Introduction: Make a Solar Powered Torch Out of Old Garden Lights
Are you sick of buying new batteries for your torch?
Why don't you make a solar powered one out of some old solar powered garden lights?
In this Instructable I will show you how to make a money saving green torch.
sorry about the bad photos, really bad camera (and photographer).
Why don't you make a solar powered one out of some old solar powered garden lights?
In this Instructable I will show you how to make a money saving green torch.
sorry about the bad photos, really bad camera (and photographer).
Step 1: Stuff You Need
Almost everything you need you should find in some solar garden lights. You'll need 2-4 lights
In the lights you should find:
solar panels
batteries (probably a AA)
LEDs
switch
other things you will need are:
some wire
battery holder
electrical tape
glue
soldering iron
solder
a container to hold the flashlight
knife
In the lights you should find:
solar panels
batteries (probably a AA)
LEDs
switch
other things you will need are:
some wire
battery holder
electrical tape
glue
soldering iron
solder
a container to hold the flashlight
knife
Step 2: Taking Apart the Solar Garden Light
Take the bottom cover off and inside you should see a circuit board, a led, a battery and some solar panels.
you don't need the circuit board so once you've taken the led off it you can through it away. Take the battery out.
The solar panels will probably be held down by glue, you can use a soldering iron you don't like to melt it off that.
If you have a Multimeter use it to test each solar panel to make sure its not broken.
Sorry I lost the photos for this step.
you don't need the circuit board so once you've taken the led off it you can through it away. Take the battery out.
The solar panels will probably be held down by glue, you can use a soldering iron you don't like to melt it off that.
If you have a Multimeter use it to test each solar panel to make sure its not broken.
Sorry I lost the photos for this step.
Step 3: Assembling the Torch
Solder the solar panels together in chains of about four (in series) and then connect all the chains to the battery pack(expererment with how many bateries you need, I ended up using four).
Then solder the LEDs in parallel and solder a switch to one of the legs.
Finally you solder the LEDs to the battery pack.
Now all you need to do is put everything in a container.
Then solder the LEDs in parallel and solder a switch to one of the legs.
Finally you solder the LEDs to the battery pack.
Now all you need to do is put everything in a container.
Step 4: Putting Everything in a Container
I can't really help you very much with this step because I couldn't find a container to put my stuff in. all I did was glue the solar panels to a clear sheet of plastic a tape every thing else to the other side.
Now go out and enjoy your new torch.
Note: don't leave this in the sun for too long or it will over charge and kill your batteries, if you do kill your batteries try this Instructable: https://www.instructables.com/id/Bring_Dead_Ni_Cad_Batteries_Back_To_Life/
Now go out and enjoy your new torch.
Note: don't leave this in the sun for too long or it will over charge and kill your batteries, if you do kill your batteries try this Instructable: https://www.instructables.com/id/Bring_Dead_Ni_Cad_Batteries_Back_To_Life/