Using small solar ornamental LED light sensor switch for a larger PB light

[Norm]

I would like to take a small light sensor switch on one of these $4  outdoor lights
that only uses 1AA Ni-Cad  and hook it up to one that uses/use to use 3AAA
batteries and 3 LEDs (PB lights from DollarTree) In other words just substitute the
load and source slightly ....probably have to put larger value resistors and cap in the circuit?

The batteries are charged from a seperate source.....
Thanks for any help guys.
Norm

[ghurd]

The $4 light, is the LED White or Yellow?

I think it is going to take a few more parts than you'd expect.
G-

[Norm]

$4 light is white.....at least the PCB is the same?
From what I can see it has about 3 or 4 resistors and one cap.
Can't get up and see cause Nellie is laying down at my feet...
( let sleeping dogs lie...at least this one she can be a pest
when she's awake )
I can figure out simple circuits but not the values needed.
Guess I'll study up a little more on it.......
Norm

[ghurd]

If you want the PB lights from Dollar Tree to be automatic,
there are maybe easier ways.

The purists will NOT like the design, but it works!

The 'best way' (I thought of) with what you want to use is pretty complex.
It would be one of those things that would be better off
starting over with different parts.

G-

[Xan]

I once converted a "hanging lantern" solar garden light over to run a mains voltage CFL. It was a fairly large one with plenty of room to mount the lamp which I hard wired in, but not too difficult to change with the use of a soldering iron when the time comes.

I gutted out all the existing circuitry but I did use the solar panels around the top as the ambient light sensor. I ran the mains through a bridge rectifier and an SCR to control the lamp. Then the solar panels switched on a transistor to remove the drive from the SCR during the day. After adding a little positive feedback it worked really well and switched cleanly and dusk & dawn.

I should mention that here in New Zealand the mains is 230 volts so CFLs have a simple rectifier in them which means they can be fed with DC. I believe that in 120 VAC countries they employ a voltage doubler rectifier which would not function on DC at all.