Found this in my yard - Please help - anyone can help identify

Thread Starter

ewibolo

Joined Jul 10, 2016
1
Hi all, just created an account. I found this in my yard today. Can anyone identify what this is? The led flashed once. It is mounted on that roughly 1/4" board and stuck on a white round "pillow". Any thoughts as to what this is?
IMG_1524.JPG
 

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,619
With apologies to Phil Harris!:eek:

While I was walking down the beach one bright and sunny day
I saw a great big wooden box a-floatin' in the bay
I pulled it in and opened it up and much to my surprise
Ooh, I discovered a boom-boom-boom, right before my eyes

And than I took it home with me to give it to my wife
But this is what she hollered at me as I walked in the door
Oh, get outta here with that boom-boom-boom, and don't come back no more
Max.;)
 

ian field

Joined Oct 27, 2012
6,536
Hi all, just created an account. I found this in my yard today. Can anyone identify what this is? The led flashed once. It is mounted on that roughly 1/4" board and stuck on a white round "pillow". Any thoughts as to what this is?
View attachment 108974
The PCB looks like a typical solar garden light - it probably flashed when you cast a shadow over the solar panel, they sense the current from that to turn the LED off during daylight.

Some types have a colour changing LED that needs 4V - you could probably use the inverter to charge a supercapacitor to run a few TTL chips for short periods.
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
That's an odd configuration but otherwise looks just like a solar garden light as noted. Ask your neighbors. I've had some of my lights vandalized at night. Teenagers of whoever are drawn to the light like moths and kick them across my yard. This object may have come from a neighbor's yard.
 

#12

Joined Nov 30, 2010
18,224
Here's a strange idea: That flotation part might indicate this is a pretend buoy so you can race your RC boats around the marked race course in your swimming pool.:D
Some types have a colour changing LED that needs 4V
I see an inductor, the blue part is marked, "L1". That indicates it is a Joule Thief or a voltage boost circuit running off a single AA ni-cad.
 

Alec_t

Joined Sep 17, 2013
14,280
Not only a garden light, but a de-luxe one! The electronics are in a clear plastic pouch that is (or was) sealed to waterproof them.
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
This one is a little different. It appears to have a cap and diode to smooth the current to the LED. Not sure why you'd do that?
 

ian field

Joined Oct 27, 2012
6,536
Here's a strange idea: That flotation part might indicate this is a pretend buoy so you can race your RC boats around the marked race course in your swimming pool.:D

.

The local £ store has floating lights that are 2 dish shaped plastic mouldings clipped together.

Bought a few for the 3mm colour changing LED because I couldn't justify making up the Farnell minimum order to buy some there.

5mm CC LEDs seem more common, but I haven't found any lights less than £1.49p.
 

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
Top