How to convert battery or solar powered lights to low voltage power. Never buy batteries again.
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- čas přidán 28. 07. 2024
- It's simpler than you think. Here I'll show you how.
0:00 Bud/seed lights
7:21 Battery ornament
10:18 Solar lights
The display is made in Xlights and runs both RGB Pixels and RGB strips. 5v and 12v.
The display is based in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.
We've been doing a Christmas display since 2006. It started as a few sets of lights.
Then it grew into a larger static display with basic computer control and now as of 2020 it uses Addressable RGB pixels and strip lights.
You can follow the display here on CZcams and here on Facebook / townshendlights - Zábava
I was wondering if this could be done. I have some solar firefly lights. I dunny want to leave them outside because of the dinner heat would dry out the plastic. So they sit in their box.
Thanks for the video!
Very Nice . What about if I have all my lights with remotes , I have so many of these and the battery packs fails and solars panels failed too . I have a ton of these wires lights that wont work LOL
what common electric devices use that kind ofvoltage regulators that i can remove and reuse?
Thanks for the video. I'm looking for a way to turn AC yard lights into solar. Do you think that's possible?
Kindly share the convertor model please
I'm wanting to convert a battery light to solar. Do you know how to do that?
What is the max input for the voltage regulator (buck converter), I have blown 2 using an AC-AC Adaptor: input 230-240V -50/60 Hz, output 22v-10VA
I suppose it depends on the model you get.
@@TownshendChristmasLights I think I found the problem; you need to use dc-dc adaptors.
Dont you still need a current limiting resistor so LED's are not over driven? The life span will be shortened with out one as the current will be too high.
Not really. The buck converter handles that.
No it does not!
@@TownshendChristmasLights
Please kindly reply with the converter model no...
Can u put the link to buy that power converter that you used thanks
Don't bother. A better way is a 22 ohm resistor in the positive wire.
This video was to demonstrate the concept. Also I released this video in 2022, they are still going to this day. I have them over my mantel and they go all day every day. So can't be too wrong.
I know zero about this, but want to learn this skill. Hate all these battery powered lights. So, why can't you just attach the USB wires to the now stripped string light wires? The voltage is too different? Sorry for the noob question
The voltage is not too different (5V vs. 4.5 V) but if you look closely there is a resistor inside the battery holder. So, you would need at least a resistor to limit the current in the LED string. Personally I use a constant current driver (two bjts and two resistors) so that the string can take any voltage between 3 and 12 volts (even 24v) and keep the same light level (actually below 4v the brightness drops).
@@copernicofelinis wow, nice. Thank you
Where do you find these converters
Jaycar or trade me. There is a place in Auckland that sells then cheaply.
@TownshendChristmasLights what about in the U.S. ? Online ?
Hi I'm wondering if you can provide some advice? I have 1500 led string fairy lights (150m). Solar panel no longer works and I am trying to convert to power. There were 3 batteries with a total voltage of 4.2v.
How could I connect these to analternative power supply?
I don't think that's a proper buck convertor, buck convertors use a coil to transform the voltage. It looks like a simple voltage regulator.
The difference is, a buck convertor takes a higher voltage in at a lower current, outputs a lower voltage at a higher current. A lot like a transformer, except it's all DC so it needs a little circuit.
A regulator like this takes in a higher voltage and outputs a lower voltage, but at the *same* current. The extra power from the voltage is just turned into heat. Hence the metal heat sink on the main component.
The difference in practice, is that a buck convertor doesn't waste power as heat, it's more efficient. And also therefore isn't likely to overheat. It's not a huge difference in practice, though if you were using batteries (eg a home solar setup or the like) then it's best not to waste power.
Both types of convertor / regulator are available cheaply, but the type here is just a bit cheaper. Trust Chinese sellers on Ebay or Aliexpress or whoever, to sell the cheaper one labelled as the less-cheap one. Not a huge deal but better to get the real thing.
Nice video though, it's a very practical idea. I did the same thing, my grandmother used a string of battery-operated LEDs just to be able to see enough in the bathrooom without the light on. They were 4.5V, 3xAA batteries, so I could just cut the wire off and attach them to one end of a USB lead. USB is 5V, close enough to 4.5V that it doesn't make a difference in most applications. So I didn't need a convertor, you could probably have done without one here. With a phone charger, plugged into the shaver socket through an adaptor, gave safe low-power light with no batteries to buy.
In the UK, we aren't allowed mains sockets in bathrooms, for safety. An exception is a 120V "shaver" socket meant for just that, running off a small isolator transformer, so your shaver is isolated from earth. So to get a shock you'd have to touch both terminals, not just live. Same way a bird doesn't get shocked standing on a wire, cos he's not touching the earth. Then even if you did get a shock it would only be 120V, less deadly than the usual 240V. The sockets use an American style socket rather than the usual 3-pin UK socket, to stop people trying to plug in hairdryers etc. Electric razors sold here usually have the American plug on them.
[I know you probably know most of this, but for the benefit of the viewer...]
Hi great reply. Thanks for the clarity on the buck converter vs regulator. Yeah the USB voltage would be fine, really just playing it safe.
@@TownshendChristmasLights Using the regulator of course gives you the added versatility that later you could run it off 12V or 9V or some other source if you wanted to, whatever it's rated up to.
Then there's the opposite of the buck convertor, the BOOST convertor. That increases a voltage (at the cost of drawing higher current). Rather than higher voltage / low current in -> lower voltage higher current out, like the buck convertor, it's the opposite. They're often used in those solar lights, to allow a cheap 1.2V Nicad battery, charged from a cheap solar panel, to run white LEDs that require around 2.7V to light up. You can buy boost convertors as modules too, set up just like this one.
4.5V on LED is massive overdrive, oryginały there is resistor in serieres with LED.
Shouldn't there be a resistor in there aswell to regulate the current? Thought the leds will burn out
You are correct, this is not a buck regulator. It is an LM317 variable linear voltage regulator. You don't need the regulator, just use a 22 ohm quarter watt resistor instead. This will limit the current to about 100mA.
you are over driving the leds, 4.5 volts is too high, thats why there is a resistor in series with the load
I released this video in 2022, they are still going to this day. I have them over my mantel and they go all day every day. No brightness drop.
This is not the correct way to do this; you are overloading the LED's. Don't use the regulator module. Just use a 22 ohm quarter watt resistor in the positive wire.
Do you have a video demonstrating the 'proper way' very interested if so
I get blocked from posting a link!@@austonwheeler623
I disagree. I released this video in 2022, they are still going to this day. I have them over my mantel and they go all day every day. So can't be too wrong.
just because its working doesn't mean the design is correct. Do what you like, but I stive for correct design.@@TownshendChristmasLights
Oh no! This is so wrong. Good idea but badly made. There was a resistor between batteries and LEDs to limit the voltage/current. You are overloading the LEDs if you bypass this resistor. 4.5V should never reach the LEDs!!!
I released this video in 2022, they are still going to this day. I have them over my mantel and they go all day every day. So can't be too wrong.