Firefly Jar

[spike1947]

Hi

I am wanting to a make a Firefly Jar , I just wanted to know if anyone on here can help me with making it and sourcing the items info as follows .

This is the info from the web site , I will attach a drawing ! :



DESCRIPTION: I'm calling it the Firefly Jar since it looks like a jar of invisible flickering fireflies at night.
This project is a replacement lid for a mason jar. The PCB is 2.5 in diameter with a 55 mm round solar cell on top. This centers perfectly with a standard mason jar and lid collar. The solar cell recharges two 1.2V Ni-MH AAA batteries during the day. At night a P channel MOSFET switches on two candle flicker yellow LED's through a 2.1V LDO voltage regulator. The MOSFET only engages the LED's when the voltage on the solar cell is low and the batteries are above their 0.85V empty state. The LDO voltage regulator is an easy way to ensure a constant LED brightness throughout the life of the batteries.
This would make a good DIY kit since the part count is minimal and all components are through hole.

Cheers

spike

https://hackaday.io/project/8978-firefly-jar

 

[Harald Kapp]

Welcome to electronicspoint.

Can you detail a bit more where you struggle?

• The components you can buy in any electronics store or online.
• You will have to look up the pinouts (pin assigments) of the components in the respective datasheets so you connect all the right pins together (this is important!).
• Use e.g. veroboard to hold the components in place, use blank wire and solder to make the conenctions (talkle care not to cross blank wires to avoid short circuits). Use insulated wire where necessary (e.g. from the battery holder to the veroboard).

The flicker LEDs require 20mA to 30mA at 2.1V. You may build the circuit even without the voltage regulator U1 by placing a 10Ω resistor between the pins 2 and 3 of the regulator (of course without the IC, just use these connection points).

 

[spike1947]

Hi Harald

Thank you for your reply , I am quite new to electronics so have to give me a bit of space here ! , the first thing I can not find is the Round solar cell pack to fit into / onto the Lid .

cheers

spike

 

[Harald Kapp]

Search e.g.adafruit. Or Google "round solar cell".