In less than 15 minutes you can make these decorative solar lamps to light up your garden. For its realization, the classic outdoor solar torches are used. The jars used are those that are usually used for preserves. You can use others, but it is important that the lid is hinged, airtight, and has a size similar to that of the solar panel.
Materials
- 4 jars with lids
- 4 solar lamps
- 1 can of glass grinding spray
- a clamp
- A flat head screwdriver
- A small Phillips (cruciform) screwdriver
- packing tape
Process
1. Regarding grinding, it is better to apply it to the outside of the jar, as this makes the process easier. Do not do this on the lid, as the lid must remain transparent for the solar panel to work properly.
Apply the grinding spray from a distance of 10 to 15 centimeters. Do it little by little, since if you do it continuously, small drops will form.
If you dare, you can make some design playing with some frosted parts and others transparent. To do this you can make a stencil (stencil) with adhesive tape. Before sticking it on the jar, clean the surface with alcohol so that it adheres better. When you have the design assembled, apply the spray. Once dry, remove the tape.
2. Disassembling the torches is easy. Use a screwdriver or a thin chisel to pry out the aluminum frame. The wires are in the center, so as long as you don’t poke it in too far, you’re not going to damage anything.
3. When you remove the cover from the frame, you will see three spots that will look like glue. It is a kind of silicone used to cover the head of the screws. You don’t need to remove it, you can just place the Phillips screwdriver over the screws and pull them out.
4. Next, carefully remove the electronic part from the aluminum frame. If necessary, use the screwdriver or chisel to pry it up.
5. Unless you want to re-solder the whole thing, you’re going to need to cut through the aluminum frame to keep everything intact without having to repair the wires. To do this, you can use scissors to make the cut and two needle-nose pliers to bend the metal. If you don’t have pliers, you can use pliers to bend the metal back and forth until it breaks.
6. When you have removed the casing, you will see that it is not anything too complex. There is a plastic case for the battery, a small circuit board, an LED, the solar panel, and a light sensor. The light sensor usually comes off as it is glued. If this is the case, place it back into the solar panel hole and secure it with tape.
7. The solar panel should fit almost perfectly into the hole in the jar lid. The battery and circuit can be pressed into it and secured with packing tape or silicone.
8. If you want your light to have color, you can use beverage bottle labels as a filter. These should not be too translucent. Cut a square about 1 inch from the label and tape it down. Make sure to tape the edges well so that no white light leaks out.
In the following image you can check the power of the light by seeing how the finished lamps illuminate the dollar.