Ugly Hedgehog - Photography Forum
Home Active Topics Newest Pictures Search Login Register
General Chit-Chat (non-photography talk)
Wiring Question
Oct 20, 2019 10:59:41   #
jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY
 
A friend is working on a project and wonders if something is possible. He would like to connect a small solar charger to this battery pack so the lights will continue working indefinitely.

Charger (or similar) -
https://smile.amazon.com/15000mAh-Portable-External-Flashlight-Smartphone/dp/B07WLC2GSV/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=solar+charger&qid=1571583354&sr=8-6


(Download)

Reply
Oct 20, 2019 11:13:19   #
rond-photography Loc: Connecticut
 
jerryc41 wrote:
A friend is working on a project and wonders if something is possible. He would like to connect a small solar charger to this battery pack so the lights will continue working indefinitely.

Charger (or similar) -
https://smile.amazon.com/15000mAh-Portable-External-Flashlight-Smartphone/dp/B07WLC2GSV/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=solar+charger&qid=1571583354&sr=8-6


I read the questions related to the solar charging rate and someone says they run a security camera with this pack attached. Reasonable price. It appears to be a typical battery bank for recharging your phone but with the added bonus of being solar chargeable.

Reply
Oct 20, 2019 11:23:33   #
Bultaco Loc: Aiken, SC
 
Are yu talking about the lights on the charger?

Reply
 
 
Oct 20, 2019 11:38:26   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
Only if the battery pack can sustain the lights until the solar thingy starts charging/running again.
The MaH rating of the battery pack vs. the power consumption rating of the lights.
The battery pack will only hold so much power (what it's designed for).
One cannot simply keep stuffing power in a battery. When it gets to its capacity limit, charging stops (on good chargers anyway.).

Reply
Oct 20, 2019 11:42:17   #
aphelps Loc: Central Ohio
 
jerryc41 wrote:
A friend is working on a project and wonders if something is possible. He would like to connect a small solar charger to this battery pack so the lights will continue working indefinitely.

Charger (or similar) -
https://smile.amazon.com/15000mAh-Portable-External-Flashlight-Smartphone/dp/B07WLC2GSV/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=solar+charger&qid=1571583354&sr=8-6


It is possible BUT the solar panel would have have sufficient output to power the lights and charge the battery at the same time. AND, the battery would have to be large enough to power the lights through the night and on cloudy days. So the big unknowns are the the solar panel capacity, the battery capacity and the lighting loads. From the info provided it appears the solar panel is intended to only charge the battery and the battery is only designed to charge phones. Lots more specifics needed here but it is possible.

Reply
Oct 20, 2019 12:21:24   #
jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY
 
To clarify - the battery pack contains three (I think) rechargeable AA batteries. Could a solar charger be attached to maintain/charge the batteries? Those LEDs wouldn't require much current.

Reply
Oct 20, 2019 12:26:51   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
jerryc41 wrote:
To clarify - the battery pack contains three (I think) rechargeable AA batteries. Could a solar charger be attached to maintain/charge the batteries? Those LEDs wouldn't require much current.

Doesn't matter what batteries are used - What matters is the MaH rating of the batteries and what is the MaH rating of the lights?
Mathematically, based on 100% efficiency, 10,000Mah power source will power a 1,000Mah device (load) for 10 hours. (Before becoming exhausted.)

Reply
 
 
Oct 20, 2019 12:45:49   #
aphelps Loc: Central Ohio
 
jerryc41 wrote:
To clarify - the battery pack contains three (I think) rechargeable AA batteries. Could a solar charger be attached to maintain/charge the batteries? Those LEDs wouldn't require much current.


Again, you would have to know the output capacity of the solar panel. The short answer is yes, eventally. Keep in mind that solar panels are usually rated for direct outdoor sunlight. Their output current drops off dramatically in anything less. Let's assume the six leds draw 120 ma. And let's assume that you want the 20000mAh battery charged in 10 hours. That would require a charging current of 2000 ma over the 10 hours. Adding in the led load, the solar panel would have to provide 2120 ma or about 2.1 amps for 10 hours. Of course, if the battery was not fully discharged the time would be less. If the battery was only 3 AA cells of 2500 mAh each the time also would be less. I made lots of assumptions here but I think you get the idea.

Reply
Oct 20, 2019 13:25:02   #
pmorin Loc: Huntington Beach, Palm Springs
 
jerryc41 wrote:
A friend is working on a project and wonders if something is possible. He would like to connect a small solar charger to this battery pack so the lights will continue working indefinitely.

Charger (or similar) -
https://smile.amazon.com/15000mAh-Portable-External-Flashlight-Smartphone/dp/B07WLC2GSV/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=solar+charger&qid=1571583354&sr=8-6


Yes, it is possible, but not necessarily practical. You can get a solar panel to match the output ratings on the light string and solder them together. But the time and material costs may exceed what a ready made light string would cost. This Amazon deal gives you two 33’ strings for about $10 each. I use some similar sets every year at Christmas.



Reply
Oct 20, 2019 22:28:02   #
John from gpwmi Loc: Michigan
 
It's simply a matter of getting a solar pack at the correct voltage to recharge the battery pack and with enough current capacity (mA) to recharge the battery pack and light the lights simultaneously during the day. Considering cloudy days, longest night/shortest day of the year, and the fact that it's not following the sun during the day one might want a solar panel pack with an advertised rating (marketing probably states the peak rating, not what you can expect on average) of at least three times the load current drawn by the lights and at the correct charging voltage for the battery pack.

Reply
Oct 21, 2019 10:34:24   #
n4jee Loc: New Bern, NC
 
Your typical solar setup is based on 12 VDC. It consists of the solar panel. a deep cycle battery(s) and a charge controller. The capacity of the battery has to be enough to allow for the overcast days where the solar panels don't provide enough output, but most deep cycle batteries would run a string of lights designed to run on 3 AA batteries for a long time. Of course you have to drop the voltage to 4.5 VDC.

Reply
 
 
Oct 21, 2019 17:44:31   #
bobbyjohn Loc: Dallas, TX
 
If your talking about the light bulb, check out:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centennial_Light

Reply
Oct 21, 2019 18:23:20   #
jerrydownunder Loc: Newcastle, NSW Australia
 
A friend of mine bought one of these type battery packs (not this specific item) and after he got it home and read the instructions, it said ONLY charge via wall plug or USB port and NEVER leave the battery pack exposed to constant sunlight. The solar panel is for emergency charging only and it would take several days to recharge the battery pack under "optimum" conditions. That convinced me to not buy one.

Reply
Oct 22, 2019 13:19:39   #
jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY
 
Thanks. I'll pass all this along to the person doing the project. Solar doesn't sound practical for this application.

Reply
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.
General Chit-Chat (non-photography talk)
UglyHedgehog.com - Forum
Copyright 2011-2024 Ugly Hedgehog, Inc.