Solar Battery Charger

Students of general physics II or higher will work in teams to apply a solar battery charger circuit to charge using a solar panel. Students will find the maximum efficiency of the solar panel. They will be using solar panel (10W/17V~giving maximum output current of about 0.59 A), a diode, LM317T voltage regulator, Schottky diode (3A, 50V), capacitor (0.1 µF and 1µF), resistors (240 and 2.4 KΩ), 2K potentiometer, connecting wires and a DC battery to be charged. It will take student’s understanding of current, resistance, capacitance, voltage, power output in or out of a device, and efficiency. Two weeks prior to the project students will be given an electronic circuit diagram for this project to draw/study/analyze and predict the outcomes. In the meantime, students will be assessed of their understanding of the key concepts. After two weeks students will conduct the project in school and charge a 6-12 Volt DC battery. Students will not only understand the importance of solar photovoltaic cells, but proudly claim their knowledge transformed in real life practices.