Instructions

GraviTrack Solar Marble Machine Kit
8
5. Installing the SolarEngine
Step
5.3
Pick a solar cell mounting
location: Choose the
GraviTrack solar cell
location that best exposes
the cell to your lighting
situation, I.e.: front (if on a
shelf), back (as on a
window-sill), or side (on a
desk).
large solar mount
small
solar
mount
large solar mount
Top down view (all tracks removed in this view for better visibility):
5.1
5.2
Cut the double-sided sticky-tape (DSST)
in half, and use one piece to install the
Solar Engine just behind the motor.
ASSEMBLY
While you won’t do any damage by plugging them in backwards, the SolarEngine will
only work properly if the solar panel and capacitor are installed as shown. Batteries don’t
work when installed backwards - the same applies to these parts! We will connect the
motor now, and the solar panel later.
Solar panel
wires
Motor
wires
(Black)
+(Red)
(Black)
+(Red)
The wires need to have the insulation stripped off the ends,
which is easy to do: Our “groovy noodle” wire insulation is
so soft, you can pinch and pull it off with either your
finger nails (or use a proper wire stripper).
Expose 3-5mm (1/8~1/4”) of bare
copper from the solar panel
and motor wires.
Negative (Stripe)
side of capacitor
Motor(1)
Motor(2)
Insert the motor wires to the
motor block, noting the Red and
Black polarity marks. Backwards
operation works, but not as well as proper
forward motion.
Connect the large capacitor and solar panel wires into the
same terminal block connections. If you have trouble getting the
wires to stay firmly mounted when you tighten the terminal block
screws, try stripping off more wire insulation and wrapping the wire
around the capacitor legs.
Motor terminal
block
Solarcell / capacitor
terminal block