Introduction: Easy IKEA SUNNAN Hack (non Destructive)
Easy IKEA SUNNAN hack (non destructive)
I always have a lot of stuff moving in the shop-window of my toy shop. To make it a bit lighter on battery consumption and better for the environment I use the IKEA SUNNAN to make toys solar-powerd. The SUNNAN costs about 15,- euros in Holland and has a great solar battery charger with the batteries included.
This Hack is easy and non destructive to both toys and SUNNAN.
I always have a lot of stuff moving in the shop-window of my toy shop. To make it a bit lighter on battery consumption and better for the environment I use the IKEA SUNNAN to make toys solar-powerd. The SUNNAN costs about 15,- euros in Holland and has a great solar battery charger with the batteries included.
This Hack is easy and non destructive to both toys and SUNNAN.
Step 1: You Will Need
Materials:
Tools:
- Some double wire
- 2 or 4 flat ANP-connectors
- Ikea SUNNAN LED-lamp
- An electrical toy
Tools:
- Crimper
- Wire stripper
Step 2: Make the Cable
To make the cable:
- Strip the last 5 mm from your wire. (if you have thin wire, then fold it double)
- Put the stripped wire in the flat ANP-connector (The most common flat connectors will fit. The color will depend on the thickness of the wire you use)
- Crimp the connector on the wire with the crimper
- Do the same for all four wire-ends (two wires * two ends)
Step 3: The Solar Module
The solar module
- Get your Sunnan lamp
- Push the solar module out off the lamp (just push from the bottom, you won't need any tools)
- Turn the module upside down
- Put the connectors from one side of the cable in the slots in the bottom of the module (they should fit nicely)
Step 4: Connect a Toy
Select the toy
This module won't work on all toys. There are 3 batteries inside from 1.2 volts each. That will give you 3.6 volts in total. Toys with electronics inside might need more or less. Be careful not to blow anything up.
I used it on toy motors and that works great.
In the past I used it on 4.5 volts LEGO motors and a 3 volt marble machine. Both worked fine. The marble machine never had any problems in two years running for 8 hours a week.
Now I use it to power an Eitech crane with three 6 volt motors.
Connect the toy
This module won't work on all toys. There are 3 batteries inside from 1.2 volts each. That will give you 3.6 volts in total. Toys with electronics inside might need more or less. Be careful not to blow anything up.
I used it on toy motors and that works great.
In the past I used it on 4.5 volts LEGO motors and a 3 volt marble machine. Both worked fine. The marble machine never had any problems in two years running for 8 hours a week.
Now I use it to power an Eitech crane with three 6 volt motors.
Connect the toy
- Open the battery compartment
- Find the begin and end connectors in the battery compartment (this are the connectors that are not connected to the battery next to it)
- Connect the cable to these connectors (In this case it was easy and could I just stick them in. Sometimes you will need to make a stick in the length of a battery from a chopstick or something to put your cable in between the stick and the connector.)
- Charge the solar module by putting it in the sun.
- Play!
Step 5: Still a Lamp
You didn't change anything on your SUNNAN, so when you need your LED-light to give light again, just pull the cable out of the solar-module and put it back in the lamp.