Customer projects · school
Solar panels built in class: the Istituto Checchi project
Class 4B of the IPSIA electrical course at Istituto Checchi in Fucecchio (Florence) soldered and assembled two solar panels by hand, and ended up lighting the school sign with the sun.
Who
Class 4B, electrical course
What
2 solar panels
MR WATT materials
Solar cells and charge controllers
A project like this in your school
We supply teaching kits designed for schools, also available on MePA (the Italian public procurement market), as well as DIY kits with cells, ribbon and flux.
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School kits on MePAThe project
The project was carried out by class 4B of the IPSIA electrical course with Professor Paolo Fontanelli, who teaches electrical engineering. The original goal was three solar panels: because of a few setbacks along the way, two were completed.
Once the materials had been bought, the students soldered and assembled the cells during their morning lessons.
The students at work soldering the cells
From cell to panel
For support and protection from rain, humidity and dust they chose 4 mm tempered glass, framed with aluminium profiles.
Preparing the glass to assemble the panel
The soldered cells on the glass and the two finished panels
A simulated roof and a solar-powered sign
As a base, the class reused an old drafting machine that was no longer in use: it rotates 360° and tilts, perfect for simulating the orientation and pitch of a roof.
The drafting machine turned into an adjustable stand for the panels
To show the panels at work, the students fitted an LED strip into the letters I.I.S. A. CHECCHI: it lights up both in the sun and in the dark, thanks to a gel battery kept charged by the panels.
The school sign lit by the panels' energy
What they learned
“Watching documentaries and videos of how panels are made industrially, we thought it would be impossible. Instead we did it: building them isn't difficult at all, once you have all the materials.”
— Class 4B, IPSIA electrical course
The whole team
Our comment when Giuseppe sent us the photos:
“Giving young people the chance to discover this way of producing green energy while having fun, and to see that school isn't just theory, is fantastic: we're proud of it.”
— The MR WATT team
Bring solar power into your classroom
Complete teaching kits for labs and school projects, also available on MePA.
School kitsBuying on MePARelated guides
How to solder solar cells · DIY solar and the law
Project by class 4B of the IPSIA electrical course, Istituto Checchi, Fucecchio (Florence), with Prof. Paolo Fontanelli. Photos sent by Giuseppe: thanks to the whole class for sharing them.