Designing a Solar Charger

Solar Charger Diagram
Average Rating:
0
Intended Grade Level(s):
10-12
Subject Area(s) Covered:
Amperage
voltage
electricity
Power
Energy Storage
Battery charging
Estimated Activity Length:
4 hours
Learning Goal(s):

1. Students will explore the role of series and parallel wiring as they pertain to voltage and amperage. 2. Students will explore the processes involved with charging batteries and relate these processes to voltage and amperage. 3. Students will test photovoltaic modules to identify voltage and amperage outputs. 4. Students will design a system of wiring 3 V, 1.5 A modules together as a means to charge a 12 V lead-acid battery 5. Students will predict and test the effectiveness of their designed solar charger.

Relevant Common Core Standard(s):

In this lesson, students will further explore the potential and challenges related to using photovoltaics to supplement the power needed to charge batteries in BEVs. Students will be provided with a 12 V lead

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Can Portable PV Charge Vehicles?

Solar Charger Diagram
Average Rating:
0
Intended Grade Level(s):
10-12
Subject Area(s) Covered:
Amperage
voltage
electricity
Power
Energy Storage
Battery charging
Estimated Activity Length:
2 hours 30 min
Learning Goal(s):
  1. Students will explore the role of series and parallel wiring as they pertain to voltage and amperage.
  2. Students will explore the processes involved with charging batteries and relate these processes to voltage and amperage.
  3. Students will test photovoltaic modules to identify voltage and amperage outputs.
  4. Students will calculate, using data from field tests, the maximum power that can be produced using photovoltaics within the constraints of a typical passenger vehicle’s surface area.
  5. Students will calculate charging times using various PV array power ratings.
Relevant Common Core Standard(s):

In this lesson, students will begin to explore the potential and challenges related to using photovoltaics to supplement the power needed to charge batteries in BEVs. Students will test a variety of wiring options related to series and parallel wiring. Once students have grasped the basics, they will measure the surface area of a passenger... View full description >>

Background Research on Alternative Transportation Vehicles

Solar Charger Diagram
Average Rating:
0
Intended Grade Level(s):
10-12
Subject Area(s) Covered:
Alternative Energy
Alternative Transportation
Estimated Activity Length:
1 hour 40 min
Learning Goal(s):

1. Students will define BEVs, HEVs, HFCVs, and HICEVs 2. Students will compare the above vehicles and relate the pros and cons of each technology 3. Students will begin to evaluate which type of technology might be best suited for the goal of replacing fossil fuels in the transportation sector 4. Students will begin to brainstorm ideas for how solar energy might be used to enhance these technologies

Relevant Common Core Standard(s):

Students completing this lesson will already have identified some of the problems inherent in the development of ideas to replace fossil fuels in the transportation sector. Students will now conduct some

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Replacing Fossil Fuels?

Solar Charger Diagram
Average Rating:
0
Intended Grade Level(s):
10-12
Subject Area(s) Covered:
Energy Density
fossil fuels
Alternative Energy
Estimated Activity Length:
1 hour 20 min
Learning Goal(s):

1. Students will define energy density. 2. Students will compare energy densities among various transportation fuel options. 3. Students will compare costs per unit of energy among various transportation fuel options. 4. Students will compare energy return on energy invested among various transportation fuel options. 5. Students will assess which fuels have the most potential to replace fossil fuels in the transportation sector using a weighted matrix.

Relevant Common Core Standard(s):

As students begin to look at the role photovoltaics might play within the transportation energy sector, it is important for them to understand why the phasing-out of fossil fuels is such a daunting task. This

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Designing a Solar Phone Charger

Car Charger Schematic
Average Rating:
0
Unit:
Intended Grade Level(s):
7-12
Subject Area(s) Covered:
Energy Fundamentals
electrical circuits
efficiency
Estimated Activity Length:
5 hours
Learning Goal(s):

1. Students will be able to design a device that can charge a phone with 4 hours of sun a day. 2. Students will use collected data and be able to support their design – i.e. the data will show that the unit will produce enough energy to charge a phone given it receives 4 hours of sun a day. 3. Students will also be able to calculate efficiency from their power calculations. 4. Students will be able to compare efficiencies of their circuit to others tested in this unit. 5. Students can calculate how much energy 4 hours of sunlight can produce on the solar modules they will use.

Relevant Common Core Standard(s):

This is the culminating activity for the unit “Off the Grid.” Students will be given some restricted parameters around which to design a solar powered battery operated phone (or other USB device) charger

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Biolite - Fire to Phone Charging

BioLite
Average Rating:
0
Unit:
Intended Grade Level(s):
7-12
Subject Area(s) Covered:
Energy Fundamentals
electrical circuits
efficiency
thermo-electric effect
calories and heat
Estimated Activity Length:
1 hour 30 min
Learning Goal(s):

1. Students will use thermometers and a stopwatch to calculate power. 2. Students will use collected data and be able to make power calculations from this data. 3. Students will also be able to calculate efficiency from their power calculations. 4. Students will be able to compare efficiencies to other circuits tested in this unit. 5. Students will know what the Peltier Junction does.

Relevant Common Core Standard(s):

This is the 6th part in the Off the Grid Unit. This lesson continues to look at the efficiency of USB charging devices, but this time we will be using a commercially available camping stove that uses heat to create electricity in order to charge a phone. This is the Biolite stove that exploits the Peltier Junction in order to... View full description >>

DC to AC to DC Efficiency

Car Charger Schematic
Average Rating:
0
Unit:
Intended Grade Level(s):
7-12
Subject Area(s) Covered:
Energy Fundamentals
electrical circuits
efficiency
Estimated Activity Length:
3 hours
Learning Goal(s):

1. Students will use multimeters to measure voltage and current in circuits. 2. Students will use collected data and be able to make power calculations from this data. 3. Students will also be able to calculate efficiency from their power calculations. 4. Students will be able to compare efficiencies in order to identify the circuit that is most efficient. 5. Students will be able to make circuits from a diagram and vice versa. 6. Students will know what an inverter is and what it does.

Relevant Common Core Standard(s):

This is part of the Off the Grid Unit. This lesson will continue to deal with efficiency

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Exploring Buck and Boost Converters

Car Charger Schematic
Average Rating:
0
Unit:
Intended Grade Level(s):
7-12
Subject Area(s) Covered:
Energy Fundamentals
electrical circuits
efficiency
buck and boost converters
Estimated Activity Length:
3 hours
Learning Goal(s):

1. Students will use multimeters to measure voltage and current in circuits. 2. Students will use collected data and be able to make power calculations from this data. 3. Students will also be able to calculate efficiency from their power calculations. 4. Students will be able to compare efficiencies in order to identify the circuit that is most efficient. 5. Students will be able to make circuits from a diagram and vice versa.

Relevant Common Core Standard(s):

This lab uses a variety of voltage conversion devices to output 5 Volts, the requirements for a USB charger such as for a cell phone. Students will take data on these devices and calculate, graph and compare

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Phone Charger Efficiency

Car Charger Schematic
Average Rating:
0
Unit:
Intended Grade Level(s):
7-12
Subject Area(s) Covered:
Energy Fundamentals
electrical circuits
efficiency
schematic diagrams
Estimated Activity Length:
2 hours
Learning Goal(s):

1. Students will use multimeters to measure voltage and current in circuits. 2. Students will use collected data and be able to make power calculations from this data. 3. Students will also be able to calculate efficiency from their power calculations. 4. Students will be able to compare efficiencies in order to identify the circuit that is most efficient. 5. Students will be able to make circuits from a diagram and vice versa.

Relevant Common Core Standard(s):

This is part of the Off the Grid Unit. In this lesson students will explore the concept of efficiency

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Activities and Assessment of Vocab and Units

Car Charger Schematic
Average Rating:
0
Unit:
Intended Grade Level(s):
7-12
Subject Area(s) Covered:
physics
electrical energy
Estimated Activity Length:
2 hours
Learning Goal(s):
  1. Students will be able to define voltage, current, power and energy as it relates to electricity.
  2. Students will be able to define electricity and have the units for all the above terms in their Journals.
  3. Students will be able to set up multimeters for voltage and current and will be assessed on this.
Relevant Common Core Standard(s):

This lesson is intended as a way to check for student understanding regarding the content presented in the previous lesson of this unit. The assessment takes place in two parts: a written assessment of

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