Activity1.3.

1SolarHydrogenSystemVEX

ThisactivitywaswrittentobeusedwiththeHeliocentris
fuelcell.Ifyouareusingthefuelcellsfromadifferent
manufacturer,refertothatmanufacturersinstructionsto
besurethattheequipmentisusedasdesigned.

1. ReadtheFuelCellUserGuide.
2. FollowthedirectionsintheFuelCellUserGuide
underthesectionPreparingtheFuelCellforUse.

3. Shineabrightlightsourceonthesolarpanel,always
keepingatleast8inchesofseparationbetweenthe
twotoavoidmeltingthesolarmoduleplastic.

CircuitSchematics

Setyourmultimetertomeasurevoltageandconnect
themultimetertestleadstothesolarpanelterminals.
Movethesolarpanelorlightsourcetodeterminethe
locationthatproducesthehighestvoltagevalue.You
maywanttomarkthepositionswithsometape.
Recordtheopencircuitvoltage.Notethecurrentis
zero,sinceavoltmeterhasnearlyinfiniteresistance.
V
=OpenCircuitVoltage__1.51V________
OC

Power=V
OCx0A=0W

4. Withthetestleadsdisconnected,setyourmultimeter
tomeasurecurrent.Returnthesolarmoduletothe
sameexactpositionthatproducedthehighest
voltagevalueandmeasurethecurrent.Recordthis

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shortcircuitcurrent.Notethatthevoltageiszero,
sinceanammeterhasnearlyzeroresistance.
I
_0.0703Amps

________
SC=ShortCircuitCurrent_

Power=0VxI
SC=0W

5. Calculatetheamountofpowerthatwouldbeproducedbythesolarmoduleifitcouldsimultaneouslyproducethevoltageand
currentyoumeasuredintheprevioustwosteps.
Forthisilluminationlevel,thesolarmodulewilldeliver,atmost,about70%ofthistheoreticalmaximum,andwilldosoata
resistancebetweenzeroandinfiniteresistance.
MaximumTheoreticalPower=V
xI
=_0.106watts______
OC
SC
6. Attachthesolarpaneltothesolarhydrogen
automobile.Usingastandofforanothersuitable
method,propuponeendofthechassissothatthe
motordrivenwheelisnot

incontactwiththeground.
Connectthemotorleadstothesolarmoduleusing
thebreadboardtomaketheconnections.Positionthe
lightsourcetoproducemaximumvoltageleavinga
minimumdistanceof8inchesbetweensolarmodule
andthelamp.Isthereenoughpowertoturnthe
motor?Ifso,isthereenoughpowertoturnthemotor
withthewheelsontheground?___yes______
7. Setyourmultimetertomeasurevoltage.Connectthe
multimetertestleadstothesolarmoduleterminals.
Recordtheloadvoltagevalue.(Drivegearshouldbe
engaged)

V=LoadVoltage
_1.83volts_________
8. Disconnectthetestleadsandsetyourmultimeterto
measurecurrent.Connectthemultimeterinseries
withthesolarmodule.Recordtheloadcurrent.

I=LoadCurrent=___186mAmps_______

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9. Calculatethepowerdeliveredbythesolarmodulewhenitisloadedbythemotorwiththewheelsofftheground.
P=LoadPower

=IV
=___340.36watts_______forsolarmodule.

10. EnergizethefuelcellbyusingoneofthepowersourcesaccordingtothedirectionsintheFuelCellUserGuideunderthe
sectionPoweringtheFuelCell(Electrolysis).

Fuelcellscanbedamagedbyhighcurrent.IfusingaDCpowersupplywiththeHeliocentrisfuelcell,donotusemorethan500mA.Do
notuseabatterytoenergizethefuelcell.
11. Afterthefuelcellisenergized,attachthefuelcelltothemotorusingthebreadboardtomaketheconnections.Isthereenough
powertoturnthemotor?Ifso,isthereenoughpowertoturnthemotorwiththewheelsontheground?_yes_____
12. Withthetestleadsdisconnected,setthemultimeter
tomeasurevoltage.Connectthemultimetertest
leadstothefuelcellterminals.Recordthevoltage
value.

V=LoadVoltage
___0.2volts_______
13. Withthetestleadsdisconnected,setthemultimeter
tomeasure10Acurrent,usingthe10Ameter
receptacle.Connectthetestleadsinserieswiththe
fuelcell.
Caution!Nevermeasurecurrentfromthefuelcell
withoutaresistor,motor,orotherloadinserieswith
theammeter.Doingsocanpermanentlydamagethe
fuelcell.

Recordthecurrentvalue.
LoadCurrent=__30mAmps________
14. Calculatethepowerdeliveredbythefuelcell.
P=LoadPower

=IV
=__6watts________forfuelcell.

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15. RemovethefuelcellandsolarmoduleandattachthetwoAAAbatteryholderstoyourvehicleusingzipties.Usingthe
breadboard,connectthebatteriesinserieswitheachotherandwiththemotor.(Seenextstepforwiringhints.)Isthereenough
powertoturnthemotor?Ifso,isthereenoughpowertoturnthemotorwiththewheelsontheground?__yes____

16. Withthetestleadsdisconnected,setthemultimeter
tomeasurevoltage.Connectthemultimetertest
leadstothemotorterminals.Recordthevoltage
value.

V=LoadVoltage
__________
17. Withthetestleadsdisconnected,setthemultimeter
tomeasure10Acurrent,usingthe10Ameter
receptacle.Connectthetestleadsinserieswiththe
motorterminals.Recordthecurrentvalue.

LoadCurrent=__________

18. Calculatethepowerdeliveredbythebatteriesin
series.
P=LoadPower

=IV
=__________forbatteriesin
series
19. Usingthebreadboard,connectthebatteriesinparallelwitheachotherandwiththemotor.Isthereenoughpowertoturnthe
motor?Ifso,isthereenoughpowertoturnthemotorwiththewheelsontheground?______
20. Withthetestleadsdisconnected,setthemultimeter
tomeasurevoltage.Connectthemultimetertest
leadstothemotorterminals.Recordthevoltage
value.

V=LoadVoltage
__________

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21. Withthetestleadsdisconnected,setthemultimeter
tomeasure10Acurrent,usingthe10Ameter
receptacle.Connectthetestleadsinserieswiththe
motorterminals.Recordthecurrentvalue.

LoadCurrent=__________

22. Calculatethepowerdeliveredbythebatteriesin
parallel.
P=LoadPower

=IV
=__________forbatteriesin
parallel

Conclusion
1. Usingthemeasurementsyoumade,compareandrelatethefouroptionsyouexplored.Wasthecarbestpoweredbyasingle
fuelcell,asinglesolarmodule,twoAAAbatteriesinseries,ortwoAAAbatteriesinparallel?

2. Didvoltage,current,orpowerbestdescribethesuitabilityofapowersource?

3. Ifyouhadmanysolarmodules,howmanyofthemwouldbeneededtogetthesameperformancefromthecarasthe
performanceobservedwithtwoAAAbatteries?Describeorsketchhowwouldyouconnectthesolarmodulesintermsofparallel
andseriescircuits.

4. Ifyouhadmanyfuelcells,howmanyofthemwouldbeneededtogetthesameperformancefromthecarastheperformance
observedwithtwoAAAbatteries?Describeorsketchhowwouldyouconnectthefuelcellsintermsofparallelandseries
circuits.

5. Describeanddefendasystemthatyoubelievewouldbestutilizeasolarhydrogensystemtomeettheneedsforanaverage
driver.

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6. Howdoesaphotovoltaiccellwork?Recordthesourceofyourinformation.

7. Detailhowelectrolysisseparateshydrogenandoxygen.Howiselectricityproducedasthefuelcellallowsthehydrogento
reuniteinabondwithoxygen?Recordthesourceofyourinformation.

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