Work Night 2.28.19

Work Night

Date: 2.28.19
Time: 4:30-7:00 PM
Location: Logan HS
Students: Alex, Paige, Avery, Austin,Thomas and Seth
Goal: The goal for tonight is to test the charging system in its entirety to see if we can output to our phone App.

There was quite a bit of preliminary work done prior to tonights work night. 3-4 hours were put in yesterday and today working on the Super Cap storage system, the BlueTooth circuit and mounting the completed circuit boards on the tester.

The last two weeks have been a series of "fail forward's". We have wanted to test our system but we would have a mechanical gear breakdown, or a poorly soldered joint or a IC problem. We really needed some positive news in our testing tonight to give us a boost and we got it.

We took some time to wire up the charging system and test out our generator to make sure we had functionality. This proved successful so we were going to hook up a 5 V power supply to test the system but we changed our mind and hooked up the generator to cycle the limb tester. This would be our first full system test so a lot was riding on it. We cycled our tester and the BlueTooth connection with our App was enabled. When we read the output of a regulated 4.2 V on the cellphone there was a cheer. 

This proves the system can produce enough electricity to power the Smart Puck voltage requirements!!!

Now we refocus on reducing the size of the circuit boards, design a new mount for the display model prototype, adding in the super cap circuit and working on our patent.

Probably our most important video documentation to date. This shows our charging system fully in action. The BlueTooth connection with our App is enabled and we are reading an output of 4.2 V on the cellphone. This proves the system can produce enough electricity to power the Smart Puck voltage requirements!!!

Paige majorly updated the big book. Then I worked on requesting money from both Mayo and McDonalds. I also started a list of companies we have contacted for Inland Printing. My dad and I plan on talking to some local companies about donation.

Thomas worked on the new Super Cap circuit that will replace our existing rectifier and storage system. He should be done by next week and ready for another test. Alex worked on mounting components and added a new terminal to the charge control system.

Seth worked on the battery holder with LED's to demonstrate the system is charging the battery. He is also starting to work on the new mount for the display prototype.

Avery worked on...well Avery stuff but he said he will make a blog post on Friday.

Austin successfully tested his BlueTooth circuit and is working on reducing the size of it.

Using marine epoxy to attached the pinion gear to the shaft of the 8-1 gear head. The wooden platform is a jig we built to ensure the motor and shaft stay inline while the epoxy sets.

Charge controller circuit mounted at the top of the plexiglass now and ready to be wired.

Austin tightening up connections and mounting circuit boards.

9 V battery holder and BlueTooth circuit board installed on tester. 

Thomas setting up the O-scope for our big test tonight.

Screen shot of the generator output showing almost 10 V with one generator.

Alex wiring the system together for the test.

Our complete prototype system on the tester. Now we work to condense the size and scale and make a model prototype.

Video of Austin mounting circuit boards on the tester.