Solar Cars
Assembly Instructions for
Fabulous Resources for Energy Educaon
University of Northern Iowa CEEE 12
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0293
(319) 273-6012 free-ceee@uni.edu
Visit our website at www.uni.edu/ceee/free
for videos, workshops, compeon
informaon and other renewable energy
and energy efficiency materials!
The Sun
Kit Contents and Vocabulary
Thefoundationofthesolarcaristhe3’’x5’’
pieceofcorrugatedplastic(chassis).
ThePhotovoltaic(PV)cellorsolarpanelinyour
kitprovidesupto2.5voltsinfullsunlight.This
powersyoursolarcarwhenitisconnectedto
themotor.
ThemotorshaftspinswhenthePVcell
makeselectricity.Thismakesyoursolarcar
move.Thesmallestgearisattachedtothe
motorshaft.
ThewirenutsconnectthewireofthePV
panelandmotortogether.
Thealuminumaxlesslidesthroughtheslotsinthechassis
toconnectthewheelstothecar.
Eachkitcomeswithfourdifferentgearsthatallowyoutochoose
whichcombinationswouldworkbestforspeedorpower.Make
surenottogetanyglueinthegears.Thesmallestgearitsonto
themotorshaft.Thelargergearsitontheaxle.
Ponybeadsmaybeusedtocoveranyemptyspaceonthe
axles.
Thetwosmallestwheelswillgotogetherononeaxle.
Thelargewheelsgotogetherontheotheraxle.To
preventslidingfromsidetosideaddponybeadsasspacers.
Tools and Materials
Simple Solar Car Assembly
1.Placeonesmallfrontwheelontotheendofanaxle.Thenslidetheaxle
throughoneoftheslotsinthecorrugatedplastic.Takeamatchingwheel
andplaceitontheotherendoftheaxle.Taplightlywithasmallhammer
orpairofpliersifnecessary.Thewheelsshouldbeabletospinfreely.
♦
Hotgluegun
♦
Gluesticks
♦
Linesmanpliersorsmallhammer
2.Slideonelargebackwheelontotheendofthesecondaxle.Insertthe
axlethroughaslotonthecorrugatedplastic.Addoneormoreponybeads
ontotheaxlebeforeattachingtheotherwheel.Thereshouldbenoempty
spaceontheaxle,butthewheelsshouldbeabletospinfreely.
3.Connectonewireofthemotorandonewireofthesolarpanelbyholdingthemclosetogetherandcappingthemwithawirenut.Itmayhelpyou
totwisttheexposedwiretipstogether,beforetwistingthewirenut.Make
surethewirenutsecuresbothwiresirmlyinplacebytugginggentlyon
bothwires.Followthesameprocessfortheothertwowires.
4.Setthemotorbetweenthefrontandrearwheelssothattheedgeofthe
motorislushwiththeedgeofthechassis.Slidethemotortowardthe
rearuntilthegearsofthemotorandwheelclosesttothechassisengage
witheachother.Rememberthisposition.
5.Liftthemotorupandputanickelsizedblobofhotgluethere.Putthe
motorintheglueandholdinplace.Donotpushdownonthecar!
6.GluethePVpanelinplace.Makesuretochoosean
anglebasedonthetimeofdayyouwilluseyourcar.
7.Testyourcarandmakeadjustments.Ifyouneedto
reversethedirectionofmotion,youmayneedtoremovethewirenuts
andswitchthemotorandpanelwires.
Quesons To Consider
♦
Whatgearcombinationworks
bestforspeed?Power?
♦
Howcanyouminimizefriction
tomakeyourcargofaster?
♦
Whatcanyoudotomakeyour
cargostraight(er)?
♦
Whatshapeofcarwouldbe
mosteficient?
♦
AtwhatanglesshouldyourPV
panelbetilted?
♦
Whattimeofdaywouldbebest
fordrivingyourcar?
♦
Whatothersolarapplications
wouldbeusefulinyourdaily
life?
Super Solar Car Assembly
Carefullydisassembleyourcar,thentrybuildingitwiththreewheelsinstead!Oruseoneoftheothergearstopowerthecarinsteadofthegear
onthewheel.Seephotosatwww.uni.edu/ceee/freeformoreideas!
Ifyouneedextrahelpbuildingyoursolarcar,
visitwww.youtube.com/FREEresources towatch
avideoonhowtobuildasolarcar.