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Newbie HELP!! Simple Scematics for Solar Cell-Triggered Switch

junvicute

Jul 28, 2015
2
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Jul 28, 2015
Messages
2
Hi to everyone,

Im newbie and with very little knowledge in electronics (though I can understand its power).

My simple project actually is: I want to build a solar cell triggered switch. To describe it, I have a piece of solar cell extrated from a calculator. I want a bigger system to be switched ON by this small solar cell everytime it LOSES its exposure to sunlight. And Vice versa, it should switch OFF the bigger system everytime it is EXPOSED to sunlight.

On my idea the current generated ON and OFF by the small solar cell is transistorized to drive a relay to switch ON and OFF the bigger system.

I would appreciate any schematics on this and I will be very thankful and happy to do my firs project,

Best regards,

junvicute
 

AnalogKid

Jun 10, 2015
2,884
Joined
Jun 10, 2015
Messages
2,884
What is the "bigger system"? What are the voltage and current requirements? Also, what power is available to run the switch circuit? And, do you nave a voltmeter and access to some resistors?

What you are describing is a simple, small amplifier, maybe only one or two transistors, and there are many ways to do this depending on the conditions.

ak
 

junvicute

Jul 28, 2015
2
Joined
Jul 28, 2015
Messages
2
Hi AnalogKid,

Good day to you. First of all thanks for your response.

The bigger system I am planning is a custombuilt Heliostat. The bigger system would operate on 220 voltage available in Philippines the current I suppose is the value that would run a 1-2HP AC motor.

Now for the switch using that small piece of solar cell, I am planning to be run by let say a calculator solar cell. Thats I guess 3Volts and the current is around 350milli amperes.

The part that I am not sure is how to have a circuit design that should switch OFF when the sunlight strikes the solar cell and switch ON when not exposed to sunlight. It seems not normal configuration to me but I am thinking some tricks in components like transitor etc. would be available.

Any help on this is very much appreciated.

Thank you,

junvicute
 
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