How to Hook Up a Light to a Solar Panel

If you're interested in practical solar power but can't afford to have your entire home wired to run on sunshine, you might be looking for a cheaper way to experiment with solar energy.

Since the ability to light up our homes is one of the chief goals of modern solar engineers, making your own solar-powered light might be a good place to start your investigation into solar energy.

Things You'll Need

• Efficient direct-current light
• Wire strippers
• Circuit board
• Solar cell
• Supercapacitor
• Insulated copper wiring
• Soldering iron and solder

Instructions

1. Expose the wire that carries power to your light, and cut and strip the ends of it in preparation for connection to your solar circuit.

2. Mount your solar cell and supercapacitor to the circuit board, and solder short wires between the solar cell's terminals and the supercapacitor leads, positive to positive and negative to negative.

3. Solder short insulated copper wires from the connection points between the solar cell and the supercapacitor to the wires of the light, positive to positive and negative to negative.

4. Put your light somewhere the solar cell can get direct sunlight.

Tips & Warnings

• Your supercapacitor will allow your light to remain lit during brief moments of shade or even shadow, but your circuit still needs regular light to function.

References

• Evil Mad Scientist: Solar Circuit
• Backwoods Home: Build a simple solar-powered light