1. Home
  2. Electronics Down Under
  3. 3V 100mA solar panel

3V 100mA solar panel

I'm looking for a 3V or 4V, 100mA solar panel to replace the one in an LED "eternity lamp" such as are used to illuminate headstones.

The panel consists of 8 cells. Its dimensions are 11.5cm x 6.7cm x

2mm. I don't have any leeway in the dimensions, as the replacement panel must fit into an existing cutout in the metalwork.

I'm guessing at the specs, but I may be able to get away with a 50mA panel. It supplies a 74HC14 Schmitt trigger oscillator which drives a high brightness 10mm white LED, giving a flickering effect. It also charges two AA NiCd batteries which provide power during the night.

I've tried DSE, Jaycar, Altronics, Oatley, and numerous online suppliers.

- Franc Zabkar

--
Please remove one \'i\' from my address when replying by email.
Reply to
Franc Zabkar
Loading thread data ...

On Thu, 27 Nov 2008 06:28:06 +1100, Franc Zabkar put finger to keyboard and composed:

The solar panel looks like the one here:

formatting link

The panel is the blue rectangle at the top.

This is the actual lamp:

formatting link

- Franc Zabkar

--
Please remove one \'i\' from my address when replying by email.
Reply to
Franc Zabkar

You might try panels from solar 'garden' or 'pathway' lights. They normally charge 2 NiCd cells in series at about 50 ma. Commonly about

5.5cm x 5.5cm. Two of these panels wired in parallel would fit in the space required and provide 100ma. (Mine are 3.0mm thick though).
Reply to
notvalid

On Thu, 27 Nov 2008 12:26:36 +1000, snipped-for-privacy@invalid.com put finger to keyboard and composed:

Good idea, thanks. I'll have a go, but I'm not sure if I can make it look good. The cheap solar lights that I bought some months ago have already faded badly, so I'll need something with hail resistant glass. The extra thickness is not a serious problem. I'll just need to be a little creative with the retaining bracket. In fact the original mounting was shoddily put together, resulting in stress which caused the panel to crack. I think the rain got in and corroded one or more of the cell interconnects.

- Franc Zabkar

--
Please remove one \'i\' from my address when replying by email.
Reply to
Franc Zabkar

Off topic comment but these things hardly sound like an Eternity Lamp. Apart from the failure mode you're currently working to remedy, the NiCd cells are only going to last a few years max which is a tad shy of my understanding if eternity!

John

Reply to
John

On Fri, 28 Nov 2008 02:30:29 GMT, John put finger to keyboard and composed:

Agreed, hence my use of quotes.

This will be the third time I've replaced them in 10 years. As for the solar panel, I've been looking at dozens of different designs, but only two HPM garden lamps had glass tops. I finally decided to try adapting a very large, glass topped, 4V panel from a step light kit by fitting it over the hole. It comes with three batteries as well, so that should improve the light output.

BTW, I did try contacting the original supplier, but both their emails addresses bounced, and they haven't returned my phone call.

- Franc Zabkar

--
Please remove one \'i\' from my address when replying by email.
Reply to
Franc Zabkar

On Fri, 28 Nov 2008 16:27:03 +1100, Franc Zabkar put finger to keyboard and composed:

The instructions state that the "lights should achieve optimum light output after the remote panel has been exposed to 4 days / nights of sunlight, enabling the batteries to fully charge".

- Franc Zabkar

--
Please remove one \'i\' from my address when replying by email.
Reply to
Franc Zabkar

ElectronDepot website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.