Inside a LIDL USB rechargeable work light - with schematic

Most of these lights are fairly complicated, and have multiple PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) dimming modes. But this one has gone for a very basic approach with just a single intensity and on/off functionality - despite using a microcontroller. That does mean there's no annoying PWM flicker though.

The most interesting feature is that the microcontroller is monitoring the lithium cell voltage independently, and can shut off the 4056-based charging circuit. That means it has double protection against overcharging of the lithium cell, but can also theoretically shut the charge off before 4.2V.
I've not been able to test the charge termination voltage yet, as long work hours mean that it's tricky to do a supervised test of the full charge and discharge cycles.

The easiest hack to do on this light is to snap some of the resistors off the LED panel. I experimentally chopped two of four off and the intensity is still very useful, but the battery run time will be doubled and the LEDs will be running much cooler, which is good for efficiency and lifespan.

It's actually quite a nice little light. It seems to be genuinely weather resilient due to a decent front seal and a rubber cover for the USB C charge port.

It may be viable to add another parallel 18650 cell, but I've not tested that. Although the cell inside is labelled as being 2200mAh, I've run several charge discharge cycles and the input charge is only around 1000mAh. That suggests that a good upgrade might be to use a better cell.
It seems odd that the cell is seemingly lower capacity than stated. Especially for a LIDL product.
I'll be taking it back to my lab soon for a proper capacity test.

With suitable preheating equipment you could swap the LEDs for other colours if desired for garden lighting.


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