Designing and Building a Solar Charge Station
Location
Hager-Lubbers Exhibition Hall
Description
PURPOSE: This project is designed to give students a place to work outside at a picnic table that doubles as a solar power station. Students will be able to enjoy being outdoors while charging their laptops and phones on the GVSU campus. In addition, this station will provide a light source for use at night. This station will demonstrate the use of photovoltaic systems and their use as a reliable and renewable source while also logging the performance of the system for future analysis. PROCEDURES: The first part of the project is design, which begins with the determination of energy requirements. This energy requirement leads to the sizing of batteries, charge controller, inverter, lights, and wire gauges. The second part of this project is the build which includes modifying an existing picnic table and the wiring of all components. Additionally, it consists of ensuring the entire system is waterproof and able to withstand the elements. OUTCOME: The table is currently being built to the designed specifications and will be finished at the end of the semester. IMPACT: This project should help increase the awareness of photovoltaic systems in our campus community as a viable energy source as well as demonstrate a fully autonomous photovoltaic system. In addition, the station will provide a valuable source of information from its logged data to better understand the usage of photovoltaic systems.
Designing and Building a Solar Charge Station
Hager-Lubbers Exhibition Hall
PURPOSE: This project is designed to give students a place to work outside at a picnic table that doubles as a solar power station. Students will be able to enjoy being outdoors while charging their laptops and phones on the GVSU campus. In addition, this station will provide a light source for use at night. This station will demonstrate the use of photovoltaic systems and their use as a reliable and renewable source while also logging the performance of the system for future analysis. PROCEDURES: The first part of the project is design, which begins with the determination of energy requirements. This energy requirement leads to the sizing of batteries, charge controller, inverter, lights, and wire gauges. The second part of this project is the build which includes modifying an existing picnic table and the wiring of all components. Additionally, it consists of ensuring the entire system is waterproof and able to withstand the elements. OUTCOME: The table is currently being built to the designed specifications and will be finished at the end of the semester. IMPACT: This project should help increase the awareness of photovoltaic systems in our campus community as a viable energy source as well as demonstrate a fully autonomous photovoltaic system. In addition, the station will provide a valuable source of information from its logged data to better understand the usage of photovoltaic systems.