Solar panel experiment

Step 1: Prepare

What is it?

Use your BBC micro:bit to decide where to put a solar panel by measuring light on different sides of a building.

This project is developed in partnership with White Rose Science for science teachers and allows students to use a data logger, report and present findings from enquiries, and learn more about renewable energy sources. Students can also work with variables and various forms of input and output in a computer program.

This video explains how to do the experiment.

How it works

• You will need four micro:bits, each with the sunlight data logger hex file on.
• Each micro:bit is attached to a battery pack and put into a sealed plastic bag.
• One bag is attached to the north, south, east, and west sides of a building, or as many sides as you can access.
• You log information about light levels on all four micro:bits for 24 hours.
• Download and compare the data to discover the best placement for a solar panel.

What you need

• micro:bits
• clear plastic bags
• battery packs with new batteries in them
• string
• a computer/laptop/tablet and USB cable to enable you to view data

Step 2: Investigate

1. Download the sunlight data logger hex file and put it on your micro:bits. You do not need to write the code for this project yourself to do the experiment. If you are interested in coding it, visit the Step 4: Code it section below.
2. Attach your battery packs and put each micro:bit into a sealed plastic bag to prevent them from getting wet.
3. Mark each plastic bag so you can identify its location when analysing the data.
4. Fix your bags to the sides of your building, ensuring there is nothing casting a shadow over the bags.
5. Press button A on each micro:bit to start data logging. When you start logging, a tick appears on the micro:bit’s LED display for two seconds. Following that, one LED lights up in the top-left corner of the display to show you that the micro:bit is in logging mode. A heart also appears on the display once per hour when data is being logged.
6. Return after 24 hours and press button B on each micro:bit to stop logging. A cross appears on each micro:bit’s LED display.

Tips

• To be more accurate, angle each micro:bit at 45 degrees from a wall, using a small stone as a weight to keep it in place.
• If you need to conduct the experiment again, delete the data by pressing buttons A and B together. A skull will appear on the LED display. Press the reset button on the back of the micro:bit to set the time back to 0. 

Step 3: Analyse

To look at the data logged, disconnect the battery pack and plug the micro:bit into a computer. The micro:bit appears like a USB drive called MICROBIT. Look in the MICROBIT drive and open the MY_DATA file to see a table of your data in a web browser:

• The time stamps in the log represent the amount of time that has passed since data logging began.
• Click on Visual preview to see a graph of your data:

You can click on Copy and then paste your data into a spreadsheet. If you collect all your data into one spreadsheet, it is easier to compare information from the different sides of the building.

Step 4: Code it

Watch this video to find out how to code the project:

If you are interested in modifying the code for this project, click on the buttons below: