Starter kits, panels, motors, gears, etc. are available from a number of suppliers.
The following items (free) are available from Western Power – just fax back the attached registration form books:
The books are a few years old but the laws of physics are still the same. They don’t say much about what makes a winning car, but they do cover the dos and don’ts of basic engineering. Refer to the Challenge Regulations for car specifications for 2008.
For the past few years, most WA schools have purchased a Solarex10 watt ‘light’ panel (still available from Jaycar Electronics and Suntech Australia). Solar panels are also available from Dick Smith, Scorpio Technology, Technology Education Centre, Cam Art/Craft Technology and a number of other suppliers – see supplier list on pages 3, 4 and 5.
Schools can also make their own solar panel for their car by purchasing their own photovoltaic cells. In keeping with the regulations, the organisers wish to limit the photovoltaic cells used to low-cost commercially available silicon cells (mono-crystalline, poly-crystalline or amorphous). Amorphous cells are not recommended because of their low power to weight ratio. High output cells such as Gallium Arsenide cells, as determined by the high voltage output of such cells (>0.8V per cell), are not allowed. Photovoltaic cells are available from Dick Smith (Cat No O 2015 – used by recent winners, including the Tasmanian teams that won the Australian-International Model Solar Car Challenge in 2005 and 2006. These Dick Smith cells are also sold at Elabtronics. See suppliers list for details.
Forrest Place, Perth
$500 for your school and a trip to Tasmania in November 2008 to compete in the Australian-International Challenge
Open to secondary schools and colleges.
Page update on 27 February 2008
