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Here's a cactus that lights up when it is dark, MAKE Flickr photo pool member Mleak writes - "First electronics project. During the day, when the (living) cactus gets sunlight, it charges itself up. In the night, when there's no more sunlight, the cactus lights itself with an LED. - Link.
Self charging LED cactus
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Sep 30, 2006 03:32 PM
DIY Projects, Electronics |
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That's awesome. Is there any specific way to get this to work or is it as simple as sticking the bulb into the cactus? Perhaps it works just like the whole potato bulb thing. Any ideas? Any instructions?
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Hey Cathaholic! The cactus itself isn't actually powering the LED, like with potato lights, it's just the housing for it. The solar cell on the front charges a battery inside the pot. The electronic elements are at the cactus' roots, and the wires for the LED are strung up through the center of it (I just poked through the cactus with a skewer). The easiest way to duplicate this would be to buy a cheapo solar lawn light from the hardware store (less than $10), take it apart, string the electronics through your cactus, solder it back together, protect the elements from water (I used hot glue), and there you go!
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I actually just noticed the solar panel, sucks that someone beat me to the correction. Now I feel like a dumbass haha.
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o.O" cute... da cactus still alive?
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This is great. Any chance you can post directions on inside electronics? I already have an extra solar cell from making a solar roller robot and have no need to buy the garden light. What kind of battery are you charging with the solar cell?
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This is great. Any chance you can post directions on inside electronics? I already have an extra solar cell from making a solar roller robot and have no need to buy the garden light. What kind of battery are you charging with the solar cell?
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