Solar Battery Charger

Materials needed:

12 " X 10 " piece of plywood or board

Four solar garden lamps

Two AA rechargeable NiCad batteries

Diode

22 gauge wire

lead solder

Tools required:

Soldering iron

Digital multi-meter

Wire cutters

Wire strippers

Small Phillips head screw driver

Small slot head screw driver

Craft glue gun

Glue sticks

Remove the lid from the solar garden lamp and unscrew the screws.

Before clipping the wires, please note the color of the wire that connects to the positive (+) side of the battery.

In the photo the color of the positive (+) wire is blue, the color of the negative (-) wire is white.

Using the wire cutters, cut the wires that connect the solar panel lid to the circuit board for each of the four solar lamps.

Ensure you leave enough wire to attached to the solar panel to solder additional connections.

Using the wire strippers, strip 1/4" of the insulation off both wires to each of the solar panels.

Using just two of the four battery holders, cut the wires that connect the battery to the circuit board. Be sure to leave enough wire to solder.to by cutting close to the circuit board..

Please note the color of the wire to the positive (*) side of the battery.

The color of the positive (+) wire is red in the photo.

Using the glue gun, attach the solar panels (panel side up) and the battery holders (battery side up) to the board ensuring that the wires are exposed outside.

If there is not enough wire to glue first, then move to the next step and glue after soldering the wires.

Using the soldering iron and extra wire, solder all of the positive (*) wires from the solar panels together.

In the photo the color of the positive (*) wires is blue.

Using the soldering iron and extra wire, solder all of the negative (-) wires from the solar panels together.

In the photo the color of the negative (-) wires is white.

Using additional wire, solder the solar panels negative (-) wire to bothh of the battery holders negative (-) wire.

PLEASE NOTE: Attach the lead from the diode that does NOT have a black band around it to the positive (+) wire from the solar panel.

Solder the diode to the positive (+) wires from the solar panels.

PLEASE NOTE: Attach the lead from the diode that DOES have a black band around it to the positive (+) wire to the battery holders..

Solder the diode to the positive (+) wires to the battery holders.

With up to two AA rechargeable batteries you can fully charge them in full sun within several hours instead of taking all day.

Use the multi-meter to test the batteries and remove them when fully charged. Be sure to use this charger only with rechargeable NiCad batteries only.

PLEASE NOTE: Proper disposal of rechargeable batteries is a MUST as they contain materials that are toxic to the environment.