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Components Required To Make The Solar Powered Model Car

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Neelesh Latpate
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96 views

Components Required To Make The Solar Powered Model Car

Uploaded by

Neelesh Latpate
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 6

COMPONENTS REQUIRED TO MAKE THE

SOLAR POWERED MODEL CAR

A solar powered model racing car can be made quite easily using very basic equipment, tools
and materials.

   

A pair of scissors insulation tape, sellotape and a craft knife, for holding some of the components
to the straw frame.

Two 3 to 6v motors are needed to drive the back wheels and a piece of 2mm compressed polystyrene or
PVC. The motors will be taped to the polystyrene using insulation tape

Two rubber wheels with a 1.5/2mm hole through the centre. The wheels will be pushed straight on to
the shafts of the motors (friction fit).

One /two jumbo art straws, 400mm in length. These will be used to make the basic frame of the vehicle

A plastic wheel will be used for the front of the vehicle. A small 2mm steel axle is also required.

A line of electrical connectors are used to connect the wires from the motors to the solar panels and
ON/OFF switch

A small electrical screw driver, wire cutters, wire strippers, long nose pliers and soldering iron, for
working with the electronics aspect of the project

Cheap solar panels (photovoltaic panels). These will provide the electrical power required to drive the
model solar car forward.

A toggle switch or similar switch to turn on and off the supply of electricity.

An A3 piece of card with the size of the card base and bodywork clearing marked out. If a number of
model solar powered cars are to be made, simply photocopy the as many times as necessary

A range of drawing equipment will be needed to add a design and colour scheme to the bodywork of the
model car.

BASIC CONSTRUCTION OF THE MODEL CAR


V. Ryan © 2006 - 2009

 
The completed model racing car is shown below. The ‘underneath’ view shows the motors fixed top a polystyrene base, held
to it by insulation tape. The front plastic wheel has a 2mm axle which is taped to the card base. The sequence / stages
involved in the construction of the model car are shown on the pages to follow.

SEQUENCE DRAWING OF MANUFACTURE – 1

1. Cut out the shapes for the card base and bodywork.

   

2. Shape / form three art straws to the frame of the model car. When folding/bending the straws,
place the straws on top of the card base to ensure that the straw frame matches it in size. Then
sellotape the art straw frame to the card base.

  
3. Cut a rectangular slot at the front of the card base, using a craft knife. This must be accurately
cut as the front wheel should fit precisely in position. If the rectangle is too large the front wheel
will move from side to side when the finished model is tested. This will make the model move in
circles rather than a relatively straight line.

  

4. Solder short red and black wire to the motors. Check that red is soldered to the positive
terminal and black to the negative terminal of each motor. Fix the motors on to the polystyrene
motor base, using insulation tape.

   

5. Turn the polystyrene motor base over and connect the red and black wires to the electrical
connectors as shown in the diagram opposite. Then connect a further long red and black wires to
the opposite side of the connector.
  

6. Sellotape the motor base to the straw frame/card. Be careful hoe the model car is picked up as
it is not a strong structure. Lift the model by the motor base otherwise the model could be
damaged.

  

7. Carefully turn over the model and use insulation tape to fix the axle to the card. Then turn over
the model again so that it stands on all four wheels.

  
Completed card and frame shown below.

  

8. Cut out the bodywork card and draw a design that reflects the theme of a racing car. The card
can be pushed into the art straw frame quite easily. In fact the bodywork can be interchanged so
that the model has different bodywork each time it runs/races.

  

9. Finally connect the solar panels and, if in England, wait for a sunny day. ‘Flick’ the switch and
the model car will move either forward of backwards. Switch the wires at the solar panels
terminals to alter the direction.
  

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