These days using solar power as an energy source is a trending topic. We can use solar power to power up many household items effectively while saving our money. Powering up small LED bulbs (DC BULBS) using solar power is a very simple application. This system is mostly used for education purposes by students. let’s try to build up this simple circuit before going for any advance solar system.
You only need a few items to make this circuit. therefor you don’t have to spend a lot of money.
The items you need to build this circuit
- Solar panel
- Led Bulbs
- Wire
How to select a solar panel
Choosing a solar panel is the hardest thing to do in this circuit. You must select your solar panel according to the number of bulbs you use and the voltage of your bulb. If you are using a 3v LED bulb then you can use a 3v solar panel. If you are using 4 LEDs of 3v then you have to select a 12v solar panel.
Always try to maintain the voltage of your solar panel and voltage of your bulb the same. If the voltage of the solar panel is higher than the voltage of the bulb, the bulb will burn out.
You can use the Voltage Controller (DC REGULATOR) to lower the output voltage of your solar panel.
If the voltage of the bulb higher than the solar panel output power the bulb will light up less.
How to select LED bulbs
When you are selecting LED bulbs, you can easily attach it to your solar panel circuit if you have chosen It matched with your solar panel voltage. Otherwise, you have to use a voltage controller as mentioned above.
If you have a pre-purchased solar panel, you need to adjust the voltage of the solar panel to match your LED bulbs’ total voltage.
Example:
If you are buying 3v LED bulbs and you already have a 12v solar panel then you have to series 4 LED bulbs together or use a voltage controller to the solar panel. otherwise, the bulb will burn out.
How to light LED bulbs with solar panel?
To create this simple solar panel circuit you only need a solar panel, LED bulbs, and wire as I mentioned above. Let’s look at how to build this circuit.
First, get the solar panel and connect two electric wires to the solar panel. Make sure to connect the positive end of the solar panel to the positive end of the LED bulbs and, a negative end of the solar panel to the negative end of the LED bulb through connecting wires.
“ Most of the time the terminal will be marked by the positive and negative sign. Some times the terminal has wires. The positive wire will be red or brown and the negative wire will be blue or black. ”
“ The positive terminal of the LED bulb is longer lead. The negative terminal of the LED bulb is shorter lead. ”
If you are using Voltage Controller to lower the voltage of the solar panel make sure to connect it to the wire between the solar panel and LED bulbs.
Can we light these LED bulbs at night?
Using this method you can not light LED bulbs at the night. This solar circuit can only light your bulbs during the day time. This is because solar panels can only generate electricity during the day time, so the solar panel does not generate electricity during the night.
If you want to light these bulbs at night, you can use a battery. By using a battery, you can store the electricity you get from your solar cell during the day and use it as an electricity power at night.
For making this circuit first you have to connect a solar panel to the battery through the charging controller. Then connect it to the bulb through the voltage controller.
What type of battery you can use
You can use a 12v or 3v battery as your requirement. It’s better if you can use a 3v rechargeable battery for 1 LED and 12v rechargeable battery for a couple of LEDs. The time duration you can light the bulb depends on the AMPERAGE (AH) of the battery.
We recommend, for a single LED bulb for 3.5 (Ah) rechargeable battery and a couple of LED bulb (12 pcs) for 12 (Ah) rechargeable battery.
What is a solar charge controller
When you are charging your battery using a solar panel you should not overcharge it otherwise battery can get damage. You can use a charge controller to prevent overcharging. Use a good charging controller to have a long battery life. Connect this charging controller between the solar panel and battery.
What is the lifetime of a solar system?
Normally the solar system has a longer lifespan than you think. This mainly depends on the equipment you are using to build up your solar system. If you make this system with good quality items you can have a highly efficient system. For genuine items, you can get at least 10 years of warranty.
If you use a battery for later use, the battery lifespan also depends on battery quality. If you use a battery like lithium, you can use it for a long time. When you are installing a battery to store energy from solar power. select a good quality suitable battery for your system at the beginning. because you have to spend a considerable amount of money to buy a battery.
How to maintain this system?
This system does not require regular maintenance. But it’s wise to check your system from time to time. Because if your inverter coated with dust it can overheat your inverter. And also dust and humidity cause corrosion of the wiring.
| Conclusion |
This solar circuit is mostly used for school activities. It is better to use this to improve knowledge about the technical side of solar panels than to use it for your daily work. Because considering the time and money, you spend on it, as there are plenty of solar LED lights manufactured for your needs.
