Ultimate Waterproof Solar Power

Intro: Ultimate Waterproof Solar Power

This is my fist Instructable, I have been a member for a long time and finally decided to try to create my own. Anyway lets get to it...

I wanted to build a solar charger that i could take kayaking and not have to worry about getting wet or worry about my phone. Enter the ALL IN ONE portable solar battery.

STEP 1: Step One: Materials

Solar pannel(s): I used two that I found in a solar light that was ran over you know reuse recycle. haha.

Batteries: I am using some old laptop batteries I scavenged from an old hp

2X Lithium Battery Charge Controller: Brown Dog Gadgets controler

USB Charger: Dual USB Charger Brown Dog Gadgets

Diodes: 1N4001 Diode 10 Pack

Switch: I salvaged a switch from the solar light with the pannels

Silicone: I used Loctite 2in1 all purpose clear silicone

Biggest thing a Waterproof Box to put it all in

Tools:

Soldering iron

Wire

wire strippers

utility knife

electrical tape

Velcro tape

STEP 2: Step Two: Starting to Fit

I set out all of the components in the box to see how they best fit. I found that the batteries and charging components all fit in the side compartment so that I could fit anything that needed charging could be fit into the other two thirds of the box. I bundled the ten batteries into two sets of five. One charging board per set.

STEP 3: Step Three: Put It All Together

Solder all the batteries together in the separate bundles and then to their respective charging circuits. Now the tricky part is that the USB charger uses a 3.5v signal to charge so you have to wire the batteries in parallel. I used two diodes to separate the currents from the different cells. I cut slots in the divider for the switch and the USB charger.

STEP 4: Step Four: Testing

So now outside it goes and it works. Both boards charge and the switch works. AWESOME! It has enough power to charge a phone and use a light at the same time. I know it has room for improvement and please feel free to leave me a comment or suggestion. This was just meant to be a easy way for waterproof solar power on the go.

Comments

[PerryCodes]

I feel like that waterproof box from Plano is a poor choice. It's not going to let enough light through to be consider efficient.

[Alex 2Q]

Nice project.

[jabujavi]

I could make some suggestions:

-Add an power input, so you can charge the battery before you go out. You could have your first charge and don't depend on solar light in emergency.

-Add music. Instructables is full of amplifiers-on-the-go and other ideas.(Remember, BLUETOOTH, everything is better with bluetooth.)

-Protect batteries against cold or hot. Probably including fireproof.

[Evinisinhawaii]

Thanks for the comment.

-It actually does have power input on each charging board. I probably should have stated that in the instructable but I didn't think about it.

-And as for the music that was part of my original intentions but I did not have the parts around to complete that yet. I will be sure to add it when I do.

- As for the battery protection what would you recommend, the heat when charging does get a little excessive.

[seamster]

Very nice!

Congrats on sharing your first instructable. Hope you'll share more soon!