[RE-wrenches] Small PV system/experiment for kids

[penobscotsolar at midmaine.com]

I donated some 12 watt solar panels to the local grammar schools in my
area and got a call from one of the teachers with the same question. The
panel was very over sized for the project, but simply taking a small dc
fan (or a d motor with blades (propeller?) attached, combined with a
colorful sheet of mylar with long cuts in it to give it "fingers" and
putting the whole thing in a classroom window was a very effective
illustration. When the sun came out fully the mylar strands really drew
the kids eye and illustrated that solar worked. It is simple, effective
and inexpensive and great for young kids. I suspect it could be done with
a very small solar panel of a couple of watts. you just need to match the
voltage of the "fan" to the panel.....

Daryl


>
>
> Jason,
> If you want a little self contained display that is interactive you could
> use a high wattage AC light focused on a small 10 or 20 watt module. Put
> the light on a rheostat the kids can control. Use a computer fan to the
> module with a clear plastic tube sealed around it. Drop a ping pong ball
> in the tube. By varying the AC light intensity the ball rises and falls in
> the tube. If the tubing is sized properly the ball will rise up out of the
> tube at full fan speed and be suspended in mid air a couple of inches
> above the top of the tube because the spherical shape perfectly divides
> the rising column of air around the ball. It remains suspended above the
> tube perfectly and is guided back into the tube by the falling pressure of
> rising air surrounding it.
> A neat little display that lets kids (and adult kids) see instant cause
> and effect of the power of light.
> Nathan Jones
> Power Source Solar
>
>
> ------------------------------
> On Wed, Dec 12, 2012 8:08 AM CST Jason Szumlanski wrote:
>
>>I have been approached by a local elementary school to develop a very
>> small
>>PV related experiment or system that is appropriate for children aged
>> 9-11.
>>Not having kids myself, I have no idea where to start with this. They are
>>fine with mounting a PV panel on the roof, wall, or ground. They want
>>something interesting and/or interactive that the students can monitor
>> over
>>time.
>>
>>Has anyone done something like this that would be suitable?
>>
>>Jason Szumlanski
>>Fafco Solar
>
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