$1.75 Solar "Night light"

[zap]

I really wasn't planning on doing a review on these lights but I was getting tired of seeing some of the members continuing to beat up on Rob Beckers and his most excellent article entitled The Truth About Small Wind Turbines ... I thought this might take some of heat off him... not that he isn't holding his own on that post!!!



These were on sale at Kmart last week for $1.75, I think at my store the regular price was listed at $3.66 but they show up online at Kmart and Sears for $3.99 "Moonrays Path Light, Black"

The top has a bayonet type mount and with a quarter twist you have this:




I had it apart but the camera batteries were in need of a charge.  The light has a single 400mah NiCd AAA battery in it.
It has an on/off switch on the bottom.

So far I haven't used them outside.  The solar cell looks to me like it could use some weatherproofing around the edges.  They would probably light up a path well enough.
I use them without the stick, just as a "puck" and with about 5 hours of sunlight through a double glazed window, it will shine all night long with enough brightness to light a fairly large area.  I shine 2 of them 7 feet up to a white ceiling and they give enough light to walk around a 11 ft. X 18 ft. living room without stepping on things.


They seem pretty nice for $1.75

[Rover]

Cute light.

I wouldn't worry about waterproofing the NiCad for exterior use, it will long gone due to discharge cycles before weather is an issue. As far as any concern of shorting, I've had some path lights (not these) that had equally bad battery compartments, they worked until he NiCads wore out, some I replaced with NiMH .

Is a small LED trhough on that unit

[zap]

Cute light.

I wouldn't worry about waterproofing the NiCad for exterior use...

I'm not real worried about the battery or guts but more the solar cell itself... there's nothing but whatever's holding it down, nothing on the edges... and at $1.57... I'm not too worried about that either

[Rover]

I'm not real worried about the battery or guts but more the solar cell itself... there's nothing but whatever's holding it down, nothing on the edges... and at $1.57... I'm not too worried about that either

LOL, extremely valid point. Also, in my experience, and I'm sure many others, the little solar cell tends to get a haze to them. But at $1.75 who cares. Actually a good use for these would be for people that tend to have summer lawn parties. Just take em from site to site, (after charging of course , point em at the sun the day of the party)

[Bruce S]

Zap;
 I agree on all 3  .
The little circuit in there that steps up the 1.2volts to Vf for the LED is probably a model of minimalism and efficiency.

Strange that they would go to AAA's though since these actually cost more to buy and the Ahr rating are much lower than AAs.

When I buy these for our lawn parties, I grab old  plastic peanut butter jars and cut them down to cover the tops.
This seems to keep the PVs from getting hazed over so quick. We have great solar in back yard all year round ( when sun is shining ) so the just keep on working.

Other than diminished lighting times, the NiCds don't really seem to die, they are now staying on longer each day as the sun shines on them more each day.
Telling me Spring is almost here  .
 
Hadn't thought of shining them up, now if there was a way to shine sunshine using a mirror 
Cheers
Bruce S
   

[ghurd]

Cool deal!

Is the PBC directly connected to the PV, or with wire?
Thinking about extending the wire, PV in a window with battery, PCB and LED 'somewhere else'.

The LEDs in those are usually pretty lame.  Might consider swapping it out to something better.
(and let me know if that is something you wish to persue)
G-

[Bruce S]

If you have a tunneling microscope, pry one of those watch battery powered flickering LED candles open, see what's in its circuitry.

In a nice darkened room on Anniversary  they put out a decent bit of light.

I like the idea of popping one open and move the PV to an indoor window, little whisper sized wire should work and be able to hide it nicely.

[zap]

Cool deal!

Is the PBC directly connected to the PV, or with wire?
Thinking about extending the wire, PV in a window with battery, PCB and LED 'somewhere else'.

The LEDs in those are usually pretty lame.  Might consider swapping it out to something better.
(and let me know if that is something you wish to persue)
G-

The PCB is wired, the switch is directly soldered to the PCB.
I didn't look at it too close but did notice a tiny 4 lead IC?  Maybe some type of voltage multiplier?

This single led is brighter than one of your "2 cell" bulbs running off of 2 rechargeable AA with a much warmer color.

Bruce, that's a good idea covering them up with old plastic bottles.  A section of old water/pop bottle could probably be cut out and heated up to form a pretty tight covering... hmmm... future project.

Strange that they would go to AAA's though since these actually cost more to buy and the Ahr rating are much lower than AAs.

The AAA fits wall to wall with no room to spare.  I was a little surprised to find nicd instead of nimh.