An open-source design uses PVC pipe, solar panels and a rechargeable battery to build repairable outdoor lights without grid power.
The Modular Backyard Solar Wedge Light is an open-source design for outdoor lighting that operates without mains wiring by storing energy from solar panels. The build takes a repairable approach to garden lighting, allowing individual components to be accessed and replaced instead of discarding the entire unit when something fails.
Instead of using a 3D-printed enclosure, the builder forms sections of ordinary PVC pipe into flat panels using a heat gun and assembles them into the wedge-shaped housing. The material keeps the enclosure inexpensive while providing resistance to outdoor conditions. Inside, LED panels are mounted on an aluminium plate that also works as a heatsink, while an acrylic diffuser spreads the light more evenly and reduces harsh direct light.
Power comes from an 18650 lithium-ion cell charged through two small solar panels and an MPPT charge controller. The charging circuit can make better use of available solar energy as lighting conditions change. A TP223 capacitive touch module provides a simple way to switch the light on without exposing a mechanical switch to outdoor conditions.
Many low-cost solar garden lights use sealed enclosures that make repairs difficult when the battery, wiring or another component fails. The PVC housing used here can instead be opened to access the internal components, while the replaceable 18650 cell allows the battery to be changed without discarding the entire light. This makes the design easier to repair or upgrade when individual components reach the end of their service life.
The build requires some experience with a heat gun for shaping PVC, basic soldering to connect the LED, MPPT and touch modules, and safe handling of a lithium-ion cell during assembly. The project doesn’t list a total component cost or confirmed runtime per charge, so builders should budget based on the individual parts used. It is also not a certified weatherproof product with an IP rating, so builders using it outdoors, particularly during India’s monsoon season, should treat its water resistance as a design feature rather than a tested specification.
Off-grid solar lighting can be useful for Indian homes with gardens, verandas and boundary walls where adding outdoor mains wiring may be costly or inconvenient. A repairable design using readily available parts such as an 18650 cell, small solar panels and a capacitive touch switch gives hobbyists and campus makers a simple alternative to sealed solar lights that are difficult to open or repair.
By designing the garden light to be opened, repaired and upgraded instead of thrown away, the project shows how simple off-grid electronics can be made more practical and durable using inexpensive, readily available materials.
