Battery Box Requirements
The American Solar Challenge set forth requirements for the battery boxes on all solar vehicles. The requirements that have been set forth include:
- The battery boxes must fully enclose the batteries.
- The battery boxes must completely enclose all the batteries that will be used on the Solar Car. By completely enclosing the batteries in the battery boxes, they will be protected and secure during any hard driving or in the event of an accident. The battery enclosures must protect the driver from any possible electric, chemical, or mechanical mishap. Also, the batteries must be electrically isolated from the rest of the vehicle.
- Battery boxes must be able to be removed from the vehicle.
- In accordance with the rules set forth by the American Solar Challenge, the battery boxes must be designed such that the entire set may be removed and placed in impound nightly. This is requirement is to regulate the unfair charging of the batteries. Also, the top of the box must be able to lock tightly on the battery box.
- The battery boxes must ventilate the batteries.
- The battery system must be equipped with a forced ventilation system that is independent of the driver. Also, this forced ventilation system must operate whenever the batteries are connected to the solar car or the solar array. By keeping the ventilation of the batteries independent of the driver, any possibility of lethal fumes reaching the driver will be limited.
Back to Problem Statement Page
Return to Summary Page
Forward to Specifications Page
Page last modified on November 28, 2006, at 12:54 PM