Salvaging a Lawn Lamp

I bought some solar powered lawn lamps at Dollar Tree so I could make more battery chargers* and also because I wanted to see what else I could make with them, so here we are!

*See them here: Solar Charged Battery!

From one lawn lamp I collected these items:

• (Non-Electronic)
• AAA Battery holder
• # Metal pole
• # Clear plastic cup
• # Metal head
• (Electronic)

• NiCd Rechargeable AAA battery: 1.2V, 200mAh

• YX8018-5v431 LED driver IC

• 4.7K Ohm Resistor
• #Low current LED
• PCB
• #0.55V Solar panel

The ones with a # symbol I will give instructions for something to do with it.

Step 1: Take Apart the Lamp

Tools you will need:

• Phillips head screwdriver (almost any size)
• Wire cutters
• Pliers

I found that most of the big parts just popped off when I pulled them. Next you have to get to the Electronics:

1. Unscrew the top piece (3rd & 4th pic)
2. Remove excess glue from anywhere (5)
3. Cut the wires from the solar panel (6 & 7)
4. Carefully pry off the solar panel (8)
5. Scrape off excess glue(9)
6. Unscrew the PCB (10 & 11)
7. Desolder the electronic parts (12) - How to Desolder

Save all of the parts!

Step 2: Uses for Your Parts

• Large metal tube - Fits NERF darts perfectly
• Metal base & Clear plastic cup - use to make an attachment for your flashlight to turn it into a lantern -Flashlight Lantern

Electronic parts

• Battery - use with a battery charger
• LED - great for a Joule Thief because it uses a low current - Joule Thief
• LED driver IC - see the data sheet for it here:

  http://www.datasheetbank.com/YX8018-Datasheet-PDF-...

• Solar Panel - 0.66V and 0.55 Amps: use with the same battery charger as above