Xmas tree with clean energy
Hello fellas; I am Mehmet Burak Akgün, an Android Developer who likes to do some side projects after work.
In this snack-like Medium article, you will read an article about building a solar panel-powered Christmas tree with lights that never go out.
Unfortunately, we have limited power which is not easy to reach(you all know, because of the pandemic, energy crisis, and wars) and is costly. This year as we felt energy requirements more than any other year, we better turn to renewable energy. Moreover, we also have some clean energy sources like solar panels, wind turbines, and hydroelectric power plants, and we can use them to power our devices. I built a solar panel-powered Christmas tree with a rechargeable battery to support this idea. And this year, I have decided to cut off the regular electric lines(city voltage) and go with standalone use for my lighting purposes.
To power the light with solar panels, we’ll use the following parts:
- 1x Mini Solar Panel (5/6V 1.2W)
- 1x Lithium Li-ion battery 18650 : 3.7V 3000mAh used for this project
- 1x Battery holder & charger : AZ Delivery 18650 V3 Battery Holder used
- Wires
Solar-Powered Christmas Tree — Circuit Overview
The circuit is straightforward. We’ll use a solar panel to charge the battery, and the battery will power the lights, and the solar panel will charge the battery whenever it is exposed to sunlight.
Solar Panels — Battery Charger
I used solar panels with an output voltage between 5V and 6V. If you want your battery to charge faster, you can use several solar panels in parallel.
To wire solar panels in parallel, cut the USB cable and solder the (+) terminal of one solar panel to the (+) terminal of the other solar panel. Do the same for the (-) terminals.
Battery Expansion Shield 18650 V3 is a great product; while charging your battery, you can also provide DC power for your products.
With this setup, you’ll have a built-in lithium battery protection circuit with over current, over voltage, under voltage and short circuit protection. The mobile power supply board have 3V and 5V output to facilitate your requirements and usage.
DC input voltage 5~6v
DC output at 3.3v 1A Output(shared e.g. 1x 1A, 2 x 0.5A or 3 x 0.33A)
DC output at 5v 2A Output(shared e.g. 1x 2A,2 x 1A or 3x0.66A)3 x 3.3V output ports
3 x 5V output ports
1 x USB output port
On power consumption 0.35mA no-load
Off power consumption 0.35mA, battery life 3000mAhr/0.35mA = 358 days
Energy Consumption
There is 1A total output across all 3V ports, so I put a 3V voltage socket. My LED setup uses 500mA to illuminate the environment.
With a fully loaded battery,
Power consumption 500mA, lighting time,
(3000 milliampere hours) / (500 milliamperes) = 6 hoursWrapping Up
This solar lamp is based on solar energy, the clean, endless, and environmental solar panel can convert the sun’s energy to electrical energy and store it in a battery.
The solar panel on the door absorbs the sun’s rays and converts them into electrical energy. The light sensor detects the light intensity and continues to convert the solar energy into electricity and store it in the battery. When night falls, the light sensor(optional) will activate the lamp to provide light.
In Conclusion — solar energy is great, and you should use it in your everyday life.
I hope you enjoyed this project. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below. If you liked this project, please share it with your friends and family. I wish you all a happy Xmas with your families and relatives. Stay healthy, and stay with clean energy.
