Future mod idea... too agressive for me!

Axel · #1 10-07-2002, 11:08 PM

Hey guys, I have a new mod idea.

Everybody hears about the future fuel cell cars and stuff like that. And already fuel cells are being made and used as high powered batteries for things like laptops. (example: http://www.fuelcelltoday.com/FuelCel...1,1888,00.html ) They can put out more, and have many times the capacity of normal batteries.

So what do you say? How about a fuel-cell ZipZap!!! Hehe. I'm starting research tonight :-) Maybe if I start now mine will be complete before there's no such thing as ZipZaps :-0

SlackerZ · #2 10-08-2002, 02:02 AM

alternative fuel Zip Zaps sounds interesting. I think I once made a potato powered alarm clock. Potato powered zip zaps shouldn't be to hard to make, just use the little brown potatoes that are served with stakes.

Deadite · #3 10-08-2002, 12:34 PM

Would you like fries with your zipzap.

go_zz_go · #4 10-08-2002, 01:18 PM

yes please super size

tinyrc · #5 10-12-2002, 12:18 AM

I challenge you to make a solar powered ZZ! Any takers?

go_zz_go · #6 10-12-2002, 12:27 AM

i belive its been done its just to heavy with the cells on top, or thats what i think i heard not sure though

Axel · #7 10-12-2002, 12:41 AM

IF someone will give me a couple nice solar cells or the funds for some, then I would gladly take that challenge :-)
-ALex

Azimov · #8 05-26-2003, 05:08 AM

Quote:

I challenge you to make a solar powered ZZ! Any takers?

I accept that challenge sir! Gimme a few days.

#9 05-26-2003, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by tinyrc
I challenge you to make a solar powered ZZ! Any takers?

It's not that hard the way you worded it.

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!

Now DIRECTLY operating a Zip via solar power would be a different matter.
They are so heavy that the solar cell to deliver the current it needs would be pretty large.

Better to design a purpose-built chassis to lower the weight, but still use the Zip Controller, power train, and steering.
EDIT
I'm seeing a frame made of plastic with the solar cell suspended in the middle, with the front and back ends of a Zip (or Bit at that point) attached to the front and back.
It wouldn't be pimpin' but it would certainly work.
By the way, the girls you'll get with this project might actually be able to take YOU out instead of the other way around.

---

BTW There is an entire area of robotics devoted to projects similar to this called B.E.A.M.
(Google "BEAM Robotics")

The bots those guys build use about the same motors, but in projects that are entirely solar powered, with maybe just a capacitor to store power for hops or rolls forward.

Interesting stuff to be sure.
It's not outside the realm of possibility to make a light follower or avoider type bot using a Zip chassis either.

#10 05-26-2003, 07:59 AM

I wanted to add that you got me thinking so much about this that I posted the same idea over at the Yahoo group "beamrobotics"

So how much leeway do we have with the design anyway?
Is my idea okay, or does it have to be a car with a body and all that?

Hey Tiny, this should be a thread all it's own.

"Solar Zip Zap Challenge" or something.

viperkilla · #11 05-26-2003, 10:58 AM

do you think that you can use the solar panel form a calculator would work for the job?

Rex · #12 05-26-2003, 01:30 PM

Somebody already made a solar powered Zip Zap. Sometime last week a Radio Shack Worker presented it to Leo on the Screen Savers (TechTV). The panel had "The Screen Savers" Logo etched on it.

That's what got me to buy one and start fart'n around with it.

I bought a solar panel from sundancesolar.com that works all by itself, but only in direct sunlight. Because of the sunlight restriction the panel sits in my kit box... Unused.

Azimov · #13 05-26-2003, 03:15 PM

Quote:

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!

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.

Quote:

Now DIRECTLY operating a Zip via solar power would be a different matter.

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.

Quote:

Better to design a purpose-built chassis to lower the weight, but still use the Zip Controller, power train, and steering.

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.

Quote:

BTW There is an entire area of robotics devoted to projects similar to this called B.E.A.M.

Yup, check out my website.
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Exhibit/8281/index.html
Go to the "BEAMART" link.

Quote:

It's not outside the realm of possibility to make a light follower or avoider type bot using a Zip chassis either.

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.

Rex · #14 05-26-2003, 04:30 PM

The panel I bought at SunDanceSolar is a little stronger than the stock battery (1.2 Volts @ 130 mAh). The Battery in my Zip Zap is 1.2 Volts @ 100mAh.

Azimov · #15 05-26-2003, 05:32 PM

Quote:

The panel I bought at SunDanceSolar is a little stronger than the stock battery (1.2 Volts @ 130 mAh). The Battery in my Zip Zap is 1.2 Volts @ 100mAh.

I'm still not sure it would work. Two of them wired in series might. This way, you have higher voltage to push that current to the motor. The problem is that the circuit gets very power hungry under load. This load increases dramatically when the motor first starts to turn. A current of well over 100mA is required to begin the motor turning. Once you are rolling the current requirements are much less. The solution? Double the VDC, or double the running current. And, in truth, both should be done to maintain high power levels at all loads. Forget the specs of the stock battery. Solar applications are very different from battery applications. Allowing for the same specs for solar that the battery provides simply won't work. Two of your cells might do it, it may take three. This, of course, pushes up the weight factor of the solar cells which in turn increases the start up load. You end up in an endless cycle that will produce a stalemate. The answer is to provide the maximum power per weight. No matter how you slice it, this translates into very expensive solar cells. The idea is to measure the motor load under stall conditions. That is, hold the forward control while you have the car against an immovable object. You will find that the current consuption is extremely high under these conditions. I think Namuna has some figures on this somewhere on this forum. And, also keep in mind this is very dependant on which motor you use as well. This is the starting point for your required current. Now, factor in the required VDC to pump this current to the motor under load and you have a working solar car. Of course, there are other considerations. A buffer capacitor would be needed to keep the car moving when clouds come over or if you accidently run into a shady spot. This is an easy one though and is the least of the problems incurred here.