Close

Finding the Components + First PCB

A project log for Solar Powered LoRaWAN GPS tracker + phone charger

An environmental friendly visor using solar energy to charge handheld devices and supports GPS tracking/SOS through Helium LoraWAN network.

superpowered-jalapenosSuperpowered Jalapenos 06/29/2023 at 21:230 Comments

When we started researching parts for the solar-powered visor, we weren’t able to find any flexible, small solar panels that could generate enough power, so we decided to use two solar panels that could each generate 5 volts in series. We decided to put notches on the top of the visor to hold these solar panels in place, and to put the PCB on the side. 

For our PCB, we took a lot of time and consideration to find components on Digikey that would match our needs. For example, we needed a voltage regulator that could generate a 5v output, so we put many filters on the website by voltage, cost, size, and more. For our first iteration, we ended up using a 7805 voltage regulator. We also decided on using through-hole components for our first PCB to make it easier to solder and build. 

Discussions