Remote Living > Lighting

Walgreens LED landscape light

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dnix71:
$1.49, regular price $1.99 Uses a single AAA nicad and a single led. The solar cell on top is epoxyed in place so it can't be removed but the rest comes out easy enough. There is no on/off switch, the nicad is protected against discharge until purchase by a piece of paper in the battery holder.

The circuit has a resistor and a 5252B. The chip has 4 leads on the same side. I don't see anything on Google that matches that number and configuration, but a 5252B is normally a 24v zener. I wonder about that, though, since 1.2v from that AAA nicad shouldn't be enough to light an led.

Decently bright, but not enough to light a room, even with the bezel/reflector removed. Not shone in the picture is the ground stake.

ruddycrazy:
Yea the PV cells out of garden lights are great for powering remote electronics circuits, I've got 2 units outside and they have been working for a few years with 3 off small pv cells in series and 4 nimh cells as the power supply.

One idea I've had but it's on a 'roundtuit' list is getting a few of them and some of the newer high capacity AA cells and making some path lights as when we have a bonfire it would save using a torch everytime a fresh ale or cider was required. The idea would be as they won't be needed every night when they are needed the batteries would be fully charged and a simple circuit can be made to avoid overcharging them.

Cheers Bryan

Norm:
some of these garden lights would be better off using D size alkaline cells
skip the solar cell and automatic and just turn them on and off manually
one D cell in place of an AAA battery ....12 hrs. every day will last a year or so .........at about 33cents per battery ....that ain't too bad compared to a AAA NiCad.
Norm.

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