Introduction This article is very different from the others: it contains little text, at least for the moment. On the other hand, in the following video, Jack gives you a detailed description of the bike he designed and used for the Sun Trip to Sahara. It was this bike that allowed him to be the […]
Jack Butler’s solar recumbent bike (2024) Read More »
Introduction Passionate about light mobility and solar energy, I brought these two interests together by building a solar bike with photovoltaic panels. For this first realization, I wanted a system as simple and as cheap as possible. Indeed, I was not sure I would succeed although a few simple calculations showed that it could only
Luc's solar scooter Read More »
Weekend of 4 & 5 February 2023. Reception from 9:30 am on Saturday. Start of activities: 10:15 am – End of weekend: Sunday 3:30pm This weekend will allow you to benefit from:
Weekend "Introduction to solar bike construction" Read More »
Principles The electrical energy by a photovoltaic panel varies according to the sunshine. However, charging a battery requires an electrical voltage adapted to this battery. It is therefore not possible to directly connect a solar panel to a battery. The panel is connected via a solar charge controller whose role is to adapt and limit
Connecting solar panels Read More »
How to choose solar panels? What are the differences in energy performance of panels from different manufacturers? Can the technical specifications indicated on the panels be trusted? So many questions that solar bike designers ask themselves. As we will see below: the specifications mentioned on a label do not always hold true. The purpose of
Comparative energy performance test of 4 solar panels Read More »
Understand everything about photovoltaic panels: power specification, efficiency of the panel according to the assembly, inclination with respect to solar radiation, impact of temperature on production, role of diodes on a series of cells, impact of shadows on electricity production, consequences of shocks on a panel…Conference by Christophe DUGUÉ (Photowatt) during a preparation meeting for
Knowledge about solar panels Read More »
The beginner can quickly feel lost in front of the diversity of the offer. Here we present the main categories of engines and review the characteristics that differentiate them from each other. We point to pros and cons that should be considered trends rather than absolute truths, as they often depend on the conditions of
The different categories of engines Read More »
It involves combining a bicycle, an electric assistance system and solar equipment. We will describe below the necessary elements and consider the different possibilities available. The bike It is possible to use either to use a commercial electrically assisted bicycle, or to use a conventional bicycle to which an electrification kit is added. A commercial
Components of a solar bike Read More »
It consists of a set of Li-Ion elements (called “cells”) associated in series and in parallel, to which is added an electronic protection system, the BMS. Its role is to prevent too deep charging or discharging and to balance the tensions between the Li-Ion elements. Bicycle batteries consist of cells either of “18650” format in
What is a Li-Ion battery made of? Read More »
