# Festival/camping solar battery and amplifier

**URL:** <https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/festival-camping-solar-battery-and-amplifier/7155>\
**Category:** Projects\
**Created:** [23 August 2017 22:13 UTC](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/festival-camping-solar-battery-and-amplifier/7155 "2017-08-23T22:13:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![tomnewsom](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/user_avatar/discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/tomnewsom/32/2_2.png) [@tomnewsom](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/u/tomnewsom)\
**Post date:** [23 August 2017 22:13 UTC](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/festival-camping-solar-battery-and-amplifier/7155/1 "2017-08-23T22:13:30Z")

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I hacked this together in record time last night.

Ingredients:  
4W solar panel: [http://www.solartechnology.co.uk/solar-panels/fold-up-solar-panels/fold-up-solar-panel-4w](http://www.solartechnology.co.uk/solar-panels/fold-up-solar-panels/fold-up-solar-panel-4w)  
T-class amplifier: [https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/9nm/LEPY-LP-2020A-Amplifier/B00C2P61FO](https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/9nm/LEPY-LP-2020A-Amplifier/B00C2P61FO)  
6Ah lead-acid battery: [http://www.halfords.com/motoring/motorcycling/motorcycle-batteries/halfords-htx7l-bs-scooter-battery](http://www.halfords.com/motoring/motorcycling/motorcycle-batteries/halfords-htx7l-bs-scooter-battery)  
12V to USB converter: [http://www.halfords.com/technology/sat-nav/sat-nav-accessories/halfords-multi-charger-high-speed](http://www.halfords.com/technology/sat-nav/sat-nav-accessories/halfords-multi-charger-high-speed)  
Random wires, buttons, switches etc. to taste

No photos of the build in progress cos I was too busy. Stayed until 1am in the end which is way past my bedtime on a school night these days! So here’s the result:

 ![](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/2X/4/41a5b1afe58ebc10afceef8e5fa5d75835f98e67.jpg)

This is the stable position. The battery is at the “bottom” in this orientation.

 ![](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/2X/d/df0c795714e916863ccc96324fafc0a2a78819ea.jpg)

I wanted to add some legs to prop it up at an angle but pfft.

 ![](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/2X/b/b6c8aa135fac21fdea1ffd1fcb508bd2eddbd965.jpg)

USB sockets by the green light, activated by the switch. Hold down the button to get a voltage reading on the battery.

 ![](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/2X/f/f8d6b441f586c040fc54f72fb472aac5287c0c7c.jpg)

Amplifier controls and connections (I de-soldered the connectors from the amp and re-wired them round to the front). Speakers sold separately, or mount the whole thing inside a wheely suitcase with speaker divers mounted in it:

 ![](https://slms-discourse.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/2X/0/00e26c14897f835690e0df4d9a65a3477bd35fd7.jpg)

(suitcase itself currently in for repairs)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Dermot](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/user_avatar/discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/dermot/32/14757_2.png) [@Dermot](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/u/Dermot)\
**Post date:** [24 August 2017 07:19 UTC](https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/festival-camping-solar-battery-and-amplifier/7155/2 "2017-08-24T07:19:57Z")

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A fast build!

So it powers by sun, then you switch to battery power when not enough sun, or are you also charging the battery?

EDIT: did the panel come with some battery charging control hardware?