Introduction: CD Book Solar Charger
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About: I'm a 29 year old guy who's passionate about building and fixing things, sometimes if they aren't even broken. I get a great sense of enjoyment out of creating, designing and building new things. I also love t…
Edit: I replaced the insulation strips with packing foam that came with my laptop and then used a glue gun to secure them in place. Now the full surface area of the panels is exposed. Puts out about 14V in direct sunlight.
Hey everyone!
I needed to have a portable solar charger for a small 12V boombox that I built, but also needed it to be at least a little bit durable. You can basically use any type and variation of solar panels to suit your needs, providing that they fit in the case you buy.
Parts you'll need:
CD case (Got mine from a thrift store for $2)
Solar panels
1N4001 Diode
Some wire
Connector (I used an automotive cigarette lighter connector for my application, but you can use pretty much anything you want)
Some adhesive foam insulation
Tools you'll need:
Soldering iron & solder
Heat shrink or electrical tape
Knife
How to:
1. Cut out the CD sleeves from inside the book.
2. Wire up your desired panels with a diode on the positive side to avoid back-feeding when there is no sun.
3. Attach your connector
4. Cut your insulation strips and cut slits along the inside edges for the solar panels to slide into.
5. insert your panels and stick the insulation in.
6. Get outside and charge!
Hey everyone!
I needed to have a portable solar charger for a small 12V boombox that I built, but also needed it to be at least a little bit durable. You can basically use any type and variation of solar panels to suit your needs, providing that they fit in the case you buy.
Parts you'll need:
CD case (Got mine from a thrift store for $2)
Solar panels
1N4001 Diode
Some wire
Connector (I used an automotive cigarette lighter connector for my application, but you can use pretty much anything you want)
Some adhesive foam insulation
Tools you'll need:
Soldering iron & solder
Heat shrink or electrical tape
Knife
How to:
1. Cut out the CD sleeves from inside the book.
2. Wire up your desired panels with a diode on the positive side to avoid back-feeding when there is no sun.
3. Attach your connector
4. Cut your insulation strips and cut slits along the inside edges for the solar panels to slide into.
5. insert your panels and stick the insulation in.
6. Get outside and charge!