Dream Lake Elementary’s Solar Car
Event Location: Orange County STEM Saturday
Competition: Junior Solar Sprint
Division: 4-6 (JSS Green)
School: Dream Lake Elementary
Team Name: DreamLake Dragons
Project Name: Solar Powered Car
Team Size: 2
DREAM LAKE ELEMENTARY
Kaelyn P.- 5th Grade-Planning, Drawings, Website
Kelvin C.-3rd grade-Construction/Test
Christopher R. – 3rd grade-Construction /Test
Design Documentation
Photos and Drawings
Project Log
September 30th, 3:30-4:30—Today, we built the solar panel to power the car. We also realized that a solar panel has wires, and we will need to look at the directions to see where that hooks up! We built the wheels and added rubber bands to the back wheels to slow the car down with friction for better control. Next week, we will have the notches of the chassis cut out with the help of our teacher so that the gear will have space to spin. Kelvin C. and Christopher R.
October 21st, 3:30-4:30- We built the connection today with the battery power supply and we connected the wires. We had a hard time lining up the motor with the gear and then we realized that we attached the wrong gear to the chassis! we had to carefully take off the gear and add a new one which we secured with hot glue. Kelvin C. and Christopher R.
October 28th, 3:30-4:30- Once we got the gears rolling and working together we had to add the alligator clips to the wire so we could change the power from battery powered to solar powered. We finally tested it using the solar power and it worked! The wires keep disconnecting from the alligator clips even when we use pliers. Ms. Pell is going to get a tool to burn the wires together Kelvin C. and Christopher R.
November 4th 3:30-4:30- Today we added our passenger underneath the solar panel. He rides nice and safe. We also drew pictures of our car. Kelvin C and Christopher R.
November 18th 3:30-4:30- Today we recorded our video for the website explaining our car and we added the guide wire. We are confused on why we need it because when we tested it today using solar power, it went faster but it also went way more crooked. Its either the wire or the wheel axle is too loose. Kelvin C. and Christopher R.
November 21st- 3:00 We tested our solar power car with battery power! it went fast but the battery got VERY hot. We are not sure why. its still going crooked too. Kelvin C and Christopher R.
Materials Used
For this solar car, we used all the pieces that came with the kit.
We also had to buy some extra alligator clips that were 5.00 and we bought a sodering gun for the connections that was 15 dollars
We used a ping pong ball as our passenger and the bottom of a plastic cup as the holder that we got from our school science lab and glued on with hot glue.
Vehicle Performance Test
| Vehicle Test Information | Test 1 | Test 2 | Test 3 |
| Solar or Battery | SOLAR | SOLAR | BATTERY |
| Weather | SUNNY | SUNNY | SUNNY |
| Date/Time | 10/28 4:00 PM | 11/17 3:30 PM | 11/22 12:00 PM |
| Distance Traveled | 400 INCHES | 429 INCHES | 702 INCHES |
| Time | 30 SEC | 16.13 SEC | 8.6 SEC |
| Speed | 13 INCHES PER SECOND | 26 INCHES PER SECOND | 81 INCHES PER SECOND |
| Comments | The wire is not staying connected to the clip on the motor- we need to fuse it together. | The wheels keep turning because the axles are looser than we need them to be. The guidewire is not helping the steering. It goes crooked. Not sure what to do about that. | It went VERY fast and was hard to control, the panel flew off when the car hit a bump! |