Instructions
Table Of Contents
- Introduction
- Parts
- Using Alligator Clips
- Solar Board Reference
- Project 1 – Sun Finder
- Project 2 – Garden Light
- Project 3 – Self Charging Cooling Fan
- The BBC micro:bit
- Getting Code to Run on the micro:bit
- Project 4 – Adding an Energy Meter
- Project 5 – Energy Logger
- Connecting Up
- Code for the Energy Logger (MakeCode)
- How it works
- Connecting to Your PC
- Pairing Your micro:bit With MakeCode
- Showing the Device Console Graph
- Capturing Data From a Charge and Discharge Cycle
- Downloading Data
- Getting Data into a Spreadsheet Program
- Analysing the Data
- Graphing the Data
- Results
- Understanding the Data
- Understanding Duty Cycle
- How the Solar Store Works
- Project 6 – Intelligent Cooling Fan
- Troubleshooting
- About the Author
- Learning
- Monk Makes Kits
SOLAR BOARD REFERENCE
To Solar Panel
To micro:bit
To attached device
Charge% (output) – stored charge indicator. A voltage between 0V and
3V that can be connected to a micro:bit pin.
Level (output) – stored charge (raw). A voltage between 0V and 5V that
can be looped directly to the enable pin, to auto-enable when charged.
Note: Do not connect to micro:bit
Enable (input) – enables the power output, so that any stored energy
can be used by the attached device.
Power (input) – provides power to the Solar Store board, primarily so
that the Charge% output works. Connect 3V and GND to micro:bit.
Solar Power (input) – connect this to your Solar Panel to harvest
energy, which is stored in the Solar Store. Accepts a voltage up to 10V.
Make sure that + goes to the + on the Solar Panel, and - goes to the -
on the Solar Panel.
Power (output) – connect your attached device here. This output is only
enabled when the Enable pin is active and there is sufficient stored
energy in the Solar Store. The LED (D3) will light when there is enough
stored energy.
Power LED – indicates that power is provided to the Solar Store and
the Charge% indicator connection to the micro:bit is working.
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