it off the ground. I then took the next 'spike' I had left over, and cut it to a different height. I was then able to vary the heights and produce different lay-outs and such. I liked how I made the sun jars ascend from low to high up to the front door. Thought I would share this- Thank you!!!

[boxingcat]

Hi, I have some questions: what is this glass frosting spray and where can I buy it? What does it do? Seconds: On my solar light, the led -as usual- is lightening to one direction, to the bottom of the jar. I think a mini glas bulb would be better and shine to all directions.

[maxtek73]

led's are better for this kind of thing, they draw very little current. you can get around the directionality of the leds by defusing the light with some reflective or light conducting material..

[mathman47]

I know this was a longtime ago, but I have some comments if you don't mind.  First the circuit would have to be redone to accomodate the higher current and voltage need of the bulb vs. LED.  Second, The light wouldn't shine as long since you are drawing more current.  You could always file down the LED and attach a small mirror to see if that gives the desired effect.

[Daemonikk]

Glass frosting spray, to put it in an obvious way, frosts glass. It gives the glass that opaque look by covering it with a film, like spraypaint.

[theVDude]

If you want it diffused more, sand the outer surface of the LED a bit. This will help diffuse the light. :D

[npmaier]

I guess you could sand the glass instead of frosting it with spray as long as you're sanding something. Or maybe some kind of acid could be used.

[PortraitOfTitus]

Any ideas on where to get glass frosting spray? I can't find anywhere. I'm in Melbourne.

[codongolev]

found mine in the spray paint section of the hardware store. down in the corner with the "random stuff you probably don't want" section.

[Timothy Wooi]

I use a Pearl White Aerosol Can spray n it gives a nice blend that is slightly off white with some pearl glows!
Its obtainable from any local hardware stores or in DIY sections in Hypermarket!
Cheers,
[e-mail]
Malaysia

[Daemonikk]

Check out Bunnings, it's usually in the paint or crafts section. :)

[sgsidekick]

Try checking your hardware store or a local  crafting store.  They should have some sort of glass frosting spray.

[cherry6goddess1]

I like this idea but I find it a bit ecoUNfriendly. I think instead of buying a solar light and ripping out the innards buying a small solar cell would be better. Much less waste and consumption. Check out these:

http://store.sundancesolar.com/minsolpan45v1.html?productid=minsolpan45v1&channelid=FROOG

I use them at the R. H. Fleet Science Center in San Diego for programs and solar projects (including our Green Day this weekend!) so they work great for small projects like solar cars and such...some even come with motors for such projects. I don't know how well they work with batteries but I think I will try it.

Over all a cool idea and maybe a great thing for camping!

[thrudd]

Just a note for those who may not realize it reagrding the solar panels.

Each cell is about 0.5 volts and the panels in the garden lights are 4 cells in series. Very very small slim cells mind you but enough to get a little charge into the battery. If you take a close look at the so called solar panel in these garden lights you will see that it mostly plastic with 4 really narrow strips of dark blue or brown material. That is your actual solar cell.
I have noted that these cells have been getting smaller over the years on all of the inexpensive units.
My recommendation - salvage some from a yard sale or a neighbour who is dumping their old ones. You may need to replace the batteries but you will be getting a lot more light gathering power.

As for batteries I would recommend looking at http://www.dealextreme.com/

So if you are attempting to be smart and buy cells straight up just remember that you need 4 of them.

Hey - entrepreneur idea - anybody who is into making their own circuit boards. Make a nice simple kit/module, sans batteries, for the lazy do-it-your-self type. Sell the idea to IKEA. Just send me my residuals for coming up with the sugestion =P

[Jack of Most Trades]

Well, cherry, you need the little controller board from the light, too, and if you want one of the white LED lights, there's a DC-DC converter to boost the 1.2V to 3V on the board, too.. You could by all that stuff at Mouser, but I think it's more Green (and saves "green") to hack the Malibu lights and throw the un-needed bits in the recycling bin. I'm in the process of hacking one to make into a porch light. Gotta be even more green than using a CFL in the porch sconce, eh?

[cherry6goddess1]

Here is a slightly pricier option but they have all sorts of solar items:

http://www.siliconsolar.com/visual-directory/travel-solar-battery-chargers.php

[dethshil]

Hey I just read...sounds like a cool idea. I just bought a can of 'snow' for decorating the windows for christmas. I wonder if spraying the inside with the 'snow' would look good instead of the paper. Maybe Ill give it a try and let everyone know.

[rumgunner]

Apparently this didn't work, and you perished.

[Whizgiggle]

This sounds easy enough that even I could do it. I must give it a try. Thanks.

[Wohksworth]

Very nice. The circuit on the solar light seems super simple; does anyone have a schematic that would work? Assuming appropriate solar panels are reasonably priced, of course.

[milokp]

Problem with that would be the charging circuit (which I hear aren't *that* hard, but..) and the low draw components, but I'm guessing, so tolerances could be better then I'd think.

[markatcollege]

I made one of these using an amber led instead of blue. I plan on making another one with the blue for a nice Sun/Moon effect.

[PRockGirlScout]

This is awesome. I might make some of these for last minute Christmas presents.

[curious.jp]

Similar lights can be purchased in Japan from "Homac", for about 630 yen. That model has it's solar panel set into a simple PCB with the light sensor - you can grind it down to fit snugly into the lid of your jar using a heavy duty file ( about another 600Y or so, from DoIt ) or Dremel.

[curious.jp]

Incidentally, the Homac type isn't as bright as cre8tors, it would seem. If your light ships with a plastic diffuser on the bulb itself, I recommend you hang onto it and reintegrate it into the final design.

[cre8tor]

Heh...I must say the LED aren't as bright as the pictures make it out to be.