Solar cells
We have solar cells in calculators, and evidently even in garden lamps!So lets take them apart and find alternative uses for them :-)
Table calculator tear down
Garden lamp tear down
Test
Results
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Test setup: 60W 230V ordinary lamp (Novaline) in white reflector 36cm from bulb surface to cell |
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| Load | Calculator cell | Lamp cell |
|---|---|---|
| No load |
2.14 V 0 uA |
2.31 V 0 uA |
| Hi power LED |
1.7 V 29 uA |
1.6 V 1.83 mA |
| 1N4001 Diode |
0.474 V 49 uA |
0.659 V 2.7 mA |
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This means that two of the small cells is enough to run an AT90S8535 MPU for 430ms each minute during daytime, if it is in sleep with watchdog the rest of the time and runs at 0.5MHz and 2.7 V. (15 uA sleep/2mA Active.)
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Unfortunately without an RC-circuit I need two of the larger ones to, to build anything with an AVR 8535. But it will be able to run almost all the time :-)
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But I guess the solar powered projects won't be the drink mixing robot or the automated waffle-iron ;-). Maybe a robot that patiently waits for a month, and then does something with surprising energy for 6 seconds :-) |