Solar Energy Lab 1ENGR 1181

Today's Learning Objectives

After today's class, students will be able to:• Describe and build both a calibration and solar meter

circuit • Convert a binary number to a decimal value• Discuss how a potentiometer works • Explain how a photodiode light sensor works• Given a schematic drawing, build a working electronic

circuit on a breadboard • Use a Photodiode Light Sensor and a Binary Voltmeter

circuit to measure the intensity of light (in Watts/m2)

Solar Energy MeterIn lab today, you will build a solar energy meter circuit to measure the energy intensity from a light source.

solar energy meter

Output inWatts / m2Sun light

Solar Energy Meter Components

LEDs

Banana Plug Wires1 Black and 1 Red

DMM

Circuit Components

+5 Volt Power Module

Breadboard(Pre-Wired)

Solar Energy Meter Circuit

+5 V +5 V+5 V

P C B 1

Light Se ns or

5

2 1

63 4

V O

ut

+5

V+

5V

V O

ut

Gn

dG

nd

P C B 2

Bina ry Voltm e te r

6

2 1

75 14

4 3

8 9 10

11

12

13

D7

(M

SB

)

+5

V+

5V

D6

V I

np

ut

Gn

d

+5

V+

5V

D5

D4

D3

D2

D1

D0

(L

SB

)

D 7 D 6

D 5

D 4

D 3

D 2

D 1

D 0

BINA RY DISPL A Y

SHORTW IRE

S o la r E n e r g y M e te r C ir c u it

L EDs

• Schematic• Breadboard Layout

Binary Voltmeter Calibration Circuit

+5 V

+5 V +5 V

1 0 K

P O T

13

2

P C B 2

Bina ry Voltm e te r

6

2 1

75 14

4 3

8 9 10

11

12

13

D7

(M

SB

)

+5

V+

5V

D6

V I

np

ut

Gn

d

+5

V+

5V

D5

D4

D3

D2

D1

D0

(L

SB

)

D 7 D 6

D 5

D 4

D 3

D 2

D 1

D 0

SHORTW IRE

B in a r y V o ltm e te r C a lib r a tio n C ir c u it

L EDs

0 to +5 V OL T S

BINA RY DISPL A Y

DMM

Trimpot – variable voltage Total resistance (Pin 1 to Pin 3) = 10 kOhms Resistance at Pin 2 varies by turning the adjustment knob

Produces Vadj output voltage of 0 to +5 Volts on Pin 2

It is a variable resistor

+5 V

1 0 K

P O T

13

2Vadj

8-Bit Binary Display

• The LEDs at the output of the Binary Voltmeter are labeled from D7 to D0

• The LEDs are either "ON" or "OFF" – for binary numbers "1" and "0"

• D7 is the Most Significant Bit (MSB) and D0 is the Least Significant Bit (LSB)

• Any 8-bit binary number can be converted to a decimal number

D 7 D 6

D 5

D 4

D 3

D 2

D 1

D 0

8-BIT BINA RY DISPL A Y

L EDs

MSB LSB

Task 1 – Build the Calibration Circuit

+5 V

+5 V +5 V

1 0 K

P O T

13

2

P C B 2

Bina ry Voltm e te r6

2 1

75 14

4 3

8 9 10

11

12

13

D7

(M

SB

)

+5

V+

5V

D6

V I

np

ut

Gn

d

+5

V+

5V

D5

D4

D3

D2

D1

D0

(L

SB

)D 7

D 6

D 5

D 4

D 3

D 2

D 1

D 0

SHORTW IRE

B in a r y V o ltm e te r C a lib r a tio n C ir c u it

L EDs

0 to +5 V OL T S

BINA RY DISPL A Y

DMM

Task 1 – Calibration Circuit Closeup

Task 2 – Enter Data into the Worksheet

Task 3 – Build the Solar Energy Meter Circuit

+5 V +5 V+5 V

P C B 1

Light Se ns or

5

2 1

63 4

V O

ut

+5

V+

5V

V O

ut

Gn

dG

nd

P C B 2

Bina ry Voltm e te r

6

2 1

75 14

4 3

8 9 10

11

12

13

D7

(M

SB

)

+5

V+

5V

D6

V I

np

ut

Gn

d

+5

V+

5V

D5

D4

D3

D2

D1

D0

(L

SB

)

D 7 D 6

D 5

D 4

D 3

D 2

D 1

D 0

BINA RY DISPL A Y

SHORTW IRE

S o la r E n e r g y M e te r C ir c u it

L EDs

Task 3 – Solar Energy Meter Circuit Closeup

Task 4 – Use the Solar Energy Meter to measure the intensity of a light source

Task 4 – Record the Light Intensity data in the Lab Worksheet

Topic Document Type

Marble Delivery System None

Quality and Productivity Executive Summary

Circuits Executive Summary

Solar Energy – Part 1 --

Solar Energy – Part 2 Memo (Combined)

Beam Bending Memo

Wind Turbine 1 --

Wind Turbine 2 Report (Combined)

Problem Solving Project 1Project Notebook

(Combined)Problem Solving Project 2

Problem Solving Project 3