Making cheap solar garden lights more interesting. (Laid back video.)

This was a random thing I did very late at night. It was an idea to improve some cheap coloured globe lights with little LED trees inside.
The project also included a little LED tester/comparer that doubles up as a neat little USB ornament that runs at very low current.
Here's the listing I've just ordered some concave lens LEDs from. They're the type used in Christmas lights for all-round viewing.
www.ebay.co.uk...
If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:-
www.bigclive.co...
This also keeps the channel independent of KZbin's advertising algorithms allowing it to be a bit more dangerous and naughty.

[@mozkitolife5437]

How did I watch a 37 minute video of a guy upgrading a garden light? Clive is so calming.

[@AegeanEpiphany]

Pure meditation, the soothing flow of on the fly hacking and improv... plus the mellow lilt of the Scottish commentary

[@cewaffles]

Yes, he is.

[@RobertShrimpton]

I literally had a snooze during this - aided by a large glass of wine of course.

[@macelius]

tbh i've always thought of messing with these, i've upgraded the batteries, but never the leds themselves.

[@empathicallyyours4937]

When I'm working on some pro jacked , that voice inside of my head, sounds just like you,

[@StarkRG]

"This has all gone very slightly wrong." I need that on a t-shirt.

[@olmostgudinaf8100]

"Unreasonable force always wins" is another one.

[@DJ_Cthulhu]

This has all gone very slightly worng 😏

[@thecatofnineswords]

Merch ideas for Clive Fans :)

[@antreaskonstantinou8585]

Do people saying they need specific phrases in T-Shirts actually buy them?

[@mcomiskey7]

Not often.

[@yazajin]

I like the laid back format like this and the clock building kit from a while back. I don't know how many I speak for, but I'd like to keep seeing more little projects with a relaxing edutainment angle like this.

[@tncorgi92]

Same here. I actually ended up buying the clock kit. It didn't work but the assembly part was fun.

[@ColinTimmins]

I love watching these videos at night before bed. I could watch them forever...

[@fluffycritter]

I will never fail to be charmed by “Light coming back, watch your eyes” said to those of us watching on a screen where all the brightness is already limited by the camera’s exposure settings

[@BloodAsp]

I appreciate it, it makes much more of an impact when on an oled screen in the dark, so it literally does produce more light when he turns his lights on.

[@gcewing]

Technology marches on. It's only a matter of time before we have OptiFlash® retinaBURN™ screens capable of presenting a genuine eye hazard.

[@phylaxxx]

Coming from someone with an HDR display that gets quite bright, I very much appreciate it.

[@kimsleep4111]

This comes from being in a industry that requires you to turn the main lights off and on...you do it for others in the place

[@fluffycritter]

Huh, do HDR screens actually produce blinding flashes of light on non-HDR content? That's surprising to me, I always assumed that they were still limited by the source dynamic range and weren't trying to, like, extrapolate brightness or whatever.

[@matthewmiller6068]

Soldering above fingers? Psh haven't lived til you catch a falling soldering iron to keep from burning the rug! ...and burn your hand, dropping it, and burning the rug anyway.

[@poopandfartjokes]

I was soldering copper pipes in a wall with gloves on and I dripped solder down in them. Ironically the gloves were for safety.

[@Leroys_Stuff]

That’s a fact got my hand my foot and the hardwood floor once

[@charleslambert3368]

tried to catch a marshmallow that was falling off the stick once. Won't do that again.

[@matthewmiller6068]

@@poopandfartjokes yowwwww

[@malthomas987]

Used to make 3D metal letters for signs the were all soldered (less distortion ) using dilute hydrochloric acid as flux and using a 1.5 lb (700g) solid copper soldering irons heated in a gas furnace. Quickly learned if it falls of the soldering bench don't try and catch it.

[@JerryEricsson]

Thanks Clive! You are my therapist. When I am upset, or down I watch one of your cool videos and relax a bit. Now with my wife of 50 years under Chemo treatment for a very aggressive cancer, I need all the relaxation I can get, so when she sleeps, which is often now as she is on some major pain medicine, I take the brief break from caring for her and watch the video. While I no longer have the time to build the projects, simply watching your build seems enough for now. Been a fan for years, and have learned much from you, so once again, thanks a million.

[@user-gx6jb6wc5g]

Sorry to hear about your wife. I've always thought one of the most significant factors in cancer is stress. It weakens the body's ability to deal with normal things. Did your lady have an element of work related stress in her life? Or did she take officialdom too seriously?

[@Sheepsville]

When you started talking about customising things that nobody else has...That is how my light box business started. I was driving artics around the UK and across Europe, doing event work. (Taking stage and sound/video equipment to venues. Travelled with some big names over the years, could have even been in the same places as you, who knows?) Anyhow I fancied one of those light boxes you see in the back of truck cabs. None of the ones on the market appealed to my taste, so I made one for myself because I am pretty good at drawing and I knew exactly what I wanted. I had electronic and woodworking skills so making one was easy enough. Once other drivers saw mine, the orders started coming in until I was so busy with designing light boxes for other folk, not just drivers, but businesses, DJ's, Pubs, bedrooms etc.... that I gave up driving and started making them full time! Now I work longer hours than I ever did driving!!! Whilst it is long hrs, the payoff is that I have many pieces of my artwork, lit up in trucks and vans across the UK and Europe, for all the world to see! I have always been interested in electronics, woodwork and digital art...here I get to do all three and create a well made and unique product.

[@ZeedijkMike]

This was absolutely pure enjoyment and relaxation. Putting the battery in the "stick" also keep it cooler so two flies in one smack.

[@andrewmegaughin1968]

Less than 10 minutes after posting and the linked ebay seller is already out of stock. Bet he loves you Clive !

[@tbbw]

That moment you see that really thin ziplock bag with LED's and go "Yeah... ebay".

[@mmdirtyworkz]

Sucks that we don't have those small hobby shops where we used to buy this stuff as kids making some silly projects. They were close and you didn't have to wait for the package like you do with ebay.

[@Ch0rr1s]

@@mmdirtyworkz and you didn't have to support the Chinese economy with that much money, but keep some of it in your Region.

[@shaunclarke94]

@@Ch0rr1s the LED's probably still come from China though?

[@DjResR]

For me that thin zip bag says aliexpress._

[@PunakiviAddikti]

Ikr, that's where most of my components come from. Especially strange and rare components like blinking LEDs, alternating blinking two color LEDs, automatic slow changing RGB LEDs, COBs etc.

[@semeniukmaciej]

Great video. By the way, topnik means just flux in Polish :)

[@Ender3Me]

Gopnik 🤣👍

[@ThinkinThoed]

I got a root canal today, and before they started they tested if the tooth was alive by having me hold an electrode and they would touch the tooth with some "tool" to pass current, and increase the voltage until I could feel it. Was rather interesting, first I'd heard of that! If you can feel a zap, tooth's alive, but if not then it's a good sign the tooth is dead. Sounds like a perfect item for you to explore! :)

[@rogersmith9808]

Is it safe??? 8^/

[@stridermt2k]

I absolutely love your LED lighting projects and was in need of a relaxing Big Clive video. Your timing sir is perfect THANK YOU X3

[@davea.2311]

A man after my own heart, I love hacking/repairing solar lights. Always impressed by your dexterity with your left hand, holding 2 things steady at once while soldering them together.

[@Leroys_Stuff]

Can’t skip through a Big Clive Video you may miss something good or comedic genius

[@febobartoli]

You just changed my world with hot glue. I never thought about using it to mechanically stabilize solder joints

[@lightseraphim6816]

I love using hot glue to water proof circuit parts too.

[@gregorythomas333]

An excellent project! . . The eBay listing is already marked as "This item is out of stock"

[@rirkc]

Your sense of humor is par excellence! Thanks so much, BC!

[@rsp6549]

Fun little project. You tested the solar cell with a lamp and produced 30mA. In the sun it would be closer to 300mA. But you tested without the green shade. In the sun, with the shade, I expect you to get about 1/5th that, so maybe not enough to charge your 100mA replacement battery. Maybe that tiny button battery really was correctly sized!

[@Cadwaladr]

Love these long rambly build videos. Desoldering braid is great stuff, I only recently got my hands on some. I have a little can of solid rosin, so I just stick the braid in there and melt the rosin on it with the soldering iron. It gets tons of rosin all over everything, diodegonewild style.

[@Ratty_Rex]

I'm no HEATHEN. I don't skip....... might miss some classic Clive moments "oh dear, it shouldn't be doing that" and all. 🤣

[@Chrisamic]

"Skip ahead". Perish the thought. Some of us watch four hour BigClive videos ya know.

[@paulseymour6963]

Yea true. If you skip you might miss a excellent tip or lesson.

[@kimsleep4111]

Every time I come across one of those button cells, if there is space, I immediately add a AA battery. I now have over 30 solar lights in the garden, and all my shrubs have solar light strings. I spend a bit of time replacing the switches, and batteries...I love it. Every Spring I buy more

[@SedatedByLife]

Because of this video I went to the local dollar store and picked up a bunch of warm white string lights that use 2 AA Batteries to power. I snipped the 4.3ft line every 3 led's and wired up my crappy cold white led solar lights with the warm white instead. Such a huge difference. $1 per light when I bought the stake lights and spent maybe another 40 cents per light to retrofit. Sometimes they're still lit at sunrise lol.

[@singlesidebrina7635]

I enjoy watching you work and your voice. Very soothing

[@andrewkeener5480]

You are like the Bob Ross of Electronics!

[@licensetodrive9930]

With all the solar lights you seem to hack on a regular basis, is your garden lit up like a fairground ride at night?

[@TristanJCumpole]

Clive is stealing the day to unleash it on the night. The sun is seeking legal representation at this point.

[@plageran]

@licensetodrive Sup Megabyte lmao

[@licensetodrive9930]

@@plageran Enzo? That you?

[@licensetodrive9930]

@Mai Mariarti 11 years ago the front light I made for my ebike has 300 3mm LEDs, but only because I couldn't easily cram any more into the 90x90mm area. I'm making a replacement now and aiming for 400+ LEDs...

[@plageran]

@@licensetodrive9930 nowz the time Bob would say..... "This is not good...."

[@mrmotorcycle9459]

I have no clue what you are talking about know in your videos since I know nothing about electronics. I think I just enjoy the way you ramble on and watching you tinker with things.

[@andrekroth]

This projects are so calming. Love it!

[@birdgirl8390]

Me: **just lying in bed and enjoying Clive doing stuff** My brain: "you know he's teaching you all the cool stuff your dad always failed to" Me: 😢

[@MrCalldean]

Love these kind of videos; relaxing. Kind of like how you find South Main Auto videos I feel. Also, would love to see your garden, must be visible from the fecking ISS!

[@gooddesign9991]

Dear Clive. love your tools & kits

[@3Dparallax]

Neat effect. It worked out better than one might think actually. They sell those exact ones here AU for about $3 so I must pick a couple up. I have hacked many a solar light for Mum, they produce a much improved level of light for about 5 hours at night on an AA cell (Aldi) and a different inductor. And yes, bypass that switch!

[@ChodaBoyUSA]

Big Clive, the Bob Ross of electronics projects. ❤️

[@hotdrippyglass]

I filled mine with clear marbles to give the LED light a dozen points of reflection. That made a single "up light" into a path marker visible from any direction. A few tiny x-mas tree ornaments in amongst the marbles exaggerated this effect even more.

[@wisico640]

These long videos really are enjoyable! 👌 thanks clive!

[@kazumahikineet3090]

Clive, I get the feeling you are one of the last KZbinrs who know who we normal folk use KZbin, because you know we skip ahead and back through videos and find the most interesting parts while most other expect us to sit through their bs advert for Raid: Shadow Legends or NordVPN. Thank you for keeping the original spirit of the internet alive.

[@paulyoung181]

I would never skip to the end, the commentary is priceless.

[@davidli5190]

Was watching this video while adding a copper sheet to help my passively cooled laptop. Great video!

[@jsnsk101]

Louis Rossman saw this video and said - needs more flux

[@g7mks383]

Great stuff thanks really relaxing and good to watch as always. Nobody has passed the soldering exam unless they have burnt a few fingers.

[@-yeme-]

re toolboxes, workbench tool accumulation etc the single best improvement to my work area I ever made was a board (actually a left over piece of laminate flooring cut to size) populated by a few dozen short vertical pieces of 38mm and 32mm black PVC pipe in 3 rows, tallest at the back (12cm or so), a bit shorter in the middle and shorter again in front, epoxy'd in place. its perfect storage for snips, screwdrivers, pliers, solder sucker, brushes, scissors, pens, poky things etc etc literally all the small hand tools that I would previously be constantly rummaging and hunting for, now all within arms reach and in a state of organisation the rest of my life can only wonder at

[@thegakatac]

These longer videos are always a nice supprise. Thank you.

[@imholdenonarope]

I have no abilities or means to ever follow along anything you make. And yet, I find your videos so enamouring. There's something quite soothing about watching you put together these projects. Almost reminds me of Bob Ross. Calm, not worried about messing anything up, just chugging along doing your own thing. Keep it up, Clive!

[@nemoianpaw9929]

And instead of happy little tree we have lonely little L.E.D. Hehe

[@MrAsBBB]

My favourite word of all time electrical is “solder sucky” . Just love the channel. Juicy.... I have so many wonderful memories of soldering iron burns , especially when I dropped the iron on my mums coffee table after branding my hand with it. oh another one , “wipe it on my jumper”.. That’s why I get through bucket loads of vanish.

[@ImigrentfromMars]

I have a string of x-mass lights 20 in each string connected to each of my solar lights.The strings came from the dollar store and ran on 2 AA. I have extra battery's here out of charger packs so I put them in the lamp and took the supplied cheep cells out. Now it will last all night rather then 1 hour and i have 20 extra per lamp .

[@DJPeterJames]

Hope you dont mind me saying but When I twist cables together to solder i always cut them to length after soldering. that way they are less likely to untwist. Great fun project Clive.

[@aurelienyonrac]

Hilarious. And brilliant. I love your videos.

[@paromusicandarts1044]

Love your work and the way you explain your thinking 👍💛🎸

[@dwcluee5074]

I enjoyed this. Time to watch another.

[@ZoonCrypticon]

Big Clive is like the Bob Ross of electronics !

[@chrizy75]

Love the green one, looks like it is from one of the Borg ships in Star Trek. ;)

[@bio10155]

Such a fun little project to put your garden LED lights on steroids! Cheers for the inspiration Clive 😁

[@DairyAir]

Dude, been enjoying having you videos on, while I’m writing. I had a flashlight that I’d dropped, stopped working, and went under the car seat. I took it apart, and the red wire’s soldering broke… My hands shake like hell, so I avoid things like that… only burned myself once, but it’s working… I heard the make these things called gloves… 😉

[@StolenPw]

I'm pretty impressed how consistant your LEDs are

[@paulseymour6963]

Thanks for the hint about soldering across the switch terminals. I normally use WD40 to keep them corrosion free. I have also started covering all the circuit boards with clear nail varnish. Thanks for the great videos.

[@MegaWayneD]

That alcohol flux is fab stuff! I used that very brand to replace all the surface mount capacitors in my Amiga 1200.

[@gazzaka]

The little chip that does everything ! Sounds like a description of a guy I worked with, the little chap that does everything, he did the work of two or 3 guys, but only got same wage....After he left they had 2 guys doing same job lol

[@wisher21uk]

Clive “popped out of my fingers like a” oh CORK 😂

[@win132001]

"Unreasonable force always wins."

[@MrFmiller]

I replaced the LED in a garden solar light with a color changing LED. The LED works a lot longer than the one that was originally in it. I just paralleled them and left one leg off the original one so it could be reconnected if desired. As it is the color changing LED is very pleasing. Visitors always compliment how it looks and it has lasted a long time.

[@FredWilbury]

Mesmerising,and totally relaxing so listenable and I learnt a bit maybe I should get out my 40 year old Antex and have some fun 🤩

[@user-gx6jb6wc5g]

You definitely should. Components are very cheap on eBay now.

[@Lumibear.]

Ooh, well that’s an improvement, Clive. Btw I’ve just found someone who sells rolls of that sparkle effect semi transparent white plastic that you see in tons of Xmas decorations and mood lights, turns every spot of light into a star, so that’s going in every led lamp I own now, muhahaha!

[@edgeeffect]

Diffraction grating?

[@MartinodF]

I'm sure you're already aware of this but I wasn't: recent Anker smart powerbanks (the PowerCore Essential 20000 PD is an example) have a "low power" mode which, once activated, keeps the power flowing even with low power devices connected. Best of both worlds!

[@bdh_555]

Is this the setting with the one green LED? I wondered what that was for!

[@markmartin-davy5633]

Hi Clive, nice video as always. Just an idea for this type of solar light, use the switch to adjust the inductor amount for summer and winter. Meaning you don't have to redo your work twice a year... Thanks , Mark

[@user-gx6jb6wc5g]

That's not a bad idea. I usually just make them dim all year.

[@EeekiE]

Great evening chill out video

[@alien200049655]

I Never skip parts of these Videos, I like watching the process, and listening to you commentary. #NonSkipper

[@JamesHalfHorse]

Making little RGB LED trees to go into some glass candle lanterns I found for a few bucks each on closeout for gifts. Not quite working out as well as yours here but similar idea. Haven't decided what I am going to use as a power supply yet but currently using a USB cord. I am digging the sockets. I ordered I don't know 1000 or 5k LEDs and they were nice enough to send resistors. Now I have a belt as long as my shop.

[@rimooreg]

Thanks for the link, Big Clive!.

[@Fam2014Ch]

Clive... just to say... I flipping LOVE your videos !!! Keep going we will keep watching and learning !!! Salute !!!

[@retireeelectronics2649]

Very nice video, time to upgrade the garden lights. As for soldering above the fingers, lets face it, anyone that has been doing electronics for a long time has a very high heat tolerance in their fingers. Have a good day

[@STONEDay]

Green LED tree =] I use concave LEDs on my bicycle wheels. The spread is rather nice. Never really thought of it til now. String of 20 LEDs on the wheels cast a nice ground effect.

[@ASKARIwest]

Hi Clive, I went to Poundland yesterday and got a few of those lights and some rechargeable batteries and have since modified one like you did, was a great project!! Thanks man

[@cypeman8037]

How do I watch my eyes? what physically do I have to do when you turn the light on? I walk into my living room at night and turn on the main light, which I have done for decades, I don't seem to have suffered. Oh, I have, I've become more sarcastic, belligerent and cumodgenly. 😂😂😂

[@ohmyroy9843]

I think ill have a go at making this. Nice one

[@benwinkel]

Even before summer solstice, Clive brings out the Christmas lights.

[@johnmcgiv1]

Me again Clive wee bit of hot glue to keep wires apart just a thought, old Scotsman with hopefully a little bit of advice but you are the man Clive thank you again. I think I might attempt this wee light as we approach the coved festive haha

[@jasonsomerville2504]

Thanks for the educational bits in this, never considered that changing the inductor could be useful for winter...a useful mod I'll probably do from now on will be to have a switchable inductor to provide summer /winter setting...cool

[@sparkythewolf]

I love your channel. I am 15 and your channel has peaked my interest

[@Lumibear.]

Wait till you see Poundland Fanny do her Flambeaux trick, Michael, it’s a cunning stunt to behold!

[@DrakkarCalethiel]

Hahahaha, that Fanny Flanbeaux vid gets me every time!

[@boctok55]

I really like your videos! They make my day so much more cheerful. You should sell t-shirts with your logo, captioned "I have no regrets". I would definitely buy several.

[@bitswapper]

"Unreasonable force always wins"

[@mysock351C]

You can carry solder over using the iron, just use DiodeGoneWilds method: "and lots of rosin, of course..."

[@poopandfartjokes]

Haha “very dodgy”

[@Sentinel-1]

3:40 Actually... 😁 The best way to do this is to use the multimeter in the diode test mode. It outputs a stabilized current of about 1 mA and measures the forward voltage. This is exactly what you need to match LEDs: the same Vfd @ fixed current. But your inventive method is good too, I use it for "HV" LEDs.

[@TheSpotify95]

Great renovation and modification :) I never buy garden lights with the small button cell batteries, because they don't hold much charge at all. In the winter, they won't be on for long at all, whilst in the summer, they'll be roasted. I often get the decent quality ones (not Poundland cheap, but not too expensive), and they tend to last. They also have AAA or AA batteries which often get upgraded as they fail. I also agree about shorting the switch, as the switch often fails before anything else.

[@randomrobthings7956]

I was watching one of your old video not long ago and decided to change fairy lights into slow changing LED's I really enjoyed making it did take a long time will have to go into the £ shop and get some of them to make something the same now.

[@michaelladue5655]

You forgot the bit about "juicy lead based solder"

[@shaunclarke94]

"without shorting that out", while seperating the bare metal wires with a metal screwdriver?

[@cseamunchkin]

"Makes it more juicAY!" 😂😂

[@kkzooi]

the ANA 618 chips are i think pretty common chips. i repaired several solar garden lights (which said to be watertight but arent) which all have that chip in them. whilst on some most leads were badly corroded and some even rusted through, they were a nice source for small solar panels and rechargeable cells

[@DiyEcoProjects]

Hi Clive, hope things are good. Yee i like the tree gismo :).

[@Dennis-mq6or]

I cut a piece of double sided circuit board into long skinny strips 35 to 50 mm wide and however long the origin sheet of double sided was before I started cutting it. That piece of circuit board replaces your pair of wires. In your application you could solder your two wires coming off your control boad to opposite sides of the skinny piece of pcb.. It makes it very easy to add paralleled leds by soldering one lead to each side of the circuit board....

[@brianfalconer8074]

Hopefully they will come back into stock. The Bigclive effect !

[@jawjuk]

Big Clive's night garden gives Blackpool a run for its money for the title of 'Most Gaudy Sight on the Irish Sea'.

[@ThereIsOnly1ArcNinja]

I love tinkering using "unreasonable force" ;-)

[@k5tor185]

"Very harsh lesson " aka burn your finger, I have done that many times, for many years and still didn’t lern my lesson to not Tuch the hot end of the iron

[@NoobixCube]

I learned this lesson the first time I used desoldering braid. I didn’t think not to hang onto the braided copper thread I was pressing a hot iron to.

[@Runoratsu]

Don‘t catch it if it happens to Fall of the table! 😉

[@Runoratsu]

@Mai Mariarti I know those photos, they were even used in some advertisements by German official Institutions…

[@claw-machinesNL]

Runoratsu happened way to many times, just a reflex: oh something falling I better grab it with my whole hand and burn all my fingers

[@NoobixCube]

@Mai Mariarti The electronics store I work in used that photo in a promotional flyer. Everyone who works on the shop floors is at least technically minded enough to have seen the problem. We all sent our mocking derisive comments to marketing.

[@boriss.861]

Clive how about using a bread board to match the led's... That enables you to make some fun vlogs using pic's etc...

[@charleslambert3368]

Now I want to see big clive's take on the basic student 'fairy lights in mason jar'.

[@ATMAtim]

I fight water leaks in my solar garden lights to the point of obsession. It would be great to find some like you have but on similar round dome lenses, I run a good bead of silicone around the inside close to the threads and that makes a cheap and dirty gasket. Look for other areas where water and critters can get in and enjoy your lights. Nice video, Clive.

[@marcmeyer5643]

thanx bud👍👍was quite entertaining 😀😀

[@mavos1211]

That’s very kind of you to let people skip forward Clive but if they do skip to the end and miss all those pearls of wisdom that you impart on us they will not have benefitted as much as they could have so it’s their loss.