Solar Power Challenge                                Author Kieron McGeever             Last update: 21/11/2007 21:11:21

The circuit is very simple and consists of:

A Solar Cell

A motor

A super capacitor

A switch

The polarity will depend on how the motor is mounted on the vehicle and which direction you want it to go in. It will also need some method of turning it on and off, which does not need to be a standard switch, in the example shown the capacitor is continuously charged by the solar cells and when the switch is on the capacitors smooth out current flow to the motors caused by variations in the out puts from the solar cells. With the switch in the off position the solar cells charge up the capacitors to their fullest extent, the amount of time this takes is dependant on the light levels. In the Flight model the solar cells are meant to be detachable from the circuit once they have charged up the capacitors in order to save weight.

 

Circuitry

The Basic Circuit for all vehicles