Solar-Powered Scooter (with link to pictures)

[WillParkinson]

Don Dunklee manages a Rite-Aid by day. By night, he's a DIY maverick who built his own solar-powered scooter that gets him too and from work without the hassle of gasoline. When he rides it, the solar panels are folded up unobtrusively on the side of the scooter. When he gets to work, he opens up the panels so they can soak up some rays. By the time he gets out of work, he's get enough juice to get him home again. Sure, it probably doesn't hold enough to make it more than a day or two with cloudy weather, and he's sure to look like a dork tooling down the road on a yellow electric scooter, but kudos to Don for putting the time and energy into such a unique project. Even better? He made the plans available online on his website so anyone can build one too. http://builditsolar.com/Projects/PV/pvscooter.htm. — Adam Frucci

[glitch]

1. Very cool. Thanks for posting. K & R nt

[Greyskye]

2. i like it

I've seen this before. Looks like a great retirement project, if there isn't something similar available commercially by then.

Thanks for posting!

[librechik]

3. great post--Thanks!

have passed it along to handy friends

[file83]

4. Too cool!!

[BornagainDUer]

5. K&R for positive vibes.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

6. Any idea how much it costs to build?

I didn't see anything on the website.

It's a cute li'l bugger, too! :thumbsup:

[seemunkee]

7. figure $5-8 per watt for the panels

charge regulators are fairly cheap
Here's one on ebay for $38 http://cgi.ebay.com/ICP120W-Solar-Charge-Controller-Battery-Gauge_W0QQitemZ280123872680QQihZ018QQcategoryZ3240QQcmdZViewItem
Probably another $100 in hardware
Plus the scooter.

[La_Fourmi_Rouge]

8. I thought this was another H20man post! n/t

[kestrel91316]

9. He needs to put a sign on it so people driving past him know he's

a solar scooter!!! And maybe he could get a sideline business going that does the modifications for interested but inept sorts like me, lol.