PV Gap

Bertha Said:

Is a photo cell & and light meter and a solar cell the same?

We Answered:

No. A photocell is a light dependent resistor affected by the introduction of light. Cadmium sulfide is an example. Light striking the LDR causes it to conduct more electricity. A light meter is an apparatus which uses a photocell to give you light intensity readouts.

A solar cell absorbs light and converts it into electricity. It is better known as a photo-voltaic cell.

Caroline Said:

How do you attach a solar cell to a light bulb?

We Answered:

Well, you're going to need a battery. This is probably a professional installation if you need to ask. There are a lot of things that can come up.

You'll need several of them. Have you ever seen the ones on top of school zone lights? You'll need one bigger to supply lights.

You could probably use LED lights to avoid the DC-AC conversion.

Also, if you want main power as backup power, you'll need some isolation circuits. Then you need an AC-DC converter for your batteries.

You can see how this is starting to pile up. This isn't including the work involved in creating fixtures and modifying them appropriately for your house.
Definitely need a battery because what's the point of a solar powered light that only works during the day... NiMH are the most common, I suppose you could use Lead acid batteries. You'll need a smart charging circuit too...

Lance Said:

Can a LED light run itself off a solar cell.?

We Answered:

For a time. Of course, the solar cell is not 100% eefficient, so it will eventually lose enough energy from the system (not absorbed light, waste heat, resistance, etc) to not allow the LED to function.