Might try adding a 47Ω, give or take, between "SP" buck & TB2-1 to simulate internal res. of SP. Also, when in "charge", what is V drop across R21, to see if were really charging.[/QUOTE]
Now we need to help jenovauh to get his ckt to work. I think there may we a wiring error around BR1.

 

Might try adding a 47Ω, give or take, between "SP" buck & TB2-1 to simulate internal res. of SP. Also, when in "charge", what is V drop across R21, to see if were really charging.

What wattage for the 47Ω? I am using 2W to represent the LED load; will that be sufficient here?

Should the wire to TB6-1 be connected before or after the 47Ω?

Thanks.

 

Let's assume 300 ma from "SP", then W=4, guess that happens in the SP but disipation is spread out over several sq ft. All connections should be after; the 47Ω from TB1-1 to first dot.

 

Let's assume 300 ma from "SP", then W=4, guess that happens in the SP but disipation is spread out over several sq ft. All connections should be after; the 47Ω from TB1-1 to first dot.

Installed 47Ω resistor at TB1-1 and adjusted SP output to be 14.00V at TB1-1; after the 47Ω resistor, voltage is 11.15V. LED on 100Ω load is very dim. DA is lit, DC is lit, DD is off. Voltage across R19 = .047V.

Before your last post, I already made up the 47Ω resistor from 11 pieces of 560 ohm 1/4watt resistors, so it is effectively 2.75 watts. It got hot in the time it took me to write this post. Disconnected solar panel output.

 

Bernard,

Just ignore my previous post. I have done something wrong and don't know what.

 

After all these testing and checking, what do I need to do?

 

After all these testing and checking, what do I need to do?

I don't know what you should do. Just wait and see what Bernard says. I am not sure if my assembly is working correctly or not.

@ Bernard,

I had a connection wrong, which was the cause of the LED across the 100Ω load being dim. I have corrected that and LED is at normal brightness.

Installed 47Ω resistor at TB1-1 and adjusted SP output to be 14.00V at TB1-1; after the 47Ω resistor, voltage is 2.84V. (The 47Ω resistor gets quite hot to the touch very quickly, but is not smoking or discoloring, so I suppose it's okay.) DA is lit dimly, DC and DD are off. Voltage across R19 = .014V. If I disconnect the 100Ω load, DC comes on dimly and voltage at TB2-1 rises from 2.84V to 12.52V.

Do you think I have something wired incorrectly?

 

Okay I will wait for the testing to be done. Thanks a lot for the help.

 

With DA dim, sounds like Day-Night is oscillating, most likley charging is drawing a slug of pulsed current, which would make V readings unrelyable. Might try adding 100 μF from R19-1, 1k, to gnd. Without charging, 47 Ω should disipate about 350 mW. Could disable Q4 temp. by shorting gate to source & see how rest of ckt behaves. Will be back later.

 

Might try adding 100 μF from R19-1, 1k, to gnd.

Tried that; no change. I do notice that when I am connecting TB1-1 to R19-2, DA sometimes lights and sometimes doesn't light.

 

#430, when DA does not come on, is TB2-1 above 4 V ? Maybe we could tame charging a bit by changing R21 to 10Ω, 1W.

 

#430, when DA does not come on, is TB2-1 above 4 V ? Maybe we could tame charging a bit by changing R21 to 10Ω, 1W.

No, I mean as I am connecting the alligator clip from TB1-1 to R19-2, and I bump the clip to R19-2, sometimes DA lights and sometimes it does not. So, I clip it on and if DA comes on I leave it, and if not, I take the clip off and try again.

ETA: I will be away from the computer for a day or two.

 

jenovauh, while tracecom is away, & you wish to ballance LED currents, here is a simple jig to measure Vf's of all LED's.For test contacts, tape 2 paper clips to edge of table with just enough spacing between them to slide in a LED. If wrong guess on polarity, blue will stay on red off, reverse & blue goes out .red on; note V & put in proper pile. When I have several sttings of seriesed LEDs, I set up 5 or 6 piles with Vf's 1/10 V increase with each pile, 2.3, 2.4. 2.5 etc. Match low V with high V to give close to 3 X average Vf. To measure blue LED's, replace blue in test jig with two red's in series.

 

Yes thanks Bernard, I was going to get all my LEDs and measure all their individual forward voltage too. Cause I can see that not all LEDs lite up with the same brightness as well.

 

Hi Bernard, one question to ask while tracecom is away. I had some 1W Red and blue LEDs @350mA. With the current LEDs circuit design we had, if I wants to replace them with 1W LEDs, which part do I need to replace? Thanks.

 

Just about the whole thing.

 

Just about the whole thing.

The whole thing meaning all the LEDs circuit components need to be changed? I am not referring to the charging circuit at all. Purely the PWM high frequency function and replacements of LEDs diode to 1W LEDs beads.

 

How many 1 W red's & how many ! W blue's? 555 might stay the same but I would go back to using 2 pots for duty cycle & period, maybe add another 555 to split red from blue to even out current flow a bit.

 

I was thinking of using 2 strings of 3 pieces 1W red and 2 strings of 2 pieces 1W blue.

The 2 pot to control duty cyle I can understand. But period in electronic term stand for?

Do I need to also change the transistor as each LEDs will be drawing about 300mA of current? How to add a 555 timer to even out the current flow. Thanks

 

I am back...and awaiting instructions.