PV Gap

Kathy Said:

Can i use a solar panel from a calculator to make a laser communicator?

We Answered:

No

Charlene Said:

what can i do with a calculator solar panel?

We Answered:

It wouldnt be worth your time really to try and hook it to a psp. You would have to build a circuit to match the voltage of the solar panel with the voltage of the psp.

one of the few things i can think of would be a model windmill that used a very small solar panel to turn a very small motor attached to the rotor on the windmill.

If you want a solar panel to charge your psp, look on ebay, theres plenty of cheap low wattage solar panels that with a small solar panel regulator can put out enough 12v dc energy to possibly charge your psp

Rebecca Said:

if you take a solar panel off a calculator and hook it up to a micro motor will the motor work?

We Answered:

i would doubt it.. the calculator doesnt ONLY run off of the solar panel, there is an actual battery powering the calculator, not solely the solar panel, it just turns the screen on..

Wayne Said:

How many volts does a small solar panel on a calculator produce?

We Answered:

It isn't Volts that matter if you're trying to put the calculator solar panel on the camera. It would be the amps.
The calculator's solar panel will put out however many volts or very close to what the battery puts out.
If you want you can test it out with a Volt/Ammeter.
You see, those cameras use 2 double A batteries. They are going to put out a higher current than the small dime shaped battery in the back of your calculator; a higher voltage perhaps too.
Those disposable cameras have a photo flash capacitor in them that has to charge. You can hear them charge up when you tell it to turn on the camera's flash. Sounds like a winding then the little orange light comes on. That light means the capacitor is charged.
You SHOULDN'T be able to change out the batteries in the camera with a solar panel from a calculator without having to wait days for that flash capacitor to charge.
Sorry.

EDIT:
HOWEVER, you can take multiple solar panels and wire them in a parallel circuit to get more current(amperes) or wire them in a series circuit to get a higher voltage. If you were to do this you could power whatever you wanted with them. Even your house if you were to get a rectifier to convert the power from DC to AC.

Wallace Said:

calculator solar panel?

We Answered:

Sure. The solar cell will produce a voltage when light hits it. Use that voltage to turn on or off a transistor.