Today we learned how to solder components onto a printed circuit board (PCB). These skills and the skills learned on Friday were used to connect the solar panels to each other in parallel. This way the electricity generated would double the amperage of the circuit’s output but keep the voltage at about 9 volts. We than soldered the Buck DC/DC Converter into the circuit. The Buck Converter will drop the voltage down to 5 volts and help increase the output amperage. This will allow the completed circuit to charge a cell phone.
After lunch we discussed the building of Solar Box Ovens. Everyone is constructing their own verson and hopefully will have a completed oven tomorrow. Ovens are constructed with cardboard, aluminum foil, and sheet insulation.
Oreo Update: We tried 3 different flavors, Mint, Birthday Cake, and Red Velvet. Mint tastes like Thin Mints so they get a 10/10. Birthday Cake tastes like Pillsbury Vanilla Frosting therefore it got a 9/10. Red Velvet was controversial with scores of 10/10 and 7/10.
