I am attempting to utilize the solar panel and/or LDR of solar garden light to turn off a 12 volt dc circuit.
I am reutilizing the case of the garden light to insert a 12 volt, 60 mA circuit and would like to use either the solar panel and/or light detecting resistor to turn off the circuit during the day. I tried using the LDR first with an NPN transistor and NPN Darlington but it would only decrease the current from 60 mA to around 30 mA. I then starting working with the 3 volt, 30 microamp solar panel with a PNP transistor, but couldn't drive the transistor into saturation with the panel.
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.
Jeff
I am reutilizing the case of the garden light to insert a 12 volt, 60 mA circuit and would like to use either the solar panel and/or light detecting resistor to turn off the circuit during the day. I tried using the LDR first with an NPN transistor and NPN Darlington but it would only decrease the current from 60 mA to around 30 mA. I then starting working with the 3 volt, 30 microamp solar panel with a PNP transistor, but couldn't drive the transistor into saturation with the panel.
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.
Jeff