PLEASE NOTE: This is the SOLAR FLASHLIGHT Page of our WebSite. This area outlines Small Solar Panel Products for Your Flashlight Products. After your review or if you would like to review the beginning of our Site, please use the "button" below...

Go Back To Page 1, PHOTON TECHNOLOGIES Flexible Mini-Solar Panel WebSite...

Go Back To PHOTON TECHNOLOGIES Home Page...

PHOTON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
P.O. Box 14457
Bradenton, FL 34280
Phone: 941-795-5225
Email: photontek@aol.com

PHOTON TECHNOLOGIES Custom, High Performance Photovoltaic Products

It is very easy to convert your existing two battery flashlight over to Solar Recharging.

This Page describes how to easily adapt your existing Non-Rechargeable Flashlight into a very inexpensive, yet highly profitable new product. THIS ADAPTATION IS EXTREMILY EASY TO DO.

Our ITF Flexible Plastic Solar Panels do not require you to do any Retooling. As shown below, just mold your EXISTING FLASHLIGHT in CLEAR PLASTIC instead of a colored plastic.

As shown below, just do the following and your plain flashlight, becomes "self-charging" and of a much higher value to the consumer and the retailer:

1-Replace your existing two 1.5 volt Non-Rechargeable batteries with two 1.2 volt NiCad batteries.

2-Replace your existing 3.0 volt light bulb with a 2.4 volt light bulb to match the 2.4 volt (2 x 1.2 volt) NiCad Rechargeable batteries.

3-Add +/- Wire Leads to the two copper (easy to solder!) +/- contacts at each end of the ITF Flexible, Plastic Solar Panel and add a Blocking Diode to the Positive Wire Lead (acts like a One-Way Valve to prevent power drain from the Solar Panel to the Batteries at night or in darkened condition).

4-Using standard clear PVC Packing Tape, tape the two batteries together in series, end to end as they would be installed in the flashlight.

5-Using the same clear Packing tape, tape the ITF Flexible Plastic Solar Panel to the two batteries.

6-Attach the Positive and the Negative Solar Panel wire leads to the battery contacts. This can be by soldering or a simple insert between the battery contact ends and the metal contacts within the flashlight.

7-Insert the batteries with the attached Solar Panel into flaslight housing and install the end caps.

Your existing flashlight is now, "Self-Charging"!

Our ITF Flexible Plastic Thin-Film Solar Panel is paper-thin and is easily attached directly to the replacement two NiCad Rechargeable Batteries. The Sunlight for recharging illuminates the Solar Panel through the Clear Plastic Flashlight Housing for dependable recharging.

Markets:
While one market might be for Security, Military and constant use applications, this is probably not the largest market for such as light. When the user needs fast recharging, he might not want to wait for a small, flashlight mounted Solar Panel to recharge his light. While we can produce Small Solar panels with any voltage or current output with a DC Power Cable for Higher Power "Plug-In" recharging, with the exception of Military Flashlights where "wall" type recharging is not available, many high power demand type flashlights will usually be close to a recharging source, so this might not be the best choice for your market focus.

However, you might want to aim your Solar Flashlight product toward normal consumer markets where the flashlight is used in a less demanding frequency.

Unlike the constant use applications indicated above that need fast charging, most household consumer flashlight uses only require trickle type charging. The typical consumer-use flashlight is only used sporadically for such uses as looking in a dark closet or to check the circuit breaker box. It will normally be ON for a fairly short period of time. It will also only be used on an occasional basis.

This allows the recharging time to be considerably longer and lowers the cost of the solar panel because you can use a smaller and less expensive Solar Panel.

As shown in our drawings, our standard 3.0 volt/40 mA ITF Flexible Plastic Thin-Film Solar Panel, measuring 114 mm x 37 mm, will recharge your NiCad batteries quickly, and in an inexpensive manner. (Our ITF Solar Panels cost less than $3.00/each in production quantities).

We also produce the same size Solar Panel in higher current outputs (up to 50 mA) as well as lower current outputs.

We can also make custom ITF panels in other sizes such as narrow panels to keep the 3.0 volt output, but with 10 to 35 mA output.

Let us know how we may design and produce Solar Panels for your flashlight.

Safety:
A solar recharged flashlight would be a very big seller for the home, especially if there are small kids around that would normally be attracted to the 110 volt wall plug-in rechargeable flashlights.

There are many Rechargeable Flashlights presently made that are plugged into the 110 Volt "Wall" outlet for recharging. While these work quite well, they are also very attractive to exploring small children who might play with them. Not only might the child take the flashlight and discharge the battery, but these lights may also present an electrical shock hazard to tiny, exploring fingers and hands.

As a perhaps safer alternative, homes could be equipped with three or four Solar Rechargeable Flashlights, placed on the living room, laundry room, bathroom and bedroom windowsills. They would always be charged without the need for "plugging" them into a wall socket.

A Solar Recharged Flashlight such as this could be promoted in such magazines as "Parents", "Better Homes & Gardens", etc. as a "New, Safe Light for Families". Perhaps named the "Solar Safe-Light").

LED's for Room and Emergency Lighting:
If the flashlight was equipped with a simple amber, Ultra-Bright LED, it could provide "candle-like" room illumination in case of a power failure without to use the high-power demand primary flashlight bulb. (Much safer than candles!).

Since Ultra-Bright LED's in amber colors, only use about 25 mA, and have an unlimited lifetime (be sure to use a current reducing resistor), the LED would allow the user to illuminate a pathway or read a book at night with very low power drain. For example, if the LED draws 25 mA and the battery capacity is 500 mA, you should be able to get about 20 hours of light from it. This would be great for campers who are lost. or sailors who need to be rescued.

The inexpensive Ultra-Bright LED may be installed within the reflector or in a molded area of the flashlight. This doubles the use of your Solar Flashlight and expands its markets.

Contact Us with Your Solar Flashlight Ideas...
Please contact us for lots more details of how your ordinary Flashlight may be Solar Recharged with very little addional work or expence, which will expand its markets and profitablity.

We look forward to your reply...

Best Regards,

Robert Mulligan
President
PHOTON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Email: photontek@aol.com

Go Back To Page 1, PHOTON TECHNOLOGIES Flexible Mini-Solar Panel WebSite...

Go Back To PHOTON TECHNOLOGIES Home Page...