Mini Grid Solar System Project: List of Materials

Classroom Minigrid Solar System Project Hardware 

  • Solar panels (200W 12V Solar panels). Renogy
  • Charge controller (30A PWM or MPPT) matched to panel and battery. Renogy 
  • 12V 50Ah Lithium Battery. Renogy 
  • 700W Solar power inverter to produce AC from the battery. Renogy
  • AWG cables:
    • 10 AWG Solar cable with MC4 connectors x 2. Renogy
    • 8 AWG Cable x2. Renogy 
    • 4 AWG copper cable or 6 AWG cable for short runs (<1m) x2. Renogy 
  • AC loads: LED Lamp – 11W, Fan – 40W, Laptop charger – 60W.
  • Light source: Spider Farmer SF1000, Samsung LM301H EVO Led Grow Light, Full Spectrum Light simulating sun light spectrum. Spider Farmer using Samsung LM301B and LM301H EVO diodes.
  • Power strip with circuit breaker.

Protection: Fuses/2-pole circuit breakers

  • 20A MC4 fuse or DC circuit breaker
  • 30A DC fuse or DC circuit breaker
  • 60A DC fuse or DC circuit breaker

Electric Circuits Learning

  • Breadboard, AA batteries, battery holders, alligator clips, LED bulbs, resistors, conduction wires.

Measurement and Data Tools

  • Multimeters (at least 1 per group) for DC/AC voltage, current, resistance. 
  • Power meters for power measurement.  

Simulation and Analysis Software

  • Phet simulations for electric circuits and energy transformations. 
  • Spreadsheet software (Excel) for Light source profile, load profile, sizing, and cost models. 

Computing and Collaboration (available in school) 

  • Student devices (Chromebooks/laptops) with internet access for research and simulation. 
  • Shared platform for collaboration reports and presentations.

Safety

  • Light radiation – safety goggles.
  • Pre-Moistened Lens Cleaning Wipes for goggles. Zeiss 
  • Clear Student Safety Rules. 
  • Clearly labeled “do not touch” zones.
  • Written procedures for connecting/disconnecting components. 
  • Lockable storage for batteries and electronics. 
  • Printed wiring diagrams and checklists for students to follow when building the minigrid.