Currently, my tank is a bar as most know from my other forums. I have a laptop LED that I plugged into my USB port on my laptop and fed the wire through my bar top and have been using that for a 'moon light', which works suprisingly well. Only problem is that for it to work, I have to keep it plugged into my laptop and have the laptop on to run it. So I thought I would get a 5v wall adapter and just rewire it and plug it in to the powerbar. But of coarse that is too easy.
So I got really board the last few nights and decided to start playing with some broken LED solar lights, like the ones people buy that you put in your garden. My dad gave me a bag full as he kept hitting them with the lawn mower and all that was salvagable was the tops. After a little more destruction, I ended up with a bunch of small solar panels, boards, rechargeable batteries and wiring.
I did some tests with running 8 small solar cells along the edge of my lighting and was getting 7volts which is enough to charge the 2 1.2v rechargeable batteries that I hooked up to a clear 3/16" 10mA LED. I am currently testing how long the charged batteries will keep the bulb lit. I know that the batteries charge in less time then my current lighting schedule.
I am also using the board that was in the LED lamp, so It has a light sensor that will active the LED when the lights go out on my tank.
Will it work? Do not really have my hopes up as I do not think the batteries will hold up and over night charge (Currently testing that out now.). But now I can say I tried it. I already have a 5v plug for my powerbar when this fails! LoL
Here are the pics so far of what I have. First pic is the guts of 2 units. Second pic is it hooked up and running without the solar panels.
So I got really board the last few nights and decided to start playing with some broken LED solar lights, like the ones people buy that you put in your garden. My dad gave me a bag full as he kept hitting them with the lawn mower and all that was salvagable was the tops. After a little more destruction, I ended up with a bunch of small solar panels, boards, rechargeable batteries and wiring.
I did some tests with running 8 small solar cells along the edge of my lighting and was getting 7volts which is enough to charge the 2 1.2v rechargeable batteries that I hooked up to a clear 3/16" 10mA LED. I am currently testing how long the charged batteries will keep the bulb lit. I know that the batteries charge in less time then my current lighting schedule.
I am also using the board that was in the LED lamp, so It has a light sensor that will active the LED when the lights go out on my tank.
Will it work? Do not really have my hopes up as I do not think the batteries will hold up and over night charge (Currently testing that out now.). But now I can say I tried it. I already have a 5v plug for my powerbar when this fails! LoL
Here are the pics so far of what I have. First pic is the guts of 2 units. Second pic is it hooked up and running without the solar panels.