Solar LED Lanterns by Shuji Nakamura, | |
| Prepare the Lantern Lid 1. Punch or drill a hole in the center of the lid and one off to one side 2. Rivet the battery holder to the inside of the lid through the center hole. The washer is placed on the outer side of the lid. Pull the rivet from the outer side of the lid toward the inner side. Insert the battery 3. Expand the side hole to the size of the switch. Insert the switch 4. Punch or drill two more holes on the other side. Run a thin (22 guage) solid core red wire through one hole and a similar black wire through the other one. These wires will connect the solar panel to the inside of the lantern | |
| Wire six LEDs in Parallel 5. Bend the positive LED prongs (anodes) to a right angle away from the negative LED prongs (cathodes). The positive prongs are the longer ones. The negative prongs are the shorter ones which emerge from near the flat edge of the epoxy lens case 6. Solder the LEDs together in parallel, anode to anode, cathode to cathode. This is the most difficult part. It helps to position the prongs over an imaginary upside down cone, such that the positive prongs form a circle around the base and the negative prongs meet at the tip | |
| Connect the Red Side 7. Solder the resistor between one of the prongs of the switch and the positive (long) LED prongs 8. Solder the positive (red) wire from the battery holder and the high end of the diode to the other prong of the switch. The high end of the diode has a gray stripe 9. Solder the other, the low, end of the diode to the red wire running through the lid 10. Solder the positive (+) side of the solar panel to the other end of this red wire. | |
| Connect the Black Side 11. Solder the negative (-) side of the solar panel the black wire running the lid, like you did with the red one 12. Solder the other end of this black wire and the negative (black) wire from the battery holder to the negative (short) LED prongs | |
| Finish the Lantern 13. Secure the solar panel to the outside of the lid and fill the holes with adhesive sealant 14. Apply electrical tape to any exposed wire and over the battery coating 15. Flip the switch | |
| Place the Lantern 16. Put the lantern in something | |