SOLAR
         CHARGER
	Push-Pull Cct
 
         
         0.5v @ 200mA solar cells
         $2.50
         each 
         0.5v @ 100mA solar cells
         $1.50
         each 
         Order the solar cells from Talking Electronics
	
 These are the pages on SOLAR CHARGERS:
				
	
 
 
 
 
 
 
 In an effort to increase the 
	efficiency of our Solar Charger Circuit, we decided to produce a PUSH-PULL 
	arrangement. This involves two transistors. Each transistor is in 
	common-emitter mode driving a 50 turn coil with the feedback coming from the 
	opposite 50 turn winding. 
	If you look at the circuit you will find it is exactly the same as the Solar 
	Charger circuit, with two transistors in mirror arrangement. 
	We tried the circuit and all sorts of variations but it did not work with a 
	solar panel. It did not produce a charging current to a 12v rechargeable 
	battery.
	
	THIS CIRCUIT DID NOT WORK 
	
	One of the transistors was removed and we got a circuit very 
	similar to our Solar Charger. It produce a good charging current from a 3v 
	solar panel. 
	
	
	
	THIS CIRCUIT WORKS 
	
	Sometimes an idea will work and sometimes it 
	doesn't. That's why electronics is so challenging. 
	
	EFFICIENCY
	It is very difficult the provide any sort of efficiency with this type of 
	circuit as it is heavily loading the panel and producing a voltage to charge 
	a 12v battery, something that could not be done otherwise.
	The solar panel we tested had a open-circuit voltage of 3.2v and this 
	dropped to 2.4v under load. 
	The short-circuit current was 100mA but it delivered only 50mA to the 
	circuit and this provided 8mA charging to the battery. 
	A solar panel with the same areas of cells had a terminal voltage of 22v and 
	charged the battery at 40mA. 
	This proves direct-connection is much more efficient but if you don't have 
	the number of cells to produce the "voltage-head," this project is an 
	alternative. 
 
	     
     