Need help with solar charger/led circuit

We are trying to use solar panels to charge 1.5v cells to power led's for low level, and low cost, light in primitive homes with no electricity. I have done some research on the net and know this has been done in different ways for different applications, but I am hoping someone can point me to some plans for a simple, cheap build. We are thinking of a single unit on the lines of a solar landscape light, or simply using the panel to charge batteries, which could then be taken inside to power small led lights. Will appreciate any help your experience can provide. I have rudimentary experience--soldering, etc. Thanks for reading. email: raylw000@aol.com

You're probably better off just using the landscape lights. Most that I've seen charge AA type batteries that can easily be used in other devices. They can be had cheap and are readily available.

Solar garden lights don't produce enough light for anything but as an indicator. You can't read a book with one.
A few of them could mark stairs in the dark.
Mine shine all night long in summer but light for only 2 hours in winter after a sunny day, and don't light after a cloudy day.

Two solar garden lights can charge their AA cells all day long in summer then the two cells can be used in a bright flashlight at night for only 1 hour because the battery cells are extremely cheap and low quality. Most of my solar garden lights rust away in 1 year.

audioguru said:

Solar garden lights don't produce enough light for anything but as an indicator. You can't read a book with one.
A few of them could mark stairs in the dark.
Mine shine all night long in summer but light for only 2 hours in winter after a sunny day, and don't light after a cloudy day.

Two solar garden lights can charge their AA cells all day long in summer then the two cells can be used in a bright flashlight at night for only 1 hour because the battery cells are extremely cheap and low quality. Most of my solar garden lights rust away in 1 year.

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I'd suggest getting plastic, instead of metal, but guess they wouldn't stand up to being trampled by moose and polar bears as well...
I always swap out the batteries they come with, 600 mAH(?), greatly improve performance.

Solar panel and a diode is all you need to charge the batteries. An on/off switch could help improve the length of time you get light. Look for the "Joule Thief" circuit, all over the web, several threads here. Garden lights come with all this, and can be found pretty cheap, and often on sale. Lots of people leave them just sitting around their yard at night, but guess you'd be easy to spot, walking down a dark street, carrying them...

HarveyH42 said:

I'd suggest getting plastic, instead of metal, but guess they wouldn't stand up to being trampled by moose and polar bears as well...

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I have 24 solar garden lights. Most were free from my electrical utility company and the rest were on sale. They are all plastic (metal ones are rust-free stainless steel). The cheap Chinese screws, switches and wires on most parts including the wires on the LEDs rust away in 1 year.

I always swap out the batteries they come with, 600 mAH(?), greatly improve performance.

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The cheap Chinese old-fashioned and poisonous Ni-Cad cells have very poor quality. I have used American (made in Japan) Energizer Ni-MH cells for years.

The only moose and polar bears I have seen during my entire life in Canada were at the zoo.

I am willing to prepare an electronic circuit on ROBOTICS using hardware and software components. so i need ideas about how to prepare?will anyone of you tell me the ideas please.......