Solar pendant light
Added 2025-04-29 04:19:57 +0000 UTCQuite a nice looking light with potential for being hacked to suit your own requirements.
This video is so fresh that the lithium cell hasn't completed its capacity test yet. It's currently clocking in at 770mAh , but has still got some charge left. I'll update the video description with the final test value.
This came from eBay a while ago, but I'd actually recommend searching for it on AliExpress or one of the other Chinese retail sites as it will be cheaper and may arrive faster.
Comments
The three pins of the lamp side microcontroller seem to be doing a lot of work.
Dave Frederick AKA @amorphuc
2025-04-30 07:29:45 +0000 UTCVery interesting Big Clive. Maybe 2.5 to 3 years ago, I got a few of these lights that were similar looking but one of them was exactly like this one. The others were the same lamp and shade design but were dusk to dawn only and work pretty well. One is still in the bedroom working fine, I shut it off when it's time for slumber. I think I got mine from Ali E. I found this one perplexing because half the circuitry was in the lamp end and the other half was in the battery end yet with only two wires connecting them. So, I'm guessing that the PWM parts are in the lamp side with the added functions of the remote. The battery side failed finally after about a year and a half, probably the battery. I had it set up in the kitchen and the solar side was on the inside of the kitchen window so not exposed to the elements. I'll have to dig out the solar unit and take a look. I recently got a spot welder thing so I might have to put it back in use. So very cool that you reviewed this and now my questions are answered. Oh Man! Thanks again!
Dave Frederick AKA @amorphuc
2025-04-30 07:11:31 +0000 UTCThere's no doubt that an outdoor light is a harsh environment for a lithium cell. Especially in sub zero and scorching temperatures.
Big Clive
2025-04-29 17:20:06 +0000 UTCI would be interested in seeing you add on to these videos where you actually test the light as is and then perform a simple battery upgrade and then test it again showing the improvement (illumination duration after a fixed artificial light duration.)
RonNona
2025-04-29 13:55:27 +0000 UTCWeird control design! Very interesting. Question: just how bad an environment is this for Li-Ion cells? i.e. being in a little unventilated black box in full sunlight all day long. Do they die quickly?
Charles
2025-04-29 05:16:21 +0000 UTC
