To-Do (Prototyping)

Our first day in the lab and we have (in addition to testing the basic functionality of our solar panel-battery-solar charge controller system) made a To-Do list for the remainder of the prototyping process:

 

·      Debugging: how do we make it very clear when something has failed, and what has failed?

·      Relative efficiency of different phone chargers: is it worth it to use different charging mechanisms/switchboard?

·      Lights: what wires work best (efficiency over length)?

·      Solar charge controller: which solar charge controller should we use?  The PWM5 vs. CMP12

·      Housing: how will we package the node?  How do we emphasize modularity?

·      Layout: record the schematics of our circuitry, what things connect to what.

·      Deployment: moderate stress testing with dust/water/etc. 
·     Outputs: range of current/voltage output for overcast/full sun days, time to charge battery augmented by drawing charge during the