SHOULD SOLAR CHARGING BE ALLOWED AT STAGE STOPS?
In ASC2003, vehicles could charge from their solar arrays at stage stops during regular charging hours. If this were changed, the new regulations could allow for no charging at all or for a limited amount of charging (such as after the close of raycing time to arrive at the stop).
Do you think the regulation should be changed or should it stay the same? How to submit your response.
RESPONSES (Generally listed with newest response first.)
RESPONSE#2
This [refers to Response#1] has more to do with the discussion we've had about the cars driving
too fast and the "gap" between stock and open class cars than is does
about "big, expensive batteries". Li-Ion batteries are now nearly as
cheap as a properly built Lb-Acid pack and it was Arizona that proved that
they could compete with the open class in 2001. While I don't agree that
charging should be eliminated from the stops (this has been a major part
of solar raycing and strategy for some time), I do agree that something
needs to be done to bring back some element of strategy back into the race
and remove the idea of the race essentially being 3 or 4 long sprints.
Some of this will have to do with any new proposed route, but it has also
been propsed on this list that the regs limit the arrays to an even
smaller size, or to lengthen the racing day (reducing before and end of
day charging), among other suggestions.
FROM: Jason Kramb,
University of Michigan Solar Car Team Alumni,
Driver / Chief Aerodynamics and Body Design Engineer '99, '01
RESPONSE#1
Get rid of charging at stage stops
Why: The current rayce is not actually one race, but 3 or
4 separate races strung back to back. The problem
with this is it gives an inordinate advantage to
cars with big, expensive batteries. Consider two
cars, one with 3KWH of batteries and the other with
5KWH. Over an average of 20 hours race time from
stage stop to stage stop, the 5KWH car has an
equivalent of 100W of extra power. This will
translate into a guesstimate of 200W of peak array
power. The lead-acid cars don't have a chance.
Moreover, the current race gives limited opportunity
for strategy. Lastly, it is my opinion that the
purpose of the batteries is to allow the car to
spread out the sun energy it receives over the race
day. They should not be used to supply extra power
to the cars.
FROM: Jerry Knight-Rubino, University of Arizona 2003 Team
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