# cheap solar battery charger



## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

If you have anything that runs on AA batteries a simple solar yard light is a great way to recharge them.
They also are a great place to find rechargeable batteries in a pinch

A thread like this has been done before but I thought it might help someone that haven't seen it 




And just for fun here's another idea for solar yard lights 
These are made to be placed in the yard to shine on the house to light it up at night.
I have one mounted to the inside of a window and pointed at the ceiling it lights the room
up nicely when it gets dark. They do have off and on switch and also make a great flashlight
they are about as bright as a standard flashlight. I also have a few mounted on the house to
light up the yard and driveway. About $10




I used a mounting bracket that is for a flag


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## Ripon (Dec 22, 2012)

So you took an outdoor solar path light and made it a charger for AA's? Or was it a particular light - I'm curious what tech savy is necessary to do this or if its done with certain ones? I have a full size solar panel (255 watt) that I bought in Dec. for $260 delivered (hard to get just one but I managed asking for it as a "sample). It can charge several batteries in the Sanyo set that I got at Costco for 19.99. One afternoon in 2 hrs (already) I managed to charge up the AA's and D's in that set. I've got a little portable stand for the heavy bugger so I can place it in direct sun light and get a good charge on most anything. I had my notebook computer running off it in direct sunlight and it was keeping up - and its an old notebook.


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

Ripon said:


> So you took an outdoor solar path light and made it a charger for AA's? Or was it a particular light - I'm curious what tech savy is necessary to do this or if its done with certain ones? I have a full size solar panel (255 watt) that I bought in Dec. for $260 delivered (hard to get just one but I managed asking for it as a "sample). It can charge several batteries in the Sanyo set that I got at Costco for 19.99. One afternoon in 2 hrs (already) I managed to charge up the AA's and D's in that set. I've got a little portable stand for the heavy bugger so I can place it in direct sun light and get a good charge on most anything. I had my notebook computer running off it in direct sunlight and it was keeping up - and its an old notebook.


 I didn't make it a charger it already was. I just opened it up and used it as a charger. 
when these lights stop working it is usually just the battery is wore out. Rechargeable replacement batteries
are not that expensive at Walmart


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## rickkyw1720pf (Nov 17, 2012)

The solar garden lights make a good way to light up rooms (you need about 3 of them per room) but they are not a good batter charger, If you remove the AA battery out and check the MAH rating on the battery it will be around 350mah, Most AA rechargeable nimh batteries you buy are rated at 2300mah. So it would take about 6.5 times longer in the sun to charge one up. And a 350mag battery isn't much good for running any thing but the mini led light in the solar light.

There are a lot of good solar battery chargers on the market and batteries are to important to leave up to using a solar garden light to charge them. You just are not going to get much energy out of a 2 square inch solar panel.


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

rickkyw1720pf said:


> The solar garden lights make a good way to light up rooms (you need about 3 of them per room) but they are not a good batter charger, If you remove the AA battery out and check the MAH rating on the battery it will be around 350mah, Most AA rechargeable nimh batteries you buy are rated at 2300mah. So it would take about 6.5 times longer in the sun to charge one up. And a 350mag battery isn't much good for running any thing but the mini led light in the solar light.
> 
> There are a lot of good solar battery chargers on the market and batteries are to important to leave up to using a solar garden light to charge them. You just are not going to get much energy out of a 2 square inch solar panel.


 I have recharged batteries with the solar yard light and they worked in a flashlight that took two AAs
takes all day to charge them but it did work for me.


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## StarPD45 (Nov 13, 2012)

Some of the solar yard lights use regular rechargeable AA batteries. No tools required to remove. At less than a buck apiece from Walmart off season, they are real handy.
Some of the larger ones designed for lighting up your flag at night have bigger solar panels and bigger battery packs.


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## Montana Rancher (Mar 4, 2013)

Newbs

BAJESUS (haha that is a word?, auto correct didn't mess with it)

Sorry I am easily side tracked

If you are really serious about a way to charge via solar I don't see why you can't budget a 3 pack of solar panels from Harbor Freight for $150

You get 3x 15 watt solar panels and a inverter, and a couple of florescent lights.

1 of these panels would be perfect to charge 4 x 1.5 volt batteries, you don't need a charge controller but it would help.

Being able to recharge batteries SHTF will be a basic but valuable skill (Watch "the book of Eli") for a great example

Those buck a piece thingies are garbage and will not last past a year.


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

Montana Rancher said:


> Newbs
> 
> BAJESUS (haha that is a word?, auto correct didn't mess with it)
> 
> ...


This thread was more for after TSHTF how to charge batteries and where to get them 
I have a solar set up that does what I need but I still like to see what can be done if someone was in a pinch.


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## Rigged for Quiet (Mar 3, 2013)

budgetprepp-n said:


>


Man, I would love to find these with motion sensors.


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

Rigged for Quiet said:


> Man, I would love to find these with motion sensors.


 Damn that is a top notch idea,,,,,,Wounder how you could build it cheap? 
I gave this man a like


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## StarPD45 (Nov 13, 2012)

Rigged for Quiet said:


> Man, I would love to find these with motion sensors.


Harbor Freight, among other places, have them. From ~$20.00 on up.
I have a coupon from them for $18.99. Just check their website.


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## James m (Mar 11, 2014)

I have done the opposite. I have put batteries in because the batteries died. It seemed to work with rechargeable batteries. The old ones are rated at 1.2 volts.

Had an idea about these solar lights in a garden when a while ago I saw a flower next to a solar light grew bigger than a flower a little further away. So it will grow at night also or should. I'm not growing anything right now so I can't try it but why not pick them up when they are a dollar and put them in a garden for bigger and more plants.


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