Introduction
The Solar USB 2.0 Kit is a great way to create a simple solar powered USB charger. The project requires a bit of simple soldering, but can easily be completed by someone who has never soldered before.
- The printable PDF has some updates to reflect the new USB circuit that we're using.
Parts
Featured Document
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Strip the ends of all wires. This includes the battery holder.
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Solder the diode to the + (Positive) solder point on the Solar Cell.
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Note: The Diode has a black bar on one side. That side goes to the wire, non black bar side to the Solar Cell.
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Twist one end of your red wire around the other side of the diode. Solder into place.
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Snip off excess parts of the Diode legs.
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Thread the wire through the "Top" laser cut wood part.
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Twist the Red wire from the solar cell together with the Red wire from the battery holder.
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Solder both wires to the middle pin on the switch.
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Solder your other piece of Red wire to either of the outside legs.
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Solder the Red wire coming off the switch to the Positive terminal on the USB Circuit.
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Solder your Black wire to the Negative side of the solar cell.
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Thread it through the "Top" wooden piece.
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Twist the Black wire from the Solar Cell together with the Black Wire from the Battery Holder.
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Solder the two black wires to the Negative terminal on the USB Circuit.
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Move the small white switch so that it is closest to the black wire.
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Snip off the White and Red LEDs. (They're useless in this project.)
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Using a screw driver, assemble the body.
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Use double sided tape to hold down the USB circuit and battery holder.
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Close up the box and secure the solar cell to the top using tape.
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The batteries included in the kit may be dead. Use a wall charger to quickly charge them up.
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Or use some regular AAs for a quick test, though NEVER try to solar charge regular AA batteries.
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Check out the diagrams in this step if you're worried you missed something.
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The solar cell on this charger is weak and it may take a couple of days to charge up your internal batteries all the way.
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