Outdoor Solar Light Needs Help

[Jack787]

I have a Solar Powered Flicker Flame Lantern that resides in our back yard pet cemetery. It is cast Aluminum and well worth saving if not for sentimental reasons. I would however like to improve upon the design.

I would like to add an external Solar Cell to replace the 4 small cells on the lantern and increase the burn time of the LDD so it burns the entire night. Obviously, a larger external energy pack would also be needed to replace the 2 AA batteries mounted within the lantern.
Am I thinking correctly and if so how and what would you recommend to accomplish my objective.

Thanks in advance
Jack

[Sunking]

Jack do you know exactly what kind of batteries are in the lattern other than just AA? What chemistry are they like NiCd or NiMh?

[Jack787]

Sunking-
NiCd

[Mike90250]

After about a year, the batteries have had 300 or so cycles, and a lot of abuse, and may need to be replaced.
Adding more solar will help, but if the batteries are shot ...

[Sunking]

OK Jack NiCd is good as they can take a lot of abuse. What exactly do you want to do?

If you select the right panel you do not need any kind if regulator, just a diode between the panels and batteries.

[Jack787]

Sunking-
Per my original post I would like to extend the burn time of the LED to last throught the night. I assume more power storage would be needed and a larger Solar panel to recharge the power storage unit (batteries).

Outdorr LED's of this nature only burn for 5-8 hours under the best conditions before the batteries run out.
We have had this Flick'r Candle (LED) for about 8 years now and we do replace the batteries but need more power to light it all night long.
Need advice and leads on what to do and where to get what's needed.

Thanks in advance
Jack

[Sunking]

Jack I think it will take both more batteries and panel wattage. Do you have the specs on the batteries and lantern?

I need to know how much power the lantern uses to determine how much battery capacity you need.. Then match the panel to meet the requirement.

[Jack787]

Sunking-
All I can tell you is that it has:
A single LED
(4) .750" x 2.125" solor panels
(2) NiCd AA batteries
On-Off swith
Photoresistor
Circuit Board

Wing it???

[Sunking]

Can you look at the NiCd and see if there is anything like a model number or says something like 2000 mah?

[Jack787]

Sunking-
The original batteries are long gone. I just purchased another lantern and the new batteries in this identical unit are 600MAH.
The battery shows NI-CDAA600MAH 1.2V

I have used 800MAH in the old lantern and have some 1500MAH sitting in a drawer.

I still have a problem with the old cells being cloudy and I doubt that they are charging correctly.
I woulkd really like to go with an external cell and better power storage.

[Sunking]

Jack with NiCd batteries is pretty easy to charge with solar. Using the 2 of the 1500 ma modles would require about a 5 to 10 watt solar panel. Problem is the voltage finding a solar panel with 3 to volt output. Do some GOOGLE searches for solar battery chargers and look for a panel with a 3 to 4 volt output @ 5 to 10 watt range.