Solar-powered indoor lantern. We make a solar-powered garden lantern with our own hands

Outdoor lighting can highlight the benefits of your property. We will learn the features of lanterns with solar cells, their main faults, life expectancy and installation rules.

Probably, many summer residents and owners of small houses in the village have more than once seen various flashlights with a solar battery in stores and supermarkets, and many could not resist buying them. It’s so interesting to decorate your site so that it looks elegant not only during the daytime, but also in the evening. After all, garden paths and flower beds illuminated at night look so beautiful!

Solar lanterns - economical lighting

Design

Despite all the external diversity of solar lantern designs, their electronic filling is quite typical:

It consists of a solar battery, a printed circuit board with electronics built on microcircuits of the YX8ХХХ, ANA618, QX5252 families, an LED, a battery and a switch, which, in order to reduce the cost, is often replaced with a paper check inserted between the positive contact of the battery and the contact in the battery compartment.

Flashlights use finger-type Ni-Cd or Ni-Mh batteries of AA, AAA format, or disk cells with a capacity of 80...600 mAh, usually of low quality, but they are usually enough for a season (and if recharged in winter, then even for 2 -3 seasons).

Now let's take a closer look at solar panels. There are mainly two main types of solar cells used, these are film panels:

And monocrystalline silicon panels:

Film elements are not very efficient, but in 30 - 100 ruble solar lanterns, which are widely available in retail chains, they are usually used, and their current output is about five times lower than that of monocrystalline silicon panels of comparable area.

Solar batteries based on monocrystalline silicon wafers for solar flashlights are usually made from waste from the production of industrial solar panels, and even in the same batch they can have significant differences in the area of ​​the photocell wafers embedded in a transparent compound.

But the larger their area, the better the battery of a solar flashlight will be charged during the day, so when purchasing, if possible, it is better to choose a flashlight with larger plates of photocells.

Before purchasing, it is better to carefully inspect the flashlight, its leg and lampshade for cracks; the solar panel of the flashlight should not have any visible damage. Turn on the flashlight; to do this, you need to remove the lampshade and move the switch slider to the “ON” position.

If there is no switch, then you need to pull out the pin; it is located at the positive contact of the battery. In order for the flashlight to light up, you need to cover the photocell with your hand. If the flashlight does not light up, then most likely its battery is discharged and it is better to choose a working flashlight, or refuse to purchase, because a battery that has died from self-discharge in the store will immediately require replacement, and a new one will cost at least 50 rubles, which is comparable to the cost of a solar flashlight.

How to extend the life of flashlights

In order for your solar flashlight to last longer and delight you with its light, you need to protect its electronic filling, because the flashlight body is not sealed and moisture freely enters there in the form of splashes, evaporation after rain, and dew.

Once on a board with live radio elements, moisture causes an electrolysis process (it looks like the board is rusting) destroying the terminals of the radio elements, soldering, and board tracks. In order to protect the board with radio elements, it is necessary to cover it with moisture-resistant varnish in 2–3 layers, for example this:

You also need to protect the LED legs, microcircuits, and wires at the soldering points with the board, battery and switch contacts with varnish.

In the photo, a flashlight is protected in this way and has worked for about three seasons - despite the rusty fastening screw, the board is like new!

Basic faults

The main malfunctions of solar lanterns are oxidation of the battery and switch contacts, as well as deep battery discharge. If the flashlight stops glowing at dusk, then first you need to spin the battery in the battery compartment and turn the flashlight off and on several times to remove the oxide from the contacts. If this does not help, then you will need a multimeter, for example this one:

Let's take the battery out of the compartment and, switching the multimeter to constant voltage mode with a measurement limit of 2 volts, measure the voltage at the battery contacts. If the voltage on the battery is within 1.2...1.5 volts, then the battery is working, switching to the “dialer” mode, we will check the serviceability of the contacts and the switch; if the board is covered with oxides, then wash it in alcohol.

If the voltage on the battery is in the range from 0.1 to 1 volt, then the battery should be charged using a charger, for example this:

If the voltage is around zero volts, then by switching to the “continuity” mode, we’ll check the battery and if it rings like a short circuit, then the battery is faulty and needs to be replaced.

It is optimal to take a mid-price battery from reputable manufacturers, for example Sanyo, GP, Camelion. For an average solar flashlight, for an AAA size battery, a capacity of no more than 300-600 mAh is sufficient, and for an AA size 600-1000 mAh, and it is inappropriate to buy high-capacity batteries, because it is simply physically impossible to fully charge it during daylight hours from a solar battery.

It is also desirable that the battery be from the LSD (Low Self-Discharge) series. This abbreviation was introduced into use by Sanyo, which developed and patented the technology for producing batteries with low self-discharge.

How to place lanterns on the site

The main mistake is that the flashlights are placed in the shade of trees, bushes and buildings, and the insufficiently lit solar battery simply does not have time to charge the battery during the day.

Since flashlights use Ni-Cd and Ni-Mh batteries, as a result of constant daily undercharging during the day and overcharging at night, the so-called “memory” effect begins to develop in the form of a reversible loss of battery capacity. It seems to “remember” that in previous cycles its capacity was not fully used and, when charging, it stores energy only up to its “usual” value.

Therefore, when installing, try to place your flashlights in sunny places so that throughout the day they are charged from direct sunlight falling on them and avoid shady places.

Battery care

On short and cloudy autumn days, flashlights especially often fail due to increased humidity, the contacts oxidize, and the sun simply does not have time to dry the body from the inside, solar panels do not have time to fully charge the batteries, and when dusk sets in, the flashlights glow for only a few hours.

After several cloudy days, the “memory” effect begins to appear and in order to get rid of it you need to give the battery several full discharge-charge cycles using a universal charger, for example IMAX B6:

Connecting the batteries using a cassette like this:

At the end of the summer season, the flashlights need to be put away for storage, having first removed the batteries from them. You can store flashlights in a dry, unheated room, such as a garage, but it is better to store batteries at room temperature, charging once every 2-3 months using a charger, and ideally not just charging, but giving them several discharge-charge cycles.published

If you have any questions on this topic, ask them to the experts and readers of our project.

We measured the solar powered outdoor garden lights' power consumption and charging speed in direct sun, on a cloudy day and in the shade. The picture turned out to be interesting, although quite expected.

This article talks not so much about specific flashlights, but in general about the practical side of the operation of solar-powered lamps.

To conduct the experiment, we took two inexpensive solar-powered flashlights. One of them is a relatively new type (brown in the photo), which is now on sale at prices ranging from 40 to 150 rubles. absolute majority. The second (black in the photo) is an old model, which populated store shelves with the same high density several years ago at a similar price.

The main difference between flashlights is the solar battery. In both cases it is of the film type, but made from different materials. Also, the old flashlight had a Ni-MH AA battery with a capacity of 600 mAh, while the new one is smaller (AAA) and has a capacity of only 100 mAh. This is a natural reduction in price, thanks to which the price of these flashlights has not changed so much after the dollar jump.

The energy consumption of both LEDs in the flashlights turned out to be the same and amounted to about 12 mA (~14 mWh). This means that with a fully charged battery, the new flashlight can work for 8-9 hours, and the old one (only in theory) 45-50. But here it is important to remember that when working in conditions of constant undercharging (more on this below), Ni-MH batteries quickly lose their capacity, therefore a more capacious battery in an old flashlight would be preferable only from the point of view that it would work a year longer.

Now let's look at the power of the panels and charging.

Solar Charging Efficiency

To evaluate the charging efficiency under different conditions, we chose a good day: the sun, which was covered from time to time by small light clouds. Lanterns were located both in the open and in the shade of garden trees. Voltage and current were measured at the battery terminals. We converted the obtained values ​​into the amount of energy produced, expressed in mWh. Here's what we got:

The power of the solar battery of the old flashlight turned out to be noticeably higher, but this is not so interesting. Much more important, and this is good news, is that in direct sunlight, the small battery of the new flashlight can be fully charged in about 2.5-3 hours. Now comes the bad news. If the flashlight is placed in the shade or the day is slightly cloudy, the charging efficiency will drop by 10 times. And if there are clouds in the sky, then there is nothing to talk about at all. The battery will not charge.

For those who are interested in the details of our measurements of the performance of solar panels, we present a small plate.

Conclusions

The flashlights proved to be quite efficient. The new model in direct sunlight can fully charge the built-in battery in about 3 hours, which will be enough to operate the built-in LED for 8-9 hours. The old model is more powerful and has a more capacious battery, but there is no point in discussing it, because... You can't find these on sale anymore.

Another important point is that the efficiency of a solar battery in cloudy weather drops by 10 times. And on cloudy days, charging stops altogether. The same can be said about placing flashlights in the shade of trees, where, if the weather is sunny, they will not be able to charge their small battery even halfway during the whole daylight hours, and if there is light cloudiness, charging will stop altogether.

You may also be interested:
—
—
—

How to choose suitable garden lights? With the help of lanterns in your garden, you can solve several problems at once - this is a beautiful decorative element, it is illumination of hard-to-reach corners of the garden, and, in the end, it is a necessary element of your safety. How do solar-powered garden lanterns compare favorably with their counterparts that run on conventional electricity from an outlet? Many users ask this question, and we have the answer: such lights can be installed anywhere in the garden, such lights save your home electricity and your money and, of course, protect the environment.

Photocells absorb sunlight throughout the day. During this period, special batteries located inside the case are charged. At night, the reverse process occurs - the energy of these same batteries is used. Naturally, for high-quality and long-term work in the dark, it is necessary that the flashlights be installed in places where they can absorb a lot of sunlight.

What to do if there is not enough space with direct sunlight?

Nowadays this is not a problem either. There are many models of solar-powered lanterns for the garden and cottage, which allow you to install the platform itself for receiving sunlight in a place other than where the lighting will occur. This solves the problem of many people - several batteries can be connected to such sites at once. On the downside, we come back to the fact that it will be necessary to lay wires throughout the garden between the platform and the solar-powered garden lantern itself.

What do solar lights look like?

Solar street lights can look completely different. There are no frames or restrictions on what shape and size you will use. There are also lanterns in the form of ribbons and chains for illuminating paths and garden elements around the perimeter.

They can also be small and curly, for example, in the form of stars. Everyone likes the starry sky, right? Such chains do not shine as brightly as ordinary lanterns, but they create an amazing and magical effect.

Where to use and best install solar lights

There are many places where you can install lights. For example, along paths for safe walking or next to garden elements that need to be emphasized, be it a swimming pool or a gazebo. All this brightens up the atmosphere of the garden and creates a wow effect for guests.

Flashlights with diffused light can be used. They can look like cutting-edge works of art or, conversely, like classic oriental lanterns with a soft light. This, of course, is not so effective, but sometimes this is not required? It is better to use such lamps together with light chains, which will add the missing lighting without spoiling the designers' idea.

Garden lanterns in the form of spotlights

Such lamps are the most effective and provide high-quality illumination of the area. They can be mounted both on the ground and at a height, for example, on the top of a fence. These lights are indispensable assistants for video surveillance systems and, among other things, scare away potential thieves. They are also used to illuminate dining areas and gazebos.

Using Various Solar Powered Lanterns in the Garden

Not so long ago, alternative power sources were beyond science fiction. Now, almost everyone who has a decent source of income can use them. It has become possible to illuminate the streets with lanterns whose designs include solar panels. Such lighting devices can be seen in almost every country house of celebrities. However, today they are available to ordinary people. Solar-powered lanterns look very aesthetically pleasing. After all, you can forever forget about the endless wires that “stick out” throughout the entire area, thereby spoiling the entire appearance of the landscape.

How do solar street lights work?

The evolution of the use of solar panels is obvious. They were originally developed for the needs space industry, and today they are used everywhere to satisfy the needs for warmth and light of any person. They are used with particular efficiency in street lighting systems.

Despite the fact that such street lamps differ significantly in appearance, they are all designed almost the same. They consist of a housing, inside of which there is led lamp, directly from the solar battery, battery or rechargeable battery, controller (automatic switch) and base (support).

Operating principle of street lights

Street lamps equipped with solar convectors operate due to the accumulation in the battery of the electric charge received from solar battery. This design is completely independent, since all the elements in it are miniature in size and mounted directly into the lamp. On a clear sunny day, these lighting devices are capable of accumulating such an amount of energy that should be enough to illuminate the space without interruption more than 10 hours.

In cloudy weather, the lamps will also be charged using daylight diffused light, however, their subsequent operation time will be slightly shorter. The lamp turns on and off automatically, responding to natural street lighting. When it turns off, it goes into charging mode. If necessary, the lights can be turned on or off with an additional switch, which all models are equipped with. The lamps are sufficiently equipped economical lamps, but at the same time they are not inferior in brightness to fluorescent lamps.

Features of solar lanterns

The LED lamp is charged by nickel-cadmium battery, which on average has a power of 600 - 700 mA per hour. The panel located inside the device absorbs solar energy throughout the day, then converts it into electrical energy. Due to the photosensitive element located inside the flashlight, it can turn on independently at dusk. It is economical LEDs with an average power of 0.06 W that reproduce light. A street lamp, as a rule, is equipped with several such LEDs, so it can shine up to 100 thousand hours. Weather at night does not in any way affect the quality of lighting from such devices. The main thing is that they accumulate enough energy during the day. Such lanterns are not afraid of either heavy rains or snow storms. They will work in any climate, because they have a fairly wide temperature range (from -50 to +50 degrees).

LED lights are made from various materials. They are usually made from:

• cast bronze;
• clear glass;
• light steel;
• attractive rattan;
• natural bamboo and other materials.

Due to such diversity, lamps often serve as attractive decorative elements. The lampshade reliably protects them from the penetration of dust or moisture. The level of protection of the lampshade is indicated on the packaging. It is designated by the letters IP and a set of numbers. The more numbers on the package, the higher degree of protection of the lamp. Street lights equipped with solar panels have a fairly long service life. Additional convenience is achieved through the ability to control such lights using special remote controls.

Advantages and disadvantages of street lights

The main advantage of such lamps is the built-in solar battery. Also, the design of the flashlight does not imply the presence of any moving elements, which is why it is practically invulnerable. Solar panels do not require special care. They do not require refueling or preventative maintenance.

The service life of such lamps, although limited by time, is still quite long. Street lights will illuminate the area without any interruptions about 25 years. While their household “brothers” will be able to do this for only about 10 years. It is known that the nickel-cadmium battery built into the lamp has a service life of up to 15 years. The presence of LEDs with a power of 0.06 W allows the lighting device to work in total for about 100,000 hours. Even with daily 8-10 hour use, such a lamp can last up to 27 years.

Another undeniable advantage is lampshade which is made made of dust and waterproof material. Therefore, the lantern is under reliable protection from any precipitation. The support is also made of reliable, durable material that is not subject to corrosion and is resistant to even the strongest gusts of wind.

Such lamps have enough attractive design. Industrial lights, which are designed to illuminate entire streets and parks, are usually made of steel. And lamps designed to illuminate the adjacent areas of private property can be made of bamboo, bronze or glass.

The use of such lighting devices allows you to significantly save financial resources. Since laying and equipping power lines costs much more. Also an undeniable advantage is environmental friendliness such lighting systems.

Almost all the disadvantages of using street lights come down to :

• Impermanent presence of sunlight. For regions where the sun rarely appears, such devices will be less effective than in countries where the sun shines softly all year round.
• Due to too cold weather, the battery prone to failure. However, this can also happen during prolonged heat, which can cause the semiconductor device to overheat. In this situation, the efficiency of the device will decrease and the risk that the device will fail altogether increases.
• In hot weather it is best to install additional cooling system. Solar panels are selective in energy absorption. It must be of a certain frequency.
• The protective glass that protects the device from dust and moisture can become dirty over time, which also reduces the efficiency of the device. Therefore, after him after all care required.

Installation of a solar-powered lamp

Scope of use of solar street lights

Solar street lights have found applications in many places where custom and attractive lighting fixtures are required. They are mainly used for functional decoration of landscapes of local areas, gardens and summer cottages, parks and squares.

Depending on their configuration and installation method, they are divided into the following categories:

• The paths leading to the house are illuminated with small lanterns. on short legs, which stick directly into the soil.
• To illuminate large areas, lamps with long stems are used. Most often they are installed near the porch closer to the house.
• Small lamps are used to illuminate gazebos or porches. hanging lanterns.
• Small decorative lamps are used to decorate landscape elements. The most popular today are portable street lights that can be used anywhere there is a need for lighting.
• Large street lamps can illuminate entire streets, parks and squares. However, the installation of such devices should be carried out by the state.

How to install solar street lights?

Caring for such lighting fixtures is not difficult. The installation is also quite simple. You just need to place such a lamp in the sunniest places. If this is not possible, then only a self-contained lamp that can be carried should be hung in the sun.

Lamps equipped with solar panels are undoubtedly a useful purchase. With the help of these devices you will solve many problems in arranging your backyard landscape. Soon the lamps will completely pay for themselves and allow you to save a lot of money!