LED to come on with battery power when it's too dark for the solar panel

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around designing a circuit that activates an LED using battery power when it is too dark for a solar panel to function effectively. Participants explore various methods to control a relay in this context, focusing on the interaction between light sensors, transistors, and relay configurations.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes a setup where a relay is supposed to activate when it gets dark, mentioning that while it works with an LED and resistor, it fails to turn on the relay, suggesting the need for a transistor or SCR.
  • Another participant shares a link to a circuit that demonstrates how a photoresistor can control a transistor to manage current flow to an LED, explaining the operational principles involved.
  • A different participant proposes that the relay coil should be controlled solely by the solar panel, suggesting a normally closed relay to turn on the LED at night.
  • Another participant offers a wiring modification, recommending specific connections to ensure the relay operates correctly depending on whether the solar panel or battery is supplying power.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants present multiple competing views on how to configure the circuit and control the relay, indicating that the discussion remains unresolved with no consensus reached on the best approach.

Contextual Notes

Participants express various assumptions about the components involved, such as the type of relay and the behavior of the photoresistor, which may affect the proposed solutions. There are also unresolved details regarding the specific wiring and circuit design.

John1397
Messages
189
Reaction score
18
I am trying to get relay to come on when it gets dark outside this works with one LED and 600 ohm resistor but it does not seem to turn on relay I get 20 ma draw when applying 12 volts to coil it seems you need transistor or SCR to to turn on relay. Relay I think was from a TV it's only 1/2" X 1/2" X 1/2"
 

Attachments

  • diode.jpg
    diode.jpg
    33.4 KB · Views: 518
Engineering news on Phys.org
Something like this:

http://www.learningaboutelectronics.com/Articles/Dark-activated-light-circuit.php

This is a great circuit to study to understand how a transistor can amplify a small input to control a device. In the circuit, the photoresistor varies its resistance depending on the light striking it. This in turn varies the current to the base of the transistor. The transistor in turn controls the current flowing through the LED.

Basically during daylight, current flows through the photoresistor line and not through the LED+transistor line and during the night the current is blocked by the high resistance of the photoresistor and instead powers the transistor base allowing more current to flow the LED+transistor line.
 
If you are still there, I would have the relay coil only controlled by the solar panel. Therefore, a normally closed relay would turn on the LED at night.
 
Just change the wiring a bit.
Wire the left end of the relay coil to the Battery "-", not "+"
Connect the left end of the LED to the relay "Off" contact, not "On"

When the Solar Panel is generating voltage it will pull in (turn On) the relay.
When the battery is supplying power, the Diode will block the battery voltage from the relay, turning the relay Off.

Cheers,
Tom
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: NTL2009, dlgoff and jedishrfu

Similar threads

  • · Replies 31 ·
2
Replies
31
Views
5K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
Replies
6
Views
4K
  • · Replies 32 ·
2
Replies
32
Views
4K
  • · Replies 153 ·
6
Replies
153
Views
17K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
2K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
3K
  • · Replies 22 ·
Replies
22
Views
2K
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
2K