Emilie Meyer
Solar window pane toys, such as the dancing hula girl, have become increasingly popular and inexpensive. These toys consist of a small solar panel that powers an electro-mechanical motor or pusher that makes the toy move. To reverse the direction of the toy, you can change the polarity of the coil connections. This can be done by soldering cut-up male pin jumper wires to the solar panel and circuit board, ensuring that the wires are colour-coded to indicate the correct polarity. By swapping the polarity of the coil connections, the current pulses will push the swinging magnet in the opposite direction, causing the toy to move in reverse.
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What You'll Learn
Deconstruct the toy
To deconstruct the solar window pane toy, you will need to carefully take it apart to access its internal components. This process will allow you to understand how the toy works and potentially modify or repair it.
Firstly, you will need to carefully separate the toy's outer casing. This may involve unscrewing or prying open the casing to access the internal components. Be cautious not to damage any parts during this process. Once opened, you will likely find a small solar panel, which is responsible for harvesting power from ambient light. This solar panel is connected to the electro-mechanical components that drive the toy's movement.
After exposing the internal components, you will find mechanical levers connecting the different body parts of the toy. These levers facilitate the back-and-forth motion of the toy. Carefully observe the arrangement of these levers to understand their function and connection to other parts.
At the core of the toy is a small permanent magnet suspended above a coil of very fine copper wire. This coil and magnet combination is crucial to the toy's function. The coil is slightly offset, ensuring that the magnet hangs directly over one side of the coil. This precise positioning allows for the generation of a controlled electromagnetic field.
Additionally, you will find a small circuit board with a black blob on it. Under this blob is an integrated circuit chip that controls the timing of pulses sent to the coil and magnet. This chip acts as a low-frequency oscillator, driving an open-drain NMOS switch to periodically connect the coil to the negative terminal.
To further analyse the circuit, you can use cut-up pin jumper wires soldered to the solar panel and circuit board. This technique allows for easier connection to a solder-less breadboard. However, be cautious when handling the fine wires from the coil, as they can be challenging to solder.
By deconstructing the solar window pane toy, you can gain a deeper understanding of its inner workings and explore potential modifications or repairs. Remember to take your time and carefully examine each component to understand its function and connection to the overall system.
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Identify the four electrical components
Solar-powered toys, such as the dancing hula girl, have four electrical components. These are:
- A small solar panel: This is made by Putian Weite Electronics Co. Ltd. and is a low-light, amorphous silicon type solar cell. It has the following specifications: 2.0 V open circuit, 9.0 uA short circuit, 1.5 V output, at 200Lux. The solar panel harvests power from ambient light.
- A 470 uF 10 V electrolytic capacitor: This stores the current from the solar panel and provides a surge of current when the coil is pulsed.
- An air core 18 mH (with 300-ohm internal series resistance) inductor/pulse coil: This is a coil of very fine copper wire. When the circuit pulses the coil, it causes the small magnet to swing, making the hula girl dance.
- A small circuit board with a black blob on it: Under this blob is the integrated circuit chip, which provides the correctly timed pulses to the coil and magnet combination. The integrated circuit is a low-frequency oscillator that runs at approximately 1 Hz.
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Test the solar panel
To test the solar panel of a solar window pane toy, you will need to deconstruct the toy and separate the solar panel from the other components. You can then perform the following tests:
Using a Multimeter
A multimeter is a tool that measures the voltage, current, and resistance of an electrical circuit. To use a multimeter to test your solar panel, follow these steps:
- Set the multimeter to DC voltage mode.
- Connect the multimeter to the solar panel by attaching the red lead to the positive terminal and the black lead to the negative terminal of the solar panel.
- Place the solar panel in direct sunlight or illuminate it with an incandescent bulb.
- Read the voltage and current measurements on the multimeter.
Using an I-V Curve Tracer
An I-V curve tracer measures the current and voltage output of a solar module in various conditions. Here's how you can use it to test your solar panel:
- Connect the I-V curve tracer to the solar panel according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Place the solar panel in direct sunlight.
- Install the IRR2-BT irradiance meter according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Run the I-V curve test. The tracer will create a graph displaying the current and voltage output.
- Analyze the graph to determine if the solar panel is performing within its specifications.
Testing Under Different Conditions
You can also test the solar panel under different conditions to understand its behaviour:
- Take measurements of the overall circuit without the swinging magnet.
- Power the circuit from a DC power source or illuminate the solar panel with an incandescent bulb.
- Observe the voltage and current values under these different conditions.
Additional Considerations
- It is recommended to colour-code the jumper wires when connecting the solar panel to a breadboard. Green for negative (ground), orange for positive, and white for the coil connection (output).
- Ensure that the polarity of the coil connections is correct. Swapping the connections will cause the current pulses to push the magnet in the wrong direction.
- If you plan to connect multiple solar panels in series or parallel to increase power output, ensure that the panels are compatible and follow the appropriate guidelines.
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Understand the circuit
Solar window pane toys, like the dancing hula girl, are a great example of how solar power can be used to create fun and inexpensive novelties. These toys consist of a small solar panel that harvests power from ambient light and an electro-mechanical "motor" that makes the toy move.
To understand how these toys work, let's take a closer look at the circuit inside. There are four main electrical components:
- A small solar panel: This is the power source for the toy. It converts sunlight or ambient light into electricity to drive the motor.
- A 470 uF 10 V electrolytic capacitor: This component stores the electrical energy generated by the solar panel. It provides a burst of energy to the motor when needed, especially when the solar panel is not receiving enough light.
- An air core inductor/pulse coil: This is an important part of the circuit. It is made of very fine copper wire and is connected to a small permanent magnet. The coil creates a magnetic field when an electric current passes through it, which interacts with the magnet to create motion.
- A small circuit board with an integrated circuit chip: The circuit board controls the flow of electricity from the solar panel to the coil. The integrated circuit chip sends timed pulses of electricity to the coil, causing it to magnetise and interact with the permanent magnet. This creates the swinging or wiggling motion of the toy.
The circuit board also includes a low-frequency oscillator that drives an open-drain NMOS switch. This switch periodically connects the coil to the negative terminal, creating a complete circuit and allowing the flow of electricity. The polarity of the coil connections is crucial. If they are swapped, the current pulses will push the swinging magnet in the wrong direction, causing the toy to move in reverse.
To test and understand the circuit better, one can deconstruct the toy and connect the components to a solderless breadboard. This allows for measurements of the circuit's performance under different conditions. The small wires from the coil can be challenging to solder, so additional steps may be needed to ensure a good connection.
Additionally, the solar panel can be tested independently to understand its power generation capabilities in different light conditions. Multiple solar cells can be connected in series or parallel to increase the overall power output.
By understanding the circuit and its components, we can grasp the inner workings of these solar-powered toys and even explore new ways to utilise these parts for other electronic projects.
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Reassemble the toy
To reassemble the solar window pane toy, you will need to follow these steps:
Firstly, gather all the parts of the toy that were previously disassembled. Ensure that you have identified all four electrical components: the small solar panel, the capacitor, the inductor/pulse coil, and the circuit board with the integrated circuit chip.
Next, carefully solder the cut-up male pin jumper wires to the solar panel and circuit board. It is important to color-code the jumper wires, especially on the small PC board. Use green for the negative (ground), orange for positive, and white for the coil connection (output). Solder the coil wires before adding the jumper wires, ensuring the correct polarity for the coil connections. Incorrect polarity will cause the current pulses to push the swinging magnet in the wrong direction.
Once the wires are soldered correctly, connect them to a solderless breadboard. The breadboard will make it easier to test the overall circuit under different conditions. Ensure that the measurements are taken without the swinging magnet to observe the switching waveform across the coil.
Finally, reassemble the mechanical parts of the toy. Suspend the permanent magnet over the coil, ensuring that the electronics are outside the case. With everything connected and in sync, the solar window pane toy should now function properly, and the figure in the toy, such as the hula girl, should dance.
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