I'm working on a fun DIY project with my kid, where we want to repurpose the small solar cells from some walkway lighting to charge a portable battery bank, the kind you usually use to charge your phone. We have a small battery bank that can charge a phone maybe once before it runs out. As we start dismantling these lanterns, are there any common things we should look out for and expect?
3 Answers
You might want to consider a solar charger specifically designed for this, like the one I found online. It might save you some hassle. Just saying, it could be a more straightforward approach!
I'm guessing that the photocell in those cheap lanterns won't produce enough power quickly, so it might take a while to get enough juice for your phone. But it sounds like a cool project! Also, you should check out Big Clive on YouTube; he's got tons of videos on hacking these lights and playing around with electronics.
Oh yeah, I'm planning on it taking quite a while. The project is to see if it works, not if it works well. Haha
And thanks for turning me onto Big Clive!
Definitely keep an eye on the voltage! Check what type of battery is in the walkway light and what charge controller they use—often, it's just a simple resistor. You'll also need to look at the connector on your battery bank. Make sure the solar panel provides enough voltage to match your battery bank needs. Sounds like a fun project, but you might run into a few challenges along the way!
Bumps in the road are the fun part! That's when we really learn.
How so?