Background
This page was added by a Humboldt State University Engineering class January-May 2015:
CCAT (Campus Center for Appropriate Technology) is an appropriate technology demonstration house on the Humboldt State University campus in Arcata, California. Student staff and volunteers work weekly at CCAT to keep it running smoothly. The Greenshed is a building where the workers store tools and work on small projects. The Greenshed solar panel powers a solar lighting system that workers can use to light the shed at night. The solar lighting system was installed in early 2013. There are eight lights powered by the panel that hang inside the shed. CCAT workers would like to use the shed at night, especially when it gets dark early in the day.
Problem statement
Problem: CCAT staff let us know the lights in the shed are too dim for workers to use the shed at night.
Our goal is to keep the lights bright at night. This project is for our Engineering 305 class (which ends May 2015). We will be investigating the solar panel, its location, the battery, wiring, and light fixtures for problems. The CCAT workers would like us to try to power their tools with the solar panel. If we find an easy solution to the brightness problem we will look into having the system power tools in the shed, adding a shut-off timer, and a data logging device.
The objective of this project is to: -Create better lighting in the CCAT tool shed -Find the best location for the solar panel to intake it's maximum -Replace and fix any poorly functioning or broken equipment -Add improvements to the system if time/resources allow (tool powering ability, shut-off timer, data-logging device)
Criteria
Below are the Project Evaluation Criteria. We will use them to judge the success of our project. We, the students working on this project, created these criteria with the help of the project manager. These criteria will help everyone working on the project know what is most important (10 being most important/non-negotiable; 1 being least important).
| Criteria | Weight | Contraints |
|---|---|---|
| Funtionality | 10 | Produces and stores enough to sufficiently light the green-shed |
| Safety/Placement | 10 | Must be constructed and placed in risk-free positions (no hazards) |
| Cost | 9 | Does not exceed project budget |
| Maintainability | 8 | Easy to preserve equipment |
| Aethetics | 7 | Looks professional |
| Educational | 5 | Includes educational piece for community/CCAT demonstration house |
| Reproducibility | 5 | Can be reproduced by local builders |
Literature Review
This is a summation of the literature reviewed to work on the lighting system for the CCAT Green-shed January-May, 2015.
Photovoltaic Systems Overview
The photovoltaic (PV) system converts solar radiation into thermal energy and direct electrical current (dc). The direct current can be converted to alternate current (ac) through an inverter. SETA
Energy, Electricity, & Circuits
"OHM's LAW: Voltage (electrical pressure) pushes amperage (current) through a resistance"
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