Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Term 3 DTM week 2
On friday I finally managed to finish my evaluation and began my prototype final box. I found it funny that I cut out a perfect square 140mm by 140mm and once i'd finished I found a square in the scrap pile which was simetrical to my perfect square. Ironic really. today I'm blogging and posting a edited version of my final designs measurements so my box is large enough to fit the large solar panel. On Friday I hope to finish my prototype box and get started on the final circuit.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Evaluation
Template light evaluation:
I have just completed my template solar panel light. It is in good working order. The solar panel charges the battery well.
I began this project on the 13th March when I received a brief from Terry to make a template solar powered light by modifying a solar panel circuit. The circuit I was to modify was a garden light from the warehouse. I began by pulling apart the circuit then received a top plate which had been cut out with the cam machine. As soon as I acquired the top plate I took off the clear plastic layer and set to work. I began by finding the centre and drawing a line across it horizontally. I then realised that the tracking on my solar panels tracking was torn off so I had to measure carefully where to put my holes on the top plate across the horizontal line. These holes where measured carefully as later on they would be the holes for my LED’s and wires connecting to the solar panel. Once I drilled the holes I bent the edges of the top plate 90 degrees to make the top plate look like a three D box with no bottom. After that I made four 90 degree brackets which were 40 mms long and attached these onto the top plate using steel rivets. Then I got my bottom plate and again pulled of the clear plastic coating. Then I drilled holes around the edges (after they had been measured). Then I bent the edges of the bottom plate at a 90 degree angle so it would fit onto the top plate and sit flush. Then I realised that my top plate wasn’t a perfect rectangle so my bottom plate wouldn’t sit flush. To get around this problem I bent the bottom plate edges around the top plate using a wooden mallet. Then I drilled this removing the LED and wires connecting the PCB board to the solar panel and battery. I then stripped and tinned 8 wires and connected two of these new wires to the solar panel slots in the PCB board. Then I connected three of the wires to make a single Y shaped wire. I made two of these Y shaped wires. Then I connected these two wires into the circuit where the old LED went and modified the circuit to make the circuit parallel. Then I connected two LED’s to these wires after I put heat shrink onto the wires. Then I burnt the heat shrink to the connection between the LED’s and wires to ensure the circuit didn’t short circuit. Then I attached the battery snap to the PCB board then I glued the Battery to the inside of my box with a hot glue gun. Then I popped my LED’s through the holes specially drilled for them and the wires through the holes drilled for them. These wires were then connected to a solar panel which was glued down. I had some trouble gluing it because I couldn’t glue the panel properly so my solar panel was on a slight angle. And then while I was putting the silicone along the edges I did a bad job because silicone was oozing all over my template box. Alas I had finished my template light once I glued the bottom plate back on.
Even with the numerous troubles I encountered making this box I still enjoyed building it and modifying the circuit. I am happy with my template box and I am happy that I succeeded in making it work. I look forward to making more creations like this in DTM.
Henry Nicholls
I have just completed my template solar panel light. It is in good working order. The solar panel charges the battery well.
I began this project on the 13th March when I received a brief from Terry to make a template solar powered light by modifying a solar panel circuit. The circuit I was to modify was a garden light from the warehouse. I began by pulling apart the circuit then received a top plate which had been cut out with the cam machine. As soon as I acquired the top plate I took off the clear plastic layer and set to work. I began by finding the centre and drawing a line across it horizontally. I then realised that the tracking on my solar panels tracking was torn off so I had to measure carefully where to put my holes on the top plate across the horizontal line. These holes where measured carefully as later on they would be the holes for my LED’s and wires connecting to the solar panel. Once I drilled the holes I bent the edges of the top plate 90 degrees to make the top plate look like a three D box with no bottom. After that I made four 90 degree brackets which were 40 mms long and attached these onto the top plate using steel rivets. Then I got my bottom plate and again pulled of the clear plastic coating. Then I drilled holes around the edges (after they had been measured). Then I bent the edges of the bottom plate at a 90 degree angle so it would fit onto the top plate and sit flush. Then I realised that my top plate wasn’t a perfect rectangle so my bottom plate wouldn’t sit flush. To get around this problem I bent the bottom plate edges around the top plate using a wooden mallet. Then I drilled this removing the LED and wires connecting the PCB board to the solar panel and battery. I then stripped and tinned 8 wires and connected two of these new wires to the solar panel slots in the PCB board. Then I connected three of the wires to make a single Y shaped wire. I made two of these Y shaped wires. Then I connected these two wires into the circuit where the old LED went and modified the circuit to make the circuit parallel. Then I connected two LED’s to these wires after I put heat shrink onto the wires. Then I burnt the heat shrink to the connection between the LED’s and wires to ensure the circuit didn’t short circuit. Then I attached the battery snap to the PCB board then I glued the Battery to the inside of my box with a hot glue gun. Then I popped my LED’s through the holes specially drilled for them and the wires through the holes drilled for them. These wires were then connected to a solar panel which was glued down. I had some trouble gluing it because I couldn’t glue the panel properly so my solar panel was on a slight angle. And then while I was putting the silicone along the edges I did a bad job because silicone was oozing all over my template box. Alas I had finished my template light once I glued the bottom plate back on.
Even with the numerous troubles I encountered making this box I still enjoyed building it and modifying the circuit. I am happy with my template box and I am happy that I succeeded in making it work. I look forward to making more creations like this in DTM.
Henry Nicholls
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Week 1 term 3 DTM
I have just come back from schools holidays and yesterday I pair assest Mary's Final light design in solid works. Her blog is pretty neat also. I am beginning yet another blogging checklist and today I have decided to finaly start my solidworks final design! on friday I think it's another double practical but i'll be busy doing my template light evaluation
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Term 2 week 9 year 11 DTM
Last friday I put my box and circuit together. I found the work with the hot glue gun tedious because it was very fiddley and I had to unstick a couple of things all to often. then the work with the silicon was the same. I cant say my sealing job was all to great but when I had silicon all over your hands it seemed like a good time to stop. On tuesday I worked on putting my blogged stuff into order. Not how I imagined DTM. Today it's more blogging. I want to finish my freehand stuff. On friday I'll probly do my evaluation of my template light.
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