This page was last updated on: January 4, 2017
This page created June 8, 09'
webmaster is markusritter@hotmail.com
Malibu Solar Panel w/ photo sensor
powers eight LED's
inside a Fresnel Lens from the Davis Mega Light.
Makes great light for mooring in a designated anchorage.
Intermatic Inc. Malibu Solar Light model #LZ635 UPC 7827510118, Comes with four lamp fixtures, & four cords for attaching to the single solar cell with photo sensitive on off controls. Fixtures in the shade, module in the sun concept. I got mine at Menards in Feb. 09'
Each light fixture has a two LED circuit board and the LED's are in parallel
The back of the two LED circuit board has generous soldering pads for the two negative and two positive wire connections. Normally one set of wires comes from the solar panel and the other set goes to the next circuit board in line..
The four circuit boards easily fit into the Fresnel Lens from the Davis Mega Light.
I removed all the surface mount components on the original Davis Mega Light circuit board as well as the bayonet lamp socket and photo sensor before attaching the wire wrap wires to the correct pads on the board.
I had the unit running in front of the house from the beginning of April 09 to mid May 09' and now (June 19) it has been on the boat working flawlessly and visible from even the Maple Oregon Street bridge a distance of one mile. Next I want to try with individual LED's mounted on a 1/2" PVC pipe every 45 degrees.. The solar panel and cords with special connectors are available as replacement parts, but I don't know where I can get more of the failed Davis lamps at this time or some new LED's with long leads. contact markusritter@hotmail.com
Kudos to David Foulds for leading me to the
Malibu folks and suggesting the Fresnel lens idea.
I used two (0.7 x 0.7 mm) pieces of wire wrap wire obtained from the bead store. Soldered each of the four positive pads together with one wire and ran it down to the depopulated circuit board and then the same for the negative pads. The height is pretty critical.
By the spring of 2010 the unit spent the entire winter in the garage, but did not work when I tried it in June 2010. I found that the battery positive terminal did not reach the contact plate due to deformation of the contact plate over the winter. Bending the contact plates slightly allowed contact once again. This was true on all three positive contacts. One may have had some corrosion issues as well.
