Solar charger

Hi,
In this step-by-step guide i'm about to teach you how to design and build a simple solar charger.


What you'll need:

1) Solar panel.
2) Adjustable Boost Converter Charger Module.
3) Electrical Wires.
4) USB female cable.
5) A box.
6) Recommended  - portable USB charger, a cord, led.
7) Soldering Tin.
8) Duct tape.


Tools:

1) Plier.
2) Soldering iron.
3) Hot glue gun.
4) A knife.
5) Tweezers.
6) Voltmeter.

Step 1: Attaching wires to the panel

Solder electrical wires to the solar panel (Red to +, black to -).
Cover it with the duct tape. 

Step 2: Adjusting

Connect a power source to the charger module and a voltmeter to the output of it. Now adjust the module to 5v output.
connect the panel to the module (to the input).

Step 3: Connecting USB

Cut the USB cable and then solder the + cable to the + output in the module and the - cable to the - output.

Step 4:

Mark on the top of the box the size of the solar panel.
Cut near the borders that you've marked so the hole is a bit smaller than the panel.

Step 5:

Use hot glue to glue the panel to the hole.
Now glue the other parts to the bottom of the box so they wont move, in the side make a hole as big as the USB cable.

* I recommend gluing the USB output well so sand and dirt wont come in.

**If you had cotton wool in the box i recommend putting it between the panel and the bottom it will also help preventing the parts moving.

Step 6: Finished!!

Now you can test your charger.

Step 7: Recommended additions

* If you like to you can add a led to the module output so you'll know when its working.

** If your box is big enough you can add a portable charger instead of the USB output so power wont be wasted, that way you'll be able to use it even when the solar panel is not exposed to light.

*** I added a small loop to the side of the box so i will be able to hang the charger when driving the car, going on camping etc.