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The BEAM
The BEAM
SolarSpeeder 1.1 Solaroller
SolarSpeeder 1.1 Solaroller
This Solar-Powered Car is designed for high-speed racing, and can zoom over 3
meters (10 feet) in under a minute in direct sunlight! (Soldering skill required)
A Complete BEAM Robotics Solar-
Produced by
Powered Car Kit Inside
Document Revision August 26 2003
®
TM
Ltd.
1
2
3
4
5
Skill Level
©
©
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Related Manuals for Solarbotics BEAM Robotics Solar Kit 5
Summary of Contents for Solarbotics BEAM Robotics Solar Kit 5
- Page 1 Skill Level The BEAM The BEAM SolarSpeeder 1.1 Solaroller © SolarSpeeder 1.1 Solaroller © This Solar-Powered Car is designed for high-speed racing, and can zoom over 3 meters (10 feet) in under a minute in direct sunlight! (Soldering skill required) ®...
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Page 2: Table Of Contents
Contents SolarSpeeder 1.1Parts & Materials List ....................1 Introduction - The SolarSpeeder 1.1 Solaroller ..................2 Circuit Overview ..........................3 Construction - Soldering ........................4 Construction - Electronics ........................5 Construction - Wheels, and the Motor ....................6 Construction - Motor Mount Support & Drive Wheel ................7 Construction - Axles Trimming and Solarcell Preparation ................. -
Page 3: Solarspeeder 1.1Parts & Materials List
Solarbotics reserves the right to make substitutions and changes to this product without prior notice. -
Page 4: Introduction - The Solarspeeder 1.1Solaroller
Introduction - The SolarSpeeder 1.1Solaroller The SolarSpeeder is a design that has a strong heritage in Solaroller Racing, which is a very popular event at all BEAM Robot Games. Solaroller racing requires two solar-powered drag-racers that race side-by-side down a 1 metre (3.3ft) track. -
Page 5: Circuit Overview
Circuit Overview The heart and soul of the SolarSpeeder is the high-performance Solarengine. The three components that are most responsible for the increased performance of the Solarengine are the 0.33 Farad capacitor, the 1381 trigger, and the coreless motor. very Gold Cap 2.5V 0.33F The 0.33F storage capacitor is strong for its size. -
Page 6: Construction - Soldering
Motor 2.2 kOhm Resistor 2N3906 0.33F Capacitor Solar Cell 2N3904 1381 When the circuit starts charging, the 2N3904 transistor is off, so the current can’t go through the motor back to the solar cell. Instead, it charges the storage capacitor. While this is happening, the 1381 monitors the voltage climb through its pins 2 and 3. -
Page 7: Construction - Electronics
Construction - Electronics Now is the time to gather your tools together and warm up your soldering iron. Remember, good soldering technique means you heat up both the component and the solder pad before applying the solder. Assembly is quite straightforward - simply go through the numbered steps, checking off each box as you go. -
Page 8: Construction - Wheels, And The Motor
Construction - Wheels, and the Motor Step 8: Snap the motor into the motor clip as shown. Rotate the motor body in the clip until the red wire is closest to the PCB (makes it easier to solder later). Be sure to push the motor as far to the left as you can so it’s Solar Speeder pushed up right against the tabs on the clip. -
Page 9: Construction - Motor Mount Support & Drive Wheel
Construction - Motor Mount Support & Drive Wheel (SAVE Step 11: Find your small thick piece of wire, and pull the insulation off the insulation - you’ll need it!) so you are left with a small piece of solid copper wire. solder the wire onto the pads Bend one end 90 degrees down, and shown... -
Page 10: Construction - Axles Trimming And Solarcell Preparation
Construction - Axles Trimming and Solarcell Preparation Step 13: All that you have to do here is trim the extra axle off with your snips. Then file or sand the edges rounds so it isn’t sharp anymore, or pull the wheel retainers over the end of the wire so it covers up the sharp points. If you find that your wheel retainers are a little loose on the axle, now would be a good time to glue them down, but only apply the glue on the side away from the wheel, so it doesn’t get gummed up. -
Page 11: Running, Tuning, And Upgrading
Running, Tuning, and Upgrading Running, Tuning, and Upgrading Running, Tuning, and Upgrading Running, Tuning, and Upgrading Running, Tuning, and Upgrading Running Your SolarSpeeder is very quick for a solar-powered device, but it is slow compared to a battery powered car of about the same size. When it’s first finished, you will have to be patient for it to make it’s first mad dash across the table. -
Page 12: Upgrades
Upgrades The SolarSpeeder has been designed to be upgraded with two extra options, one being the “Impatience Switch” (for those who just can’t wait for the SolarSpeeder to trigger on it’s own), and the other being the “Diode Voltage Upgrade” to supercharge your SolarSpeeder, at the expense of a longer charge time. -
Page 13: Diode Voltage Upgrade
Diode Voltage Upgrade This option allows you to trick your SolarSpeeder into storing more energy than usual before it triggers. This means instead of 3 meter runs, you’ll be going somewhat farther, more like 4 meters or more, but at the expense of a longer charge time. If you’re looking to get as much performance out of your SolarSpeeder as possible, this upgrade is for you! You have two options when performing this upgrade, one being to use a regular old diode (little glass cylinder with a stripe on one end), or a regular old Light Emitting Diode (LED). -
Page 14: It Doesn't Go
SolarSpeeder a flick with your finger and it should roll at least 15cm (6”). If nothing else, you can send it back to Solarbotics for free repair (or replacement if necessary). We stand 100% behind our products, and will do everything we can to make your kit perform like it should. -
Page 15: Final Notes
SolarSpeeder, you should be able to build your own! Solarbotics often sponsors a SolarSpeeder race at many of the robot games we attend. If you can aim your SolarSpeeder to roll through a10cm wide gate 2.4 meters away, you have... - Page 16 The Solarbotics SolarSpeeder 1.1 is a high-performance Solar Racer, using simple and efficient electronics to store up light energy and release it in a burst of power that results in a 3 meter (10 foot) zoom! This Racer design is the result of several years of Solaroller racing at the BEAM Robot Olympics ®...
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