SOLAR Bank!
Introduction: SOLAR Bank!
This is the SOLAR BANK which is essentially a power bank that has a solar panel inbuilt.
This Solar Bank setup is capable of providing 5V 200mA which can be used to charge a Li-ion cell. we can then use this Setup to power something big like an Arduino for example.
My goal was to make a Power source for powering my Previous Arduino projects with some solar twist. 267
The twist here would be a self-sufficient power source capable of charging itself without using wall adaptors.
Now the working of this Solar bank is super simple, I used a 3.7V 2200mAh Li-ion Cell which is connected to a Boost module that is based around IP5306.
This IP5306 is a power management IC that boosts 3.7V into 5V 2A.
I added this module in a custom 3D printed the enclosure and made a super handy power bank that is capable of providing 5V to any Arduino-like board.
This Instructables is gonna be about the whole building process of this Solar Power Bank so let's get started!
Supplies
I used the following things in this build-
* Solar Panel 5V/200mA (got from PCBWAY Giftshop)
* Lithium Cell 3.7V 2200mAh
* IP5306 BOOST MODULE
* Rocker Switch
* 10mm LED
* DC jack
* 3D Printed Enclosure - Body and Lid
Step 1: SOLAR PANEL Working
Solar Panels are basically a cluster of photovoltaic cells that convert the sun’s energy into electricity.
These photovoltaic cells each convert the sun's energy into electric energy, but each cell can outputs from 0.4V to 1V depending on the type and we can get desirable current by reducing its size.
As for its working principle, Photovoltaic cells are sandwiched between layers of semiconducting materials such as silicon. Each layer has different electronic properties that energize when hit by photons from sunlight, creating an electric field.
This is known as the photoelectric effect and it’s this that creates the current needed to produce electricity.
To get 5V, these cells are connected in series and then in parallel for getting a decent current rating.
Do check out this amazing article about the in-depth working of solar cells.
https://circuitglobe.com/photovoltaic-or-solar-cell.html
Step 2: Getting the Right Solar Panel
As for the Solar Panel that I'm using in this build, I got this panel from PCBWAY's Giftshop that you guys can check out.
Their Giftshop contains all the major components that include dev boards, different kinds of sensors, and even stuff like the solar panel module that I'm using.
The Module that I'm using has 10 solar cells connected in series so I'm guessing each can output 0.5V, then this line is in parallel with another 10 cells so that would mean each line is of 5V 100mA so two lines would make 5V 200mA.
Step 3: Boost Module - IP5306
What exactly are Boost Modules? and where we should use one.
A Boost Module is basically a circuit that increases the voltage fed to it through its input side and outputs an increased voltage which is being boosted by an onboard inductor, a semiconductor switch, capacitor, and a diode.
We need to use Boost modules in situations where the source is 3.3V but we need to feed the device 5V.
By using a Boost module, we can easily step up this 3.3V into 5V so the device can run without any issue.
Here's a wonderful article written on this topic which you can check out to know more about the working of the boost module. https://components101.com/articles/boost-converter...
What I'm gonna use is a powerful Boost module circuit which is based around IP5306 which is a Power Management IC generally used in Powerbanks and mobile devices.
IP5306 is a fully-integrated multi-function power management that comes in the SoC package.
It has an internal Boost Converter setup along with a proper Li-ion Battery charge management setup that has a low discharge and high charge cut feature which is a must-have function when working with Li-ion cells.
Li-ion cells are dangerous if overcharged so we generally use a BMS Module to cut off its voltage when attached to any charging source, IP5306 has this function which means we dont have to attach any Battery protection setup with it.
Also, we get battery status LED Indication feature.
It can boost the Voltage of any cell from 2.8V ~ 3.7V to 5V 2A. 267