AUTOMATIC SOLAR POWERED NIGHT LIGHT

Hello friends

Thank you for your support for my previous project

Today I am going to make life hack "instructable" can save both money and time. This is the tutorial of “how to make an automatic solar powered night light”. This device can charge at daytime and work automatically at night

Step 1: Know Your Circuit

This device has three circuits. a switching circuit. a solar charging circuit with battery and a LED night light circuit

Step 2: The Switching Circuit

Switching circuit is most

important part in this system. to make the switching circuit you need

1) IRFZ44 MOFSET

2) 150K Ohm resistor (see the step 3 for more details)

3) 3 2pin PCB connecter

4) Wires

5) LDR

6) PCB BORD

Fig shows the circuit

I am using a long two core coated wire to connect the LDR to main circuit. it will help to avoid the unwanted lights from other light sores

Step 3: Calibration of the Circuit

This is the most important step

in the circuit designing. Calibration of the circuit helps to improve the sensitivity of the dark sensor

LDR is the important component of this circuit. it will act as the dark sensor. There are two methods to calibrate the LDR one pre calibration and other one is post calibration

In pre calibration we use a single resistor with pre calculated resistance. in post calibration we use a variable resistor and calibrate circuit at final stage

I am using pre calibration just because of its simplicity in India cost of a variable resistor are 5 to 10 times higher than a single resistor

For pre calibration you need to find the right resistor. For this first you need to find R max and R min of the LDR

Connect your LDR to multicenter and find the maximum resistance(R max) at day time. Repeat the step at night time and find out the minimum resistance(R min)

In my case R max is 600k and R min is 2k

To find the resistance we need I am using voltage divider equation

V out = V in x (R2/R1+R2)

V out = voltage to MOFSET Gate

V in = supply voltage (12V)

R1 = R min (2K or 2000 Ohm in my case)

R2 = R1 (I am using 150K or 150000 Ohm resistor)

12x (2000/2000+ 150000) = .150V

That means the MOFSET will stay off

Now test with R max .it is 600K or 600000 Ohm

12x (2000/2000+ 600000) = 9.5V

So the MOFSET is turn on and it switch on the light

Step 4: "Power, Light and Charging"

I am using a 12v 7Ah battery as

power source and a 12v 2W LED as light source. To charge the battery i am using 12v 6W solar panels. to reduce the cost i am using a DC to DC buck converter as charge controller. it can boost 12v to 14v and prevent reveres flow of voltage with a high capacity diode

You may wonder how this circuit work without any overcharge protection

After the one month test run i found out that these solar panels can’t fully charge the battery. Due to low current, battery needs 18 hours to fully charge the battery but sunlight is only available for 12 house max. in conclusion at the night time the switching circuit and LED light consume 10 to 12w of power from battery and at day time the solar panels refill the battery. Little bit tricky but its work!

Step 5: Fitting and Wiring

The fig shows the circuit of whole system

Step 6: The Moment of Truth

If everything is correct the circuit switch on the light at night and switch off and charge at the battery at day time. Just fix everything on a safe place and it work automatically

Step 7: Sum Ting More

if you want more powerful light just replace 12V LED with a 12V relay and connect that relay to ac power sources

Comments

[Newbie79]

I have never done anything like this before. My question is why will this solar box light the 2 led diodes that it’s connected to but when I connect a diode from out of the bag it will not light up? Please help.

[vina1991]

can you please give me some more details

[Newbie79]

I’m trying to make a solar light for a garden ornament. I have the solar box but I can’t figure what LED to use and what wire I need to connect it all. Are the LED’s in the bag the wrong ones? See attached picture. Thank you

[Sue Ann Herrera]

Hi i would like to inquire how the DC-DC power boost module is connected to the switching circuit?? is that considered as the charge controller? and can you provide me the total circuit diagram including the step 4?

[Sue Ann Herrera]

Where is the step 4 pcb in the moment of truth video?

[Sannan Malik]

IRFZ44 MOFSET sir what is this ?

[Arun aaron]

Can you please add me in that group?

[zahir1997]

this circuit still need to connect to the ac power supply or from the solar panel

[vina1991]

this circuit is designed for solar

[AbdulM161]

What is the watts of Solar panel with charging an 7.8ah battery

[vina1991]

you need a solar panel can produce more than 10w,i recommend 15w

[pristlin]

how much does it cost

[vihan vikas]

hii.vina

can u tell me what is the total cost of this solar project

[Mannoj22]

How long can this LED light glow?

[vina1991]

Full night,about 12 hours

[RadithyaA]

Where do you Buy That???

[vina1991]

WHAT?

[yashkhanvilkar]

that's just what i was looking for :)

[vina1991]

thank you for your positive feedback :)

this is a cheap but effective night light circuit

[momoluv]

Nice job