Fakes from China
Inspired by a Youtube video from Bigclive I ordered some Solar Power Rechargeable Flash lights. I knew the risk but I thought it would be a possible way to get hold of some small amorphous silicon solar cell modules for some own projects.
Today I received my package from ebay seller heavends. And yes, these are complete fakes. The glass plate looks like an amorphous silicon solar cell module and even shows the typical brown lacquer finish on the backside, however it lacks all electrical contacts. Inside the plastic body there is a circuit board connecting the three white LEDs to a heat-shrinked soldered pack of two non-rechargeable CR2016 batteries. Current limitation to the three LEDs in parallel connection is only by means of the internal series resistance of the batteries.
