Engineering Requirements

Engineering requirements


  1. System can operate for 2 days without sunlight to charge the batteries or recharging from wall power.
  2. The system will be able to operate between 32 degrees F and 100F
  3. The solar panel will be used to charge a battery (LiPo, LiFe, Li-ion, or other type). There must be a battery protection/charge circuit that ensures the battery is not overcharged, over-discharged, or short-circuited
  4. The system will be able to determine it's direction (north, south, east, west) and offset from vertical within 10 Degrees
  5. System can accommodate +/- 15 degrees of vertical offset from level and misalignment of +/- 15 degrees from due south.
  6. System utilizes a solar panel of 10W size or greater.
  7. System uses knowledge of offset from vertical and due south and of global position and real time to properly track the sun within +/- 10 Degrees vertical and horizontal of the actual position of the sun.
  8. System will have an interface to show data. Interface will show that the system is charging. Interface will show when the battery is full. Interface will show the current power available. Interface will show when the battery is low and inform the user that the power outputs are disabled. Interface will show errors in the system. Interface will show time and location.
  9. The system will have a method of visually tracking the sun in case of GPS failure. The system will adhere to the same requirement of being accurate to +/- 10 Degrees from the actual position of the sun.
  10. System will have 2 connections to power external devices. One connection will be 5V up to 2A, and one connection will be 12V up to 2A. Both connections can be toggled on and off.
  11. The System will be waterproof.
  12. The system, meaning the enclosure with the electronics and microcontroller, battery, PCBs, etc, and not the solar panel, will be at or under the size of 20''X20"X20"