Solar Garden Light Repair
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ต.ค. 2024
- The LED light in this garden ornament recently decided it'd had enough, so in this video I try to revive it.
*MY TEST GEAR ETC*
Solder :- Multicore & Warton Metals 60/40, 63/37 -- Diameters - 0.25mm / 0.4mm / 0.5mm / 0.7mm
Solder Pastes :- Amtech VS-213-A-TF & NC-559-V2-TF
Bench Multimeters :- Keysight 34465A / Keithley DMM6500
H/Held Multimeters :- Keysight U1253B / U1252B / Fluke 289 / Fluke 28II
Power Supplies :- TTi QL355T / Keithley 2230G-30-1 / EA-PS5040-40A
Multi function Tester :- Fluke 1653B
Electronic Load :- ARRAY 3723A
Oscilloscope :- Rigol-DS2200
Spectrum Analyser :- Rigol-DSA805-TG
Signal Generator :- Rigol-DSG4162 & DG1012
Frequency Counter :- Racal-Dana 1998
Variac :- Carroll & Meynell 8A
Microscope :- GT Vision Research Grade GXM-XTL3TV1
Solder Station :- Pace ST100
Rework Tweezers :- Pace MT-100 MiniTweez
Vise - Hakko Omnivise C1390C
Hot Air :- Metcal HCT-900-21 - 320W Hot Air Station
Hot Air :- Metcal HCT2-200-21 - Hot Air Pencil
Screwdrivers :- Wera & Knipex
Pliers & Cutters :- Knipex -Various Models
Tweezers :- Lindstrom & Ideal-Tek
Scissors :- Fiskars Non Stick Micro - amzn.to/2LByYNZ
Ultrasonic bath :- GT Sonic (6 Litre)
Torch :- Olight S1A
High Temperature PCB Jig/Fixture
Switch Cleaner :- Servisol Super10
Freeze Spray :- Servisol Freeze It
*CAMERA GEAR*
Cameras :-- 2x Panasonic HC-X920
Sound Mixer :-- Sound Devices MixPre-D
Sound Recorder :-- Tascam DR-100 MKII
2x Manfrotto 244RC Variable Friction Arms - amzn.to/2qxzl4W
2x Manfrotto Super Clamps - amzn.to/2PolGpn
Video Capture Card:- Elgato Game Capture HD60 Pro - amzn.to/343Ayif
*EDITING SOFTWARE*
Davinci Resolve Studio 16
iZotope RX7
Youlean Loudness Meter
Handbrake
Adobe Photoshop CC
Adobe Audition CC
Hello John, no matter how inexpensive the item, it is always nice to get it working again. A win is a win. Take care my friend, Regards, Dave
Hi Dave, Thank you. Yes I'm happy to see anything work again if it wasn't working beforehand. Not too happy about the things that sort of worked
before I touched them, then don't :)
Cheers friend
John
Yep a cheap-eeee but having a go is part of the hobby :-D
Water is a right pain to keep out, I had to replace the mains bulb in the old oblong domed glass light nailed to my shed.
it was outdoor sealed but not against H2o lol.
I was thinking clear nail varnish might work as a pcb sealing coat.
For a second i thought you had named your dmm, i thought you said ' Rita' lol my bad hearing again lol.
Always nice to see you repairing things john, better than throwing away like modern society.
Hi Harv, Thanks mate. Yes I think 'waterproof' is a misnomer really. Well unless your in a £10 million submersible etc. Sorry to hear about your light, but
I bet it's great again now aye.
I used to hate having to find water leaks in new cars. You could be in a car all day with the noob mechanic simulating rain with the jet wash and still not find where it was coming in, although most of the time it was front rear screens, or rubber floor bungs that were slightly split during factory installation.
Some do use nail varnish as a pcb coating however I don't think it lasts as long as the dedicated stuff. Perhaps it becomes hygroscopic after while.
Cheers Harv
John & Rita :)
The 4-pin IC in these solar lights is usually the YX8018 or some variant of it. Quite an impressive little chip as it not only drives the LED, but also handles the light/dark switching, battery charging and voltage boost (the NiMh batteries are nominally only 1.2V and most LEDs need at least 2.5-3V to operate, so this chip, inconjunction with the inductor and small capacitor fors a voltage step-up converter similar to a joule-thief circuit which lets a weak battery run the LED for quite a while.
You can increase the LED current (at the expense of battery run time) by changing the little green inductor for a smaller one.
Most faults in solar garden lights are due to corrosion, with the switch being the usual culprit, followed by the battery terminals. Bear in mind that like all batteries, these cells have a limit number of charge/discharge cycles (500-1000 depending on the quality of the battery installed) and if you have them in use all year round, as most people do, then that's 365 cycles per year, so 2-3 years at best before the battery performance starts to degrade noticeably. In the UK climate, most solar lights will fail due to moisture ingress long before the battery gives up though.
You can reduce this effect by applying waterproof clear tape (the kind you use for fixing greenhouses) before you put the light outside for the first time, though moisture will still tend to build up inside due to condensation - if it has a plastic light housing, then drilling a 3mm hole in the bottom will help to drain this.
People usually throw these things away, but it's fun to fix them (though I've picked lots of them up off skips before now and wired the solar cells together to make a phone charger :) )
Yes it was indeed a YX8018 IC. I checked out the datasheet for it actually because once the light was working again in the garden, I noticed that the LED was emitting a violet light amongst other colours, so I think perhaps even 3.8+ is being produced here for this colour. So indeed an impressive & powerful little circuit.
Don't think I'll be increasing the current to drive this thing, as I believe it maybe on it's limit already with regards to run time, either as you say due to charge cycle life, and/or it's position in the garden and the limited amount of sunlight it gets. Replacing the cell is no problem though.
Good idea on the waterproofing.. However this time I've tried by putting a clear plastic bag over the whole jar and zip-tying the opening around a rubber cork.
I don't mind fixing even cheap things really, just as long as they are worth it. I wouldn't for example have tried to repair it if it had totally rotted inside.
Thank you for your comments 👍🏻
Cheers
John
Thanks so much.
I bought a solar spotlight to light up my American flag at night , it stayed lit all night for the first 2 weeks and now it only stays lit for 2 hours after it gets dark i changed the battery but still have the same problem
Replaced a bad solar panel on a lamp last night and also bridged out the switch to eliminate another problem source in the future. Simple repairs like these are still very satisfying and keeps the item out of the landfill. Take care.
Good job there Bill, & I appreciate the comments, thank you.
John
Knowledge about electronics... almost zero. Desire to learn and understand ... very high. This video was great. I don't understand all the pieces and their uses but I could follow WHAT you were doing. This was great (yes I am repeating myself) and your camera work and explanation made me enthusiastic at the end not frustrated because I couldn't understand or keep up
Hi Dianne, I apologise for my delayed response. I really appreciate your kind comments here & I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed the video 🙂👍
Regards
John
Hi, have you any experience in Ebike battery repairs?.
There is a demand for persons with such a talent.
Nice video, I've been doing exactly the same thing today! Have very similar lights. Interesting to see your board, I wonder if that resistor is a zero ohm link? I think I spotted a QX8018, I bought a packet of 10 of these from china and all but 3 were dead when tested on a copy circuit made on breadboard. I changed mine to use two different colour LEDs in series and can get a brighter light with that by using a schottky diode anode on pin 1 and a .1uF cap and LED connected in parallel from the cathode to ground, think that effectively makes a boost converter. Amazing how much fun there can be had by tinkering with these circuits! Thanks for sharing
Hi Jerry, Yes it was just a zero ohm resistor. I was actually using fluxclene on the board to clean it and thought I may have inadvertently wiped the colour code off it, but no.. there was just a single black band 🙂
Interesting results you got there, I'll have to look into it & create a different light display of my own one day with these things.
Cheers buddy
John
A bit of distilled vinegar will stop the oxidation process and after cleaning up I use DeOxit Gold contact cleaner/conditioner and put a drop of 100% DeOxit on the ends of batteries when inserting them...don't know if it helps but like to think so! Thanks for sharing John, I was pretty worried when that IC leg wouldn't take solder.
Good idea to use vinegar Dino, it seems there are lots of general household things that can be used a good agents for various jobs. I'm a bit lazy in that way though and just trust the specialist aerosols to do everything.
When things don't want to take solder like the IC in the video, I just equate it to rusty car panels when MIG/TIG welding, in that if there's any rust, the welding wire just won't bond to IT. You just have to find good metal.
Cheers friend
John
Where can I buy the circular fixture tool you are using to snap the board?
Like the vise you are using to hold the PC board. Where could I find one?
Hi.. It's called the Hakko C1390C Omnivise.. You can get them from Hakko themselves. or the likes of Amazon, Farnell, RS Components etc. Price is about £100
Very helpful. Thank you. In this throwaway world every little helps. £5.00 here £5.00 there adds up if you have lots of these.
You're very welcome. Thank you for commenting 👍
Unfortunately not helpful for me and the light I am currently trying to fix but might be handy on other solar lights I have
Thank sooo mutch for this great Video, please make some more of it. Greetings from Germany from Elke W.
Hi, great video, I'm new to multimeters, can you please tell me the setting to test for a solar charge?
Some tips for testing solar panels.. Make sure the solar panel is clean and free of dust & test it in full sunlight without obstructions. Angle the solar panel towards the sun at the correct pitch.
With your multimeter set to it's voltage setting.. Connect the positive lead of the meter to the positive wire (or terminal) of the solar panel, and then the negative lead of the meter to the negative wire (or terminal) of the solar panel. This will give you the output voltage of the panel
@@OrbiterElectronics Thank you for your swift reply, it was the multimeter dial setting choice I was hoping to find out - Cheers
@@bassdrum3351 I did mention it. You use the meters Voltage setting.. set to DC.
@@OrbiterElectronics Thank You, you're a gent my mistake. DC it is.
Can you show us how to resolder the disconnected wires into the solar cell that is hidden in the plastic?
Repaired one today. Ours are kept in a sun room so don't get moisture ingress but after a 3 or so years the battery must have leaked and by capillary action rotted the red wire inside the insulation. It was off the PCB when I dismantled, so having replaced battery I re-soldered the red wire to the board and the damn thing didn't work. Checked the battery, I.4 V, checked it at the board 0.4V, re-soldered both ends to ensure no dry joints, still dead. I just couldn't believe a short length of wire soldered at both ends would fail like that but replaced it and good to go.
Glad you got it fixed in the end 👍
Great tutorial. I don't have a voltmeter and don't know how to solder but good to know how a repair can be done. I want to troubleshoot a bundle of non-working solar lights so this has helped me better understand the process of elimination.
@@miriamkivlehan3498 Thank you for the kind comments Miriam 👍
Nice fix always good to fix than throwaway - would have been good to see how you test one of those led controller chips!
New subscriber I like your style but is any item you look at ever a SHE? haha
Got to watch out for the PC mob they might do you for sexism lol
>;o)
Hey Garry.. Appreciate the sub, thank you 👍.
No.. all items are 'he'.. That came from my Cornish uncle who called everything he was repairing a 'he' or 'him'.
I suppose if I ever got a ship in for repair that would likely be a 'she' 😁
Cheers
John
Wow, and I catch grief for trying to fix these solar lights. I was excited to find your video and can't wait to try out my new skillset. I know how to test continuity but was afraid to whack off parts and try to resolder. Thanks for sharing!
Hi, thank you for your comments.
Regards
John
D-light solar lantern s500 no power on sir and last miss my hand sir
Most of the time i find that it's the little switch that has rusted on the inside so i ether bypass the switch or solder the place where the switch connects to the board together and change out the battery to an ever ready energizer battery
Yes I've seen that a few times too Keith. The switches are very flimsy and vulnerable to moisture aren't they.
Thanks for the comments mate.
Cheers
John
What is the proper name of your “board-vice”-? Thanks for a great, informative video
Have a look for.. ' Hakko C1390C Omnivise '. They're rather expensive but very handy.
I have similar lights with the same board , but a few stay on during the day .Do you think the 4 pin driver is at fault ?.Also the best thing to do with these lights is strip them when new and spray the board and contacts with white grease , or something like GT85
Yes it's could be a failed diode inside the driver IC. The only thing you can do is change the chip and see. That's if you can get them.
Yes agreed.. Sealing and waterproofing such units innitially would likely make for a longer life, however unless properly factory potted, such things will always be vulnerable to moisture ingress.
Cheers
John
Used solar cell how voltage value is genrate
Hi People, anyone know where I could buy one of those PCB holders @ 6:44 or what they are called, Cheers.
You can get them from Amazon & various other places. Just search for 'Hakko C1390C OMNIVISE' 👍
Hi, thanks for the video really informative. Could you just confirm the lube for cleaning and protecting and what you painted on the back of circuit board for protecting. Thanks again x
Hi Sharon, the stuff used to clean the switch is known as 'Switch or Contact Cleaner', however just be aware that its rather expensive at about £9 for a small aerosol. It's better than stuff like WD40 etc as switch cleaner leaves a protective film over the small contacts after the cleaner has evaporated.
The protective coating I painted over the pcb once it's bone dry is 'FSC conformal coating'.
Hope that helps.
Great attention to detail. At last, someone who obsesses over things to the degree that I do. Thanks for confirming my diagnosis.
Hahaa.. Thanks buddy 👍
30 seconds in, my guess corrosion. Every time I look at these its 85% corrosion, 10% battery, 5% something else like photocell/broken wire, etc. OK, back to the video now.
Yup, they all claim water resistance but these always fail from water corrosion after 1 or 2 years rusting out something. Nice fix.
Hi Scott, Yes it was a sure thing wasn't it. Water is the bane of most things electronic. In my case I think I'm a bit higher up in percentages with regards
to battery failure. My Mum has loads of these things and up to now I think most of them have had failed cells, either leaking or just total cheapo 5 minute workers :)
Cheers Mate
John
Orbiter Electronics Yes, same with my mother. They are all around her house. The Ni-Mh cells are cheap cells that come in these lights. I bought a box of them for sale once just so I had parts and cells to fix other failed ones. I thought about repacking them with eneloops, but the battery would cost more then 4 of the lights, lol.
I had replace the battery and it stays on
If I don’t care about the light and only use them as battery chargers is there a more direct way to wire it?
Yes you could just use the solar cell & the battery. Just search Google images for 'simple solar light circuit diagram'.. And you'll see a couple of very simple circuits that'll give you an idea on how to do it, with just the addition of a couple of extra components.
Here's the YX8018 datasheet if you still want to use that chip...
www.datasheetcafe.com/yx8018-datasheet-pdf/
Cheers
John
Good information, I would have put some sealant around Solor unit to help keep it dry inside that circuit board area.. thanks for your show & Tell
Thanks for the comments Lynard 👍👍
Cheers
John
Hi wonder if you can advise got a string of LED lights powered by a solar panel but they don't shut down in the daytime, there on all the time, any ideas what might be wrong any help will be appreciated.
Hi Steve.. Just in case you don't know, depending on the type, many of these solar garden lights have a small override switch on them somewhere, this can often be set, knocked or stuck (internally) into the ON position, which of course will make your lights stay on all the time.
Also make sure the solar panel itself has access to plenty of bright sunlight (this not only enables proper recharging of the internal battery but also increases the voltage enough to trip the light sensor switch to OFF.
Unfortunately moisture in the circuitry is the biggest issue for these lights, even good quality ones.. Make sure all internal components and switches are bone dry and clean. WD40 is ok to use on these things to help disperse any moisture especially in the mechanical switch.
Cheers
John
Cheers John thanks for your help really good advice 👍.
@@Steve53 No worries Steve, hope it helps get'em fixed 👍
Well done. A wizard would not have your ability.
I just grabbed two tiny solar garden lights from my moms place that were not working anymore.
I'll try to fix them as I generally have fun doing that kind of stuff... if there was just more time! :P
Hope you can get them going again 👍
@@OrbiterElectronics cells are at 0,47V and 0,58V. Little PV module seems to be generating, cables and switch are good.
I'll see if they take a charge again but they might be broken. The cheapest I've seen the 2/3AAA cells here are 10€ for 6 pieces. I'll think about it.
It might be funny to have a regular AAA cell sticking out into the glass... 😅
@janred94 Haha.. Yea I put standard cells in too sometimes. At least they usually work 😀👍
Thank you very much!
Hey. Have you ever fixed a lumier Orb. Looks like new inside the orb. I'd love to fix it. Any help welcome
Hi Vivienne.. I'm sorry I haven't. I not even seen one IRL let alone repair one.
@OrbiterElectronics it's beautiful, changes colour and I've got inside but it all looks intact. No leakages, soldering all in place. And internal reflector spotless
@viviennejones-gs4ge I'm assuming this is a solar powered thing?
It could be, amongst other things..
1. A circuit problem, this could be the hardest to repair unless you have a multimeter etc to test it with.
2. A failed internal rechargeable battery. These do just die sometimes as the cheapest ones possible are often in these solar devices.
3. A bad conection or broken wire in the solar charging part of the orb. Meaning the internal battery isnt charging.
Might just be worth checking those things.
yes these made very poorly 99% of people will throw them away
Agreed.. The poorer ones normally fail within a couple of years, but at their price point they are cheap enough to buy again should they be required.
Cheers
John
How do you change a colored light to white
You can just solder in a suitable white LED. Remember to check that the LED is fitted the correct way around with regards to it's polarity. Then you can use a simple LED resistor calculator, to work out which resistor you'll require for your new white LED... www.hobby-hour.com/electronics/ledcalc.php
We're did you get that solder clamb.. I gotta have that..
Have a look for.. ' Hakko C1390C Omnivise '. They're rather expensive but very handy.
@@OrbiterElectronics thank you
The solar charges on mine but doesn't work and that's touching the battery so connectionis there .but if I charge the battery with a another battery it works for a sort while the solar puts out 1.3v .
Hi, it could be the solar cell that's failed. However just disconnect the battery and check that the solar cell is outputting a decent voltage in bright light. As long as its at least a couple of hundred mV above the 1.25v battery voltage its likely ok.
Cheers
John
@@OrbiterElectronics thanks the solar I think is working as I touch the battery with metere then put it in sun llight volts go up to around 1,3v the battery is soldered in type .
@@justinparkman3585 Perhaps remove the original cell and use a different rechargeable. The original may not be holding a charge anymore.
@@OrbiterElectronics thanks I'll try and get one
Nice job
Very informative
Thanks Walter 👍
What did you use to clean the rust please?
Around the switch I used 'Contact Cleaner'. It's rather expensive stuff but it's especially for corroded switches etc. If you don't have have, or cant get hold of this.. You could try IPA (isopropyl alcohol) as a temporary measure, although this won't have lubricating properties for the switch like dedicated contact or switch cleaner has.
Cheers
John
@@OrbiterElectronics thank you so much for your reply! 🙏
I have similar one which is working. But there’s no battery just using solar power.Do you reckon I will more brightness if I add battery to it?..And what is the importance of adding rechargeable battery to it.Thanks
The battery is basically just charged during daylight hours which then powers the LED for a few hours when it goes dark.
If yours has no battery, it must have a supercapacitor which powers the LED once the sun goes down. There's no need to add a battery its just a different design.
@@OrbiterElectronics but there’s a space for battery 🔋 which I haven’t got time to buy any yet.I will get some later the week to see if the brightness will be different.Thanks
@@Ericohanmu Before fitting a battery I would just check out the battery area & it's connections/circuitry. As you may have a small charging circuit attached if the light can also accommodate a rechargeable cell 👍
@@OrbiterElectronics hi do you mind if I send you a photo of the battery stead tomorrow.Thanks
@@Ericohanmu Not at all.. Here's how to email me.. Just click on my channel name, select 'ABOUT'. Then down at the bottom you'll see an option to email for business enquiry. Send me an email & I'll email you back.
Hi, wonder if you can help.
I have a solar-powered garden light string. Some of the bulbs don't light up, many do but only very dimly. The whole thing is powered by a 1.2V 800mAh AA cell. So clearly there is *some* current getting through. I've taken the COB out and there are no obvious signs of damage/rust to the battery, the terminals, or the solar panel.I have a multi-meter. Is there a set sequence of tasks I should go through in a given order to track down what the problem might be ?
Hi Gary, Have you tested the LEDs themselves. Stick your mustimeter on Diode mode and the leds should light up (albeit dimly if they're white ones.)
Assuming all the LEDs actually work but some are dim, perhaps the battery is not holding enough charge to power them all, & there's only just enough current to illuminate the LEDs requiring the least power. So basically the ones that require more power just don't illuminate.
Cheers
John