Post Light

thingiverse

Cheap garden lights are plentiful, but they often feature tiny solar cells and weak LEDs. This design uses a larger solar cell positioned at an angle, where it stays cleaner. A 2000 mah AA nimh battery can endure several overcast days. A high-intensity LED with the color of your preference adds a personal touch to the light. Due to inconsistent post sizes, adjust the OpenSCAD parameters to match your posts before printing. Alternatively, print them slightly smaller and trim down two sides of the post tops. PLA was used for the top section and coated with UV-resistant spar varnish. A more durable material can be substituted. The lens was initially clear PLA but was dislodged by an early snow after being struck by a snow plow's slush. The revised design is thicker, has reinforcing ribs on its sides, and is constructed from PETG. The electronics package is fully detailed, along with the board layout, if you wish to create your own. Parts can be ordered from Mouser or Digikey. The pcboard can be manufactured by any prototype house (Oshpark, PCBWAY, etc.). You may also salvage the innards of a garden light. The solar cell was obtained from Ebay. The original cells measured 54x54 mm, but a recent batch from China was 60x60mm. This size can also be adjusted in the OpenSCAD file. I installed two of these at the end of my driveway with a red on the left and green on the right ('Red Right Returning'). It simplifies navigation during dark hours. Enjoy!