MightyJayJay
Newbie level 3
- Joined
- May 10, 2010
- Messages
- 3
- Helped
- 0
- Reputation
- 0
- Reaction score
- 0
- Trophy points
- 1,281
- Location
- Puerto Rico
- Activity points
- 1,313
Hi, I'm making a model of a solar updraft tower. Basically the way it works is air gets heated by the sun (in my case a 500w lamp) and rises through a pipe. In the pipe there is a "turbine" connected to a generator that extracts energy from the rising air and thus generating electricity. For my project, I have to use this electricity to power 1 or more LED's. I also want to add solar panels to the design to increase power generated in the same amount of space.
The problems I have are: #1 not knowing much of electronic circuit design (which I'm working on) and #2 how to hook up the DC generator and the solar panels to turn on the LED's. I think that if the generator does not produce much power, the solar panels might turn it on and make it work as a motor, which is something I don't want!!
My generator is a DC motor taken from a printer I had lying around, although I have a couple smaller ones too. The LED specs are 1.7v and 20mA. The solar panels produce about .5v @ 30mA. Any other things I would need just let me know.
ANY help will be GREATLY appreciated. Thanx!
Jay
The problems I have are: #1 not knowing much of electronic circuit design (which I'm working on) and #2 how to hook up the DC generator and the solar panels to turn on the LED's. I think that if the generator does not produce much power, the solar panels might turn it on and make it work as a motor, which is something I don't want!!
My generator is a DC motor taken from a printer I had lying around, although I have a couple smaller ones too. The LED specs are 1.7v and 20mA. The solar panels produce about .5v @ 30mA. Any other things I would need just let me know.
ANY help will be GREATLY appreciated. Thanx!
Jay