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Put a solar cell on top of a stock Zip, and in about three hours of good sunlight the battery will be full of "solar power" and ready to roll!
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True, but very dependent on the solar cell you use. And, you've still got a 3 hour wait til you can run it again.
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Now DIRECTLY operating a Zip via solar power would be a different matter.
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Yes it would. It would involve a solar array of sorts to provide enough voltage and current to continuously run a Zip. This array would also need to be as small and light as possible as well. Translation: Very expensive cells.
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Better to design a purpose-built chassis to lower the weight, but still use the Zip Controller, power train, and steering.
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I don't think you need to go that far. Some shaving of the frame would help, and removing the stock battery would lighten the load as well. The real weight factor involves the solar cell.
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BTW There is an entire area of robotics devoted to projects similar to this called B.E.A.M.
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Yup, check out my website.
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Exhibit/8281/index.html
Go to the "BEAMART" link.
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It's not outside the realm of possibility to make a light follower or avoider type bot using a Zip chassis either.
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There is a circuit already out there that does this very thing. It's solar powered, light seeking, and reverses from obstacles. I haven't built it yet, but have it in my files for future referance.