Dat Progress

Dat Progress

The prototype panel

This week we were able to come up with a new aerodynamic design that we will use for the solar panel. We were also able to find new batteries that will soon replace the ones we currently have.

One of our potential prototypes for the solar panel.

A new solar panel

The new solar panel

Designing from scratch

Our goals for this week is to come up with a design for the solar panel. We are making a new one because we want it to be more aerodynamic then a regular solar panel. We are also going to work on finding batteries to replace the bad ones that we currently have on the solar cars.

This design of  a solar panel will allow us to have low drag, while being able to maintain a high speed.

Still Looking for That Transmission...

Still Looking for That Transmission...

Turns out we're not entirely sure about the transmission shop we found. We think it might be a tad sketch so we're just going to have to keep looking. *sigh*

Just keep searching, just keep searching...

Transmission is the Mission

Transmission is the Mission

It might be over soon

We discovered that a local motorcycle shop sells transmissions, we are hoping we can buy one for our "Harley". If we cannot get one from the shop then this will be a issue because we cannot continue until we find one.

Jason Working Hard. Look at that concentration...

SK1 and A Slight Re-Naming

SK1 and A Slight Re-Naming

Ready to Roll on Both Ends

SK1 is looking good right now. Everything's all hooked up so the only things we're waiting on are the batteries, which will be coming along very soon. We had a slight problem with the brakes earlier, but our mechanical team got that fixed in no time. In addition, we've decided on a new name for SK4/SK2.Whoa. Most people were not really feeling SK2.Whoa and SK4 seemed so boring. We had a quick brainstorming session and came up with, drum-roll please, Solar Templar! Neat, huh? Our next steps are to keep working on ST and hopefully figure out this whole transmission situation once and for all.

SK1's Motor Controller and Charge Controller, respectively

Beginning of the Week

Beginning of the Week

A Change in Plans

This week we have a new objective: Get SK1 rolling. There is a parade on the 23rd that we've been invited to participate in and SK3 isn't really feeling up to it right now so it's up to SK1. It's our first solar car and right now it's more or less put together, we just have to hook up all of the wiring and slap some batteries on it.

SK1!

Transmission Impossible

Transmission Impossible

Turns out it's not so impossible...

This week we scoured the internet looking for a transmission we could put on the solar car. We wanted one so that we could reach a higher top speed. However, the internet seems to have a lot to say about transmissions so it turned out to be slightly more difficult than was previously expected. After much research and deliberation, we finally found one we all could live with. A 5-speed manual left side drive transmission for a chain drive motorcycle. It's gonna cost us about a grand, but if it'll get us up to the speeds we want, it's definitely worth it.

Tadaaaaaaaa