Silicon Valley Energy Lab

Hands-on Solar Tracker Circuit Design Program

Designed to introduce students to photovoltaic and electrical circuits through project based learning

What will students learn from this program?

  • Solar energy & its importance
    • Career, positive impact on the environment, geopolitical stability
  • Photovoltaic
    • Solar cell, panels, array
    • About voltage, current, resistance, power, amp-Hour, insolation
    • What is a photovoltaic system?
    • Calculation of electrical load requirement
    • Solar panels sizing per load requirement
  • Solar tracker
    • What is a solar tracker? Principle behind a solar tracker
    • Different types of solar trackers and their usefulness
  • Through hands-on learning
    • Learn to use a multimeter
    • Learn to identify basic electronic components such as resistors, capacitor, bipolar transistors and light emitting diode
    • Current, voltage and resistance measurement in a circuit, current amplification using a bipolar transistor, LED as a light sensor, voltage divider, H-bridge circuits
    • Built the solar tracker circuit
    • Learn to trouble shoot a circuit by process of elimination

Our Program Is Correlated To:

  • National Science Standards
  • California energy & utilities industry sector
  • Massachusetts standards
  • Texas administrative code (TAC)
  • Other states (in progress)

Hands-on Activities

  • Use of multimeter
  • Measure resistance using a multimeter
  • Measure battery voltage
  • Measure current flowing through a resistor
  • Use light emitting diode (LED) as a light detector
  • Build a voltage divider circuit

Why Learn To Build A Solar Tracker Circuit?

It is a great way to learn about various aspects of photovoltaic field in a short amount of time. Students get introduced to:

  • Solar energy
  • Solar cells & panels
  • Photovoltaic system
  • Photovoltaic economics
  • And also learn about electrical circuits

Why SVEL’s Solar Tracker Program?

Understanding photovoltaic requires knowledge of electrical circuits

Our program is specifically designed to introduce students to electrical circuits in an easy , hands-on and fun way.

Solar tracker electronic circuit doesn’t have to be a black box.

Our program helps attendees build and understand each sub-circuit. Then sub-circuits are connected modularly to make the full solar tracker circuit.

This process helps remove the “phobia” of designing an electrical circuit.

Ideal program for after school activities or to be integrated in the class room.



Curriculum is licensed to a single school and can't be used in other schools. School must sign a licensing agreement with SVEL before an electronic copy of the curriculum is emailed.



What do you need to implement this program in the class room?

You need either ST-01-SVEL or ST-02-SVEL. You will also need ST-04-SVEL depending on your class size. We recommend 1 of ST-04-SVEL per 4 students.

We also provide accessories for your convenience. You can purchase accessories when purchasing ST-01-SVEL and ST-02-SVEL.

Products

ST-01-SVEL  


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Check the video Check video

 Reusable Motor-less Solar Tracker Circuit Design Program (Includes curriculum + tool kit + 1 month on-line support)

Click here to read description

This hands-on program is designed for teachers to help students build a solar tracker circuit and in doing so teach them about photovoltaic and electrical circuits. It is a good way to introduce students to photovoltaic and electrical circuits. Furthermore, students will learn:

  1. Use of multimeter
  2. Measurement of electrical current and voltage using multimeter
  3. About bipolar transistors
  4. Light emitting diode (LED) as light detector
  5. H-bridge

One month online support is available to the teachers*.
* Only available if SVEL provided parts are used


Curriculum
(will be emailed after the purchase) read more..

Motor-less solar tracker tool kit
(Accessories including battery & LED light are not included) read more..


Price: $299
   
ST-02-SVEL  



 

Check the video Check video

 Reusable Motor-less Solar Tracker Circuit (ST-01-SVEL) + Tracker Board

Click here to read description

This is a full solar tracker circuit design program kit. First students can check their circuit without attaching it to the motor using the motor-less board. Then they can connect the circuit to the motor and see the full functionality of the tracker.


Curriculum
(will be emailed after the purchase) read more..

Motor-less solar tracker tool kit
(Accessories including battery & LED light are not included) read more..

 

Tracker Board
Tracker board assembly is a customized solution to let students check the full functionality of the solar tracker read more..

Price: $498
   
ST-03-SVEL  



Check the video Check video

 Turn-key solar tracker demo model (Soldered solar tracker circuit + tracker board + LED light) Battery not included

Click here to read description

Fully assembled tracker model. Consists of the soldered tracker circuit and the tracker board. Great for demonstration purposes and ease of use for teachers while conducting the classes on a regular basis. Flash light is included but battery is sold separately.

Permanently soldered tracker circuit


Tracker Board


Price: $299 Buy Now
   
ST-04-SVEL  

Electronic components for motor-less solar tracker circuit tool kit (cover box not included)

Click here to read description

Additional motor-less solar tracker circuit kits are available at a great discounted prices so that students can themselves build the circuits.

Motor-less solar tracker tool kit

(Accessories including battery & LED light are not included, hard cover box not included) read more..


1-4 Kits - Price/kit: $45
5-8 Kits - Price/kit: $35
9 or more - Price/kit: $25

Buy Now
   
Accessories  
 
SVELMultimeter

Multimeter (1)

Measures electrical parameters such as voltage, current, resistance

 Price: $15
SVELMultimeterClip

Multimeter alligator clips (2)

Helps multimeter tips to be clipped to any electrical component for easy measurements

 Price: $5
SVELClipper

Wire clipper/stripper (1)

Useful to strip the insulation from any electrical wire or cut the wire

 Price: $10
SVELBattery

12V rechargeable battery (1)

This battery is needed to power up the circuit

 Price: $20
SVELTweezer

Tweezer to pick jumper wire (1)

Helpful to pick up the jumper wires during breadboarding the circuit

 Price: $5
SVELFlashLight

LED Flash light (1)

Used to shine light on LEDs that can generate current when light falls on it

 Price: $5

Accessories are not sold individually. They are provided as a convenience to our clients.
   
1) Shipping and all applicable taxes not included. Shipping is $15 for any kit
2) 90 Days Warranty
3) Two weeks return policy
4) Payment: Check/credit card


call us at 408.981.5869

Curriculum: Designed for teachers to implement the program in the classroom Correlation: National Science Standards; California state standards (energy & utilities industry sector) and other states Classroom teaching material includes:

Background material for teachers
Tracker circuit trouble shooting guide to fix students circuit
Glossary
Pre-test and knowledge retention quizzes
Updated with inputs from teachers across the nation. Updates are free.

Reusable Motor-less Solar Tracker Circuit Tool kit:

Tracker board:
Tracker board assembly is a customized solution to let students check the full functionality of the solar tracker.
A DC motor can be connected to the motor-less tracker circuit that students build using a connector.

Then a board with solar cell on it is attached to the DC motor shaft. When the tracker circuit that students build rotates the DC motor shaft, the board moves along with it in the direction of sun.

A velcro attachment is provided to attach the tracker circuit to the board itself. As students build their tracker circuits, they can check their total circuit functionality by simply attaching their circuit to the velcro.

Tracker board: