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Automatic Solar Garden Lights with LEDs

Efficient automatic solar garder lights circuit with minimum components the best deal is that
is completely auto and the Solar panel acts as a light detector. Switches the Lamp off at
Dawn, charges the battery during daytime and switches the LED lights ON at dusk providing
100 Lumens illumination during the night.

The solar panel must provide 5.5V and 150mA. Assuming a 3.7V/1500mAh battery the
charging will be complete in 8 hours at 200% capacity @ 180 mA. With 10 LEDs the power
consumption would be 90 mA/hour providing a 10 hours illumination with light levels of 50
lumens to 60 lumens. With 20 LEDs the light intensity will be 100 to 120 lumens.

You can use any number of LEDs and battery capacity too. This would directly provide you
the amount of illumination and time for illumination. If
you use higher capacity battery than that recommended
the solar panel current should be increased proportionately. Current provided by solar panel
should be 10% of battery capacity.
Bill of material for the solar garden lights

Resistor (1) 4K7 or 5K6

Resistor (1) 47E or 56E or any value ( Current Limiting )

Transistor 2N3906

Diode 1N4001/7/ 1N4148 (Any)

Solar Panel 5.5v/200mA

Battery 3.7v/1500mAh

Switch SPST
 92 Responses to "Automatic Solar Garden Lights with LEDs"
Dear Sir,

Thanks you so much for your circuit. Solar lamps are my bobbie, and Im not a profesional
of that (Im a Scientist in Veterinary Research). I have builded your circuit but I have found
that the tension around the led is too low 2.7v, I have checked all the details and I can not
find the mistake, may you help me?

thanks a lot in advance

regards

tacho

Assuming its a 3.7V battery, after the transistor the tension is already 3.1V, since we also
have a resistor (current limiter) in the way, the tension drops a little bit more, as the
resistor is in series with the leds. To be honest, there is no way you can put the 3.3V if you
dont change the circuit, and you cant take off the 47 ohm resistor, even if you low it down,
it will still be around 2.7V on the Leds.

Very clever, but simple circuit.

If solar cells have insufficient reverse leakage, transistor may not turn on at nightmay
require a 47K resistor across solar cellskeep this in mind

Keith welcome your observations . Our philosophy is Keep things simple. Yes it does light
up a little before dusk ( If it get dark by 7 this would start 45 minutes earlier. this problem
is settled by using another 2.7K to 3.3 K resistor in series with the 47K resistor(50K in lieu
of 47K) 50 K is not available

We have observed that there is profit in making things seem complex. We humans tend to
make the process as complicated as possible by trying to improve in complex machines but
a simple approach is still possible.

Try the same which i believe you may have as it takes less than 5 minutes to build and
watch the results. What we have put in the public domain is a working kit way past
protypes. The beauty of this is that you can use as many LED as you want from 1 to 20
depending on your illumination needs and Battery capacity.

This is a very basic circuit and we use it as switcher in our other circuits.
We have added a switch (SPST) between the 47E Resistor and the LEDs to keep it off when
not in use for prolonged periods.

Her again the beauty is that you can use any resistor(current limiting from 22E to 100E as
per you Illumination needs and battery capacity

The only problem seems to be good quality Cells(Battery) against cost. With better quality
and prices dropping we have managed to keep this kit to below $5.