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Posted: 10/25/2014 7:33:19 PM EDT
What can I build with this?  

It was for a shed light but it sucked at that.  It is a nicad battery charger but I would rather turn it into a nimh charger. How can I do that?  How do I test it to figure out if it's worth it?



Link Posted: 10/25/2014 7:49:14 PM EDT
[#1]
BatMan, sometimes when doing projects, it's best to try to do something that you can see an achieved goal at the end ---to avoid motivation killing frustrations.

I have to tell you, I see nothing but frustration in that old Harbor Freight light assembly...

I'd tear it apart to understand how it works as much as I could, maybe post pix for explanations by others, and use it to gain knowledge.

Link Posted: 10/25/2014 7:51:09 PM EDT
[#2]
I would outfit it with a LED bulb instead of mercury bulb and use it as a shed/coop light.
Link Posted: 10/25/2014 7:54:49 PM EDT
[#3]
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Quoted:
I would outfit it with a LED bulb instead of mercury bulb and use it as a shed/coop light.
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Rat, it runs on a couple AA's. Mercury bulb, don't think so...  

Very inexpensive and fairly efficient solar panels can be found on ebay right now, even in metal frames like the big ones, that put out a good 8 watts at 18 volts that would fry a string of 10 AA's in an hour or 3.  

For abt $20.

For a project there are buck converters for 3 or 5 bucks free shipping that will take the 18 volts and step it down to whatever you set it to with increased current output in the ratio of input to set output. To charge batteries or light LED's.

That would be a useful and quite a learning project, for little expense vs the knowledge gained and knowledge that could be applied the rest of your life.



Link Posted: 10/25/2014 8:08:15 PM EDT
[#4]

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Quoted:
Rat, it runs on a couple AA's. Mercury bulb, don't think so...  

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Quoted:



Quoted:

I would outfit it with a LED bulb instead of mercury bulb and use it as a shed/coop light.






Rat, it runs on a couple AA's. Mercury bulb, don't think so...  

Bulb type: 4 watt florescent.



Right from OP's pics.

 
Link Posted: 10/25/2014 8:25:19 PM EDT
[#5]
Quoted:
What can I build with this?  

It was for a shed light but it sucked at that.  It is a nicad battery charger but I would rather turn it into a nimh charger. How can I do that?  How do I test it to figure out if it's worth it?
View Quote

I doubt you can modify it for NiMH, doubt even more it'd be worth the effort even if you could. Might be able to bulk charge them depending on what kind of charger it is. Or it might just fry them. More info.

Chicago Electric is notorious for producing junk. Looks like maybe a 4W amorphous panel, which isn't going to produce much power. Resale value is probably nil. I'd take it apart and see how it works, maybe try to attach the panel to a USB-type AA battery charger just if see if I could make it work. I wouldn't expect much.
Link Posted: 10/25/2014 9:02:56 PM EDT
[#6]
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Quoted:

I doubt you can modify it for NiMH, doubt even more it'd be worth the effort even if you could. Might be able to bulk charge them depending on what kind of charger it is. Or it might just fry them. More info.

Chicago Electric is notorious for producing junk. Looks like maybe a 4W amorphous panel, which isn't going to produce much power. Resale value is probably nil. I'd take it apart and see how it works, maybe try to attach the panel to a USB-type AA battery charger just if see if I could make it work. I wouldn't expect much.
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Quoted:
Quoted:
What can I build with this?  

It was for a shed light but it sucked at that.  It is a nicad battery charger but I would rather turn it into a nimh charger. How can I do that?  How do I test it to figure out if it's worth it?

I doubt you can modify it for NiMH, doubt even more it'd be worth the effort even if you could. Might be able to bulk charge them depending on what kind of charger it is. Or it might just fry them. More info.

Chicago Electric is notorious for producing junk. Looks like maybe a 4W amorphous panel, which isn't going to produce much power. Resale value is probably nil. I'd take it apart and see how it works, maybe try to attach the panel to a USB-type AA battery charger just if see if I could make it work. I wouldn't expect much.


If I could bypass the other electronics and hook up a usb plug to it I do have a usb AA charger. It could end up a slow usb phone charger.
Link Posted: 10/25/2014 9:10:13 PM EDT
[#7]
If it does put out 4 watts it would charge a smart phone at .8 amps. Not ideal but it would work.
Link Posted: 10/25/2014 9:18:08 PM EDT
[#8]

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If it does put out 4 watts it would charge a smart phone at .8 amps. Not ideal but it would work.
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increase the battery capacity?

 
Link Posted: 10/25/2014 9:34:48 PM EDT
[#9]
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Quoted:
increase the battery capacity?  
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Quoted:
If it does put out 4 watts it would charge a smart phone at .8 amps. Not ideal but it would work.
increase the battery capacity?  


Remove the battery compartment. Charge the phone directly with the panel. Might work.
Link Posted: 10/25/2014 9:37:50 PM EDT
[#10]
I guess I meant instead of the 4 AA batteries the unit holds, increase capacity for a self-recharging battery pack. Stack the batts parallel so you don't spike the voltage. Perhaps build it up to 12-14 volts and a cig lighter plug for your phone?
Link Posted: 10/25/2014 9:51:26 PM EDT
[#11]
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Quoted:
Bulb type: 4 watt florescent.

Right from OP's pics.  
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I would outfit it with a LED bulb instead of mercury bulb and use it as a shed/coop light.



Rat, it runs on a couple AA's. Mercury bulb, don't think so...  
Bulb type: 4 watt florescent.

Right from OP's pics.  



That qualifies as a mercury type I think...  


Link Posted: 10/25/2014 9:53:24 PM EDT
[#12]
Batman, why not measure the output of the solar panel?

That in itself would be an excellent learning project and is easy to do.

Link Posted: 10/26/2014 8:55:52 AM EDT
[#13]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
BatMan, sometimes when doing projects, it's best to try to do something that you can see an achieved goal at the end ---to avoid motivation killing frustrations.

I have to tell you, I see nothing but frustration in that old Harbor Freight light assembly... anything solar related...

I'd tear it apart to understand how it works as much as I could, maybe post pix for explanations by others, and use it to gain knowledge.

View Quote



Fixed it for ya :)

Maybe like those great solar panel "kits" they sell...

http://www.survivalandpreparednessforum.com/showthread.php?6727-Final-word-on-harbor-freight-solar-panel-quot-kit-quot
Link Posted: 10/26/2014 2:34:52 PM EDT
[#14]
Remove everything but the panel.  Measure output.  Connect 5vdc regulator.   Make homemade goal zero phone charger?

Without any more information there are any number of reasons why this could end in extreme frustration.  You could always say to hell with the cost and call it a tuition payment and build up your skills.  I've used that as an excuse to learn more many times.
Link Posted: 10/26/2014 2:43:30 PM EDT
[#15]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Remove everything but the panel.  Measure output.  Connect 5vdc regulator.   Make homemade goal zero phone charger?

Without any more information there are any number of reasons why this could end in extreme frustration.  You could always say to hell with the cost and call it a tuition payment and build up your skills.  I've used that as an excuse to learn more many times.
View Quote


This is really just a chance to learn more about solar.  My nephew went to itt tech and he and I will make this a project together for fun.  I'm going to give him and old 5 watt panel to play with too.
Link Posted: 10/26/2014 6:06:39 PM EDT
[#16]
The panel puts out 7.8v in direct sun with the sun very low in the sky. I need to check at noon, but I won't be home again until next weekend.

The panel fed directly into the batteries in series. No circuitry at all. The nicad batteries are 1.2v each. I think they terminate around 1.33v.  5.32v.

I have no idea the miliamps the panel can put out. Do I measure in series with a battery charging?
Link Posted: 10/26/2014 6:48:00 PM EDT
[#17]
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Quoted:
The panel puts out 7.8v in direct sun with the sun very low in the sky. I need to check at noon, but I won't be home again until next weekend.

The panel fed directly into the batteries in series. No circuitry at all. The nicad batteries are 1.2v each. I think they terminate around 1.33v.  5.32v.

I have no idea the miliamps the panel can put out. Do I measure in series with a battery charging?
View Quote



Batman, all you need to do is look at the shorted loading current with your DC milliammeter set to say 1 amp.

That will give you a very good IDEA what the panel can output.

Once you have that number, you can take a pilot lamp or go to Radio Shack and get an asst of 1/2 watt resistors.  And some cheap test clip leads...

Use a value of about 200 ohms across the panel and measure the current into the resistors and the voltage across them, in two steps, to make juggling all the wires a bit easier.  


What you want to do is load the panel until the open [no load] voltage gets dropped about say, 20%.

For examp, if the open ckt is 7.8 vdc, then keep loading it in steps with sufficient resistance to bring it to 6 vdc or thereabouts.

Next put your ammeter in series with the resistance and panel and measure the current.

Multiply them together and you will have the wattage.  Easy!

I like to use different panel lamps for the load, like say a number 47 lamp.

They're cheap at R-S and make a nice resistance to load some panels to. The voltage and current are usually on the lamp packaging/card.


If you try to measure the power output of the panel with batteries, etc, in the circuit, all you do is make the measurement more complicated and introduce possible -likely- error.


ETA A #47 pilot lamp is rated at 150 ma [.15 amps] at 6.3 volts.

It might make a perfect load for your panel.



Link Posted: 10/26/2014 8:45:22 PM EDT
[#18]
Imp of the panel is probably around 500 mA if it's a 4W or thereabouts. It has no specs on it?

I have an old Brunton 4.4W solar kit that has a "standard output" of 585 mA @ 7.52V when switched to 6V. I believe that 7.52V is Vmp, not Voc like you measured. It's got a USB port with an output of 530mA @ 5.0V.

Pretty sure you'd need to step the voltage down a bit if you wanted to use your panel with a USB charger.
Link Posted: 10/26/2014 8:54:01 PM EDT
[#19]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Batman, all you need to do is look at the shorted loading current with your DC milliammeter set to say 1 amp.

That will give you a very good IDEA what the panel can output.

Once you have that number, you can take a pilot lamp or go to Radio Shack and get an asst of 1/2 watt resistors.  And some cheap test clip leads...

Use a value of about 200 ohms across the panel and measure the current into the resistors and the voltage across them, in two steps, to make juggling all the wires a bit easier.  


What you want to do is load the panel until the open [no load] voltage gets dropped about say, 20%.

For examp, if the open ckt is 7.8 vdc, then keep loading it in steps with sufficient resistance to bring it to 6 vdc or thereabouts.

Next put your ammeter in series with the resistance and panel and measure the current.

Multiply them together and you will have the wattage.  Easy!

I like to use different panel lamps for the load, like say a number 47 lamp.

They're cheap at R-S and make a nice resistance to load some panels to. The voltage and current are usually on the lamp packaging/card.


If you try to measure the power output of the panel with batteries, etc, in the circuit, all you do is make the measurement more complicated and introduce possible -likely- error.


ETA A #47 pilot lamp is rated at 150 ma [.15 amps] at 6.3 volts.

It might make a perfect load for your panel.
View Quote

A rather elaborate method LOL

I'd just put some rundown rechargeables in there and use a clamp meter on one of the panel's output wires.
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