Halloween Solar Powered Jack-o-lantern

Lately I have had much interest in working with solar cells, because of this I initiated a project, and to be able to test it, I decided to create this lantern with a pumpkin.

Solar energy always fascinated me and what we have eh here are a step by step of as if to construct one jack-o-lantern using rechargables batteries and one solar cell.

The ideia for this project this in the fact of that it would like to have a "lantern" in my garden but I dont want to have that to install any eletric wire in the garden. In the next steps you will be able to see the result of this ideia.

Enjoy

Step 1: Finding the Right Pumpkin !

The first step was to find one pumpkin. Due to lack of luck I couldn't found the ideial, but, fortunately, I found one with that I could work. This pumpkin was bought in target and cost only 0,99 cents. Next step was to cut the bottom of it to be able to work in installation of thesolar cell and the batteries.

Step 2: Preparing the Pumpkin

With a knife I cut I the pumpkin's bottom. With this I obtained space to be able to insert the solar cell and the batteries.

Step 3: The Solar Cell and Battery

The next step was to develop the circuit. The ideia was to mount a circuit that could turn the light on only during the night. Therefore I imagined that it could use a photo-cell. The light would be generated using one high intensity LED, thus, two 1.2 batteries of volts, rechargable, could be used.

The ideia was perfect until I to discover how much the components would cost. When I was ready to giving up I found a product that I could adapt for my project.

The product is a tiered path, a hamilton bay's product. This product wasn't nothing more that a lighting path, and to be honest i never saw one working as they should be. By the other hand, it's perfect to my project.

Step 4: Assembly

No big deal. Assemble the pumpkin and the Hampton bay product, glues with how glue, finish with eletric tape and its done. : )

Step 5: Final Pictures and Material List

Material list

- 4 pumpkins (0.99 cent) Target
- 1 Hampton bay with 4 lights (19.00) home depot
- hot glue pistol
- eletric tape
- lot of work : )

Step 6: Conclusion

Before having this ideia, I try to look for some product like this. Unfortunately I cound't find it,as a matter of fact i think it was my luck because I decided to create my own.

Today, my friends are asking for to have a lantern like this. Now its time to prepare some of it to celebrate hallowen and prepare for the xmas version (xmas balls) LOL.

Thanks you for having read mine instructables. It's my first instructables.

PC

Comments

[chipper35]

Simple, clever....I like it!!

[Derin]

hehe pistol

[alvincredible]

dang! haha i guess you got to this idea before i could -_-. iw as going to do this except wiht a real pumpkimn and enter it in the contest but eh...too late. i guess great minds think alike. ahha

[pcapelo]

Do it. I didn't put my on this year contest. good luck and greats minds really think alike. :)

[sarahwags]

so i'm a bit confused. i checked out the home depot site but i thought that you assembled/made the light yourself. did you just buy one of the solar stakes and insert it into the pumpkin without the base? also you don't show the light in any of the pictures. after you glued the solar panel to the pumpkin, how did you hook up the lightbulb to it?

[sarahwags]

i love this idea. i am going to modify it to fit my needs but can you please tell me where you get just the solar panel? i looked at home depot like you said but they only had pre-built solar lamps. if you could help me, it would be greatly appreciated! thanks. sarah

[pcapelo]

Sure, my pleasure :)

here's the link to home depot:
http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?prod_id=100035114

cheers
PC

[pcapelo]

Please, tell me what you think about it. Thanks in advance and enjoy my project. PC

[kerosene-soaked-clothes-arent-fun]

ok, i dont know much bout solar cells but anyway; but ur gonnna use this at night, and this thing is powered by the sun, i can see 1 very big flaw in your plan.

[pcapelo]

hey, i can tell you that, here in florida, i have all the sunlight i need. The idiea here its to let the pumpkim outside, during day, to charge the battery. So, during night, i have the batteries to light the pumpkim. Last time i checked i got battery to light the pumpkim until 4am. Whats the flaw???? cheers PC

[nak]

Cool, I used the same idea (solar light) for my bike light instructable. Ive taken it off my bike though, keeps falling off. Good job

[pcapelo]

thanks

[WesDoesStuff]

well, it's quite like another instructable https://www.instructables.com/id/E7M2N93HPNET9K4J8M/?ALLSTEPS
... you are about 5 instructables behind.

[WesDoesStuff]

i stand corrected... the others where not solar.

[pcapelo]

I know. thats the trick. no one think about use solar power for something like this. Anyway. thank you to point me out that project. cheers PC