Ikea Hack : green lantern ( solar energy )

IKEA HACK: a solar energy green lantern

every night a green lantern turns on out of my door 🙂 …

Ikea stuff (to buy)

#1 work on energy panel and leds: Solviden

Solviden has 5 leds and an energy solar panel. Energy panel box has an internal replaceable AA battery ( used as accumulator ) and a light sensor.
The light sensor :

1st we need to cut shorted the wires of all leds … you have 5 leds :
– 4 leds have to be collected in a knot (cluster of leds)
– 1 led has to have the wire long and it will be inserted into candle (will play the role of candle flame)

 make wires shorted :

4 leds connected together :

At the end: 4 leds are grouped and 1 led is free and it has a more length wire (will be inserted into candle as candle flame)

#2 Work on candle : Jubla

The 1 led you have with long wire must be accommodated into candle and it simulate flame…
so you have to dig a tunnel into candle.

 I used the tip of a balloon to simulate the flame and hide the led (used as a cap)… see later

#3 Work on lantern : Rotera

Cover the inner surface of dome with a reflective silver foil : we need to have a reflective surface

insert the cluster of 4 leds into lantern  and use  opaque paper in order to close the dome :

cut baking paper in order to have a circular ligth diffuser :

The above image : candle, cap and baking paper together assembled
You have to tinker a bit before you have the wires hidden and lantern assembled. Btw I have hidden all wires and placed the solar panel far from lantern so to be hidden. The lantern lights is on for more or less for 4 hours every night before that battery run-down.