Simple Solar Motor Robot Circuit

In this solar motor robot circuit, robot gets its power from the sun, no batteries needed.

It uses a special circuit called a ‘solar engine’ that works well even with small solar panels.

This means your little sunshine powered bot can zoom around even on cloudy days.

Circuit Working:

Parts List:

This simple circuit acts like a mini solar power plant for robots!

It collects light energy stores it up and then unleashes it in bursts to power a motor, coil or other electrical device.

These solar engines can be set to release their stored energy based on different factors like reaching a certain voltage, elapsed time or how quickly the energy is being collected.

Nicknamed “relaxation oscillators” solar engine are the heart of many solar powered robot.

Imagine them as a tiny energy savings account.

They take the small steady stream of power from the solar panel and accumulate it until there is enough for a short burst of action allowing the robot to perform small tasks even with limited sunlight.

This design takes the classic solar engine circuit a step further!

It uses a clever setup with two transistors that automatically latch the circuit ON until the voltage dips to a low 1.5V

Previously, the circuit would turn off at a higher voltage around 2.8V.

This new design allows the motor to draw more energy from the capacitor the electrolytic with each burst of power giving it a little extra oomph!

Formulas:

The process of designing a relaxation oscillator solar engine is building a circuit that regularly charges a capacitor with solar energy and then discharges it through a load to produce oscillations.

The formula for relaxation oscillators solar engine is:

Timing T:

The RC time constant of the capacitor C and resistor R largely determines the oscillation period T:

T = 0.693 * R * C

where,

• T is measured in seconds
• R in ohms and
• C in farads.

In order to obtain desired performance based on particular application requirements and climatic circumstances, testing and tweaking are necessary throughout the design process of a solar engine relaxation oscillator.

How to Build:

To build a Simple Solar Motor Robot Circuit you need to follow the below mentioned connections steps:

• Connect collector of transistor Q1 to the positive supply through resistor R2.
• Connect base of transistor Q1 to the positive supply through R1 resistor and LED1.
• Connect emitter of transistor Q1 to ground.
• Connect collector of transistor Q2 to ground through series of two resistors R4 and R5.
• Connect base of transistor Q2 through a resistor R3.
• Connect emitter of transistor Q2 to positive supply.
• Connect collector of transistor Q3 to the base of transistor Q4 through resistor R7.
• Connect base of transistor Q3 to ground through a capacitor C1.
• Connect emitter of transistor Q3 to ground.
• Connect collector of transistor Q4 to one leg of 3V DC Motor.
• Connect base of transistor Q4 to collector of transistor Q3.
• Connect emitter of transistor Q4 to positive supply.
• Connect a capacitor C2 from positive supply to negative supply to ground.
• Connect 3V solar panel to positive and negative side of power supply.

Note:

• By following these general guidelines and carefully examining specific diagram you should be able to connect the components in your circuit.
• Remember, it is always a good idea to double check your connections before powering on the circuit.

Conclusion:

Solar motor robot circuits offer a beginner friendly introduction to robotics and alternative energy.

The simple solar engine design uses minimal parts and work efficiently with small solar panels allowing the robot to function even in low light.

This makes it a great option for educational purposes or creating simple solar powered bots.

References:

Automatic Solar Tracker Robot