9 ms·

Sri Lankan teenager builds solar-powered tuk-tuk from scraps [video]

138 points by iqtidar 5y ago

mastrsushi 5y ago
I swear I had this idea when I was 14………but I didn’t make it……….……..and I live in the first world………………
- system2 5y ago
  I don't know your age but finding a solar panel when you were 14 probably was not as easy as today. Storage of the vehicle is probably the biggest challenge too.
  - kube-system 5y ago
    You’ve been able to get hobby solar cells at places like radioshack for as long as solar calculators have been around. Since the 80s, at least. But the price per watt to do something like that back then would be insane. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/45/b6/9f/45b69f8d1639dbcbd8a85794780be63c.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/originals/45/b6/9f/45b69f8d1639dbcbd8a8...
    - Alan_Dillman 5y ago
      The RS ones sucked, and it was better bang for your buck to just get a load of calculators for a dollar each... at the dollar store.
rocky1138 5y ago
I'd love to get a bit more information on it, such as range, charging times, battery chemistry.
terramex 5y ago
Previous discussion from 12 hours ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28186992 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28186992
spiritplumber 5y ago
we made one out of an Ape 50 shell some time in the 90s (because we were given a bunch of mismatched solar cells for free). I think it showed up in the local paper. Cute.
- wehnsdaefflae 5y ago
  "cute"... what are you criticizing exactly?
  - spiritplumber 5y ago
    I'm not, I still think it's a cute idea.
squarefoot 5y ago
Those solar panels are mounted in a way to get the worst possible efficiency (aside making them facing down). I'm very skeptical of the outcome, or maybe they're incredibly oversized for the task so that even a couple of them getting a fraction of the sunlight can make the vehicle work. If he mounted them on the roof they would work a lot better by taking more direct sunlight, and he would save a lot of money by using just one or two for the same performance. Kudos to the kid for actively making stuff though; most of his western peers would waste all day tapping on a phone while he is using his brain to solve problems.
- whydoineedthis 5y ago
  Don't you think he has them on the roof as well? While not optimal, he will get some power no matter what direction he's facing, and that may be enough for the small task. Sri Lanka is ridiculously sunny.
  - conductr 5y ago
    Along these lines, he may also have a very small daily range and thus below optimal charging conditional could meet his needs
  - squarefoot 5y ago
    > Don't you think he has them on the roof as well? He doesn't, and you replied without even watching the video. He has the usual tent on the roof, which would have been the best spot to mount the panels. Had the kid been some some western youtuber, those who downvoted me would be in line to write my same exact post. Please be honest with yourselves and others.
    - Alan_Dillman 5y ago
      I think you could bear another watch yourself, and a little less negativity. The rear side panels are hinged on top, so they can be raised to the sun while the tuk is stationary. As well, in the back, on the roof is clearly another panel. You can see the lack of translucency at about 0:07, and his hand on the rear frame at 1:14. Actually you can see it a bit better at 0:04. Further, its entirely possible that he has an extra vehicular set of panels at home base. He probably parks it with the doors open, facing the rising sun, catching some charge before the horizontal panels become directly illuminated.
davewasthere 5y ago
A pair of safety goggles (while grinding steel) would be a good investment too.
pranade 5y ago
This kid is awesome
aparsons 5y ago
The signage on the vehicle indicates this lad is from Kilinochchi [1]. Not surprised in the least- the last time I was in Ceylon, I learnt that the people in the North are expert boat-builders and very resourceful. [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilinochchi https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilinochchi
alangibson 5y ago
There needs to be a program to sponsor top shelf educations for these super resourceful, highly motivated kids in these "how'd they do that" videos that circulate. Genius is evenly distributed, but the opportunity to develop it is not.

138 points by iqtidar 5y ago

mastrsushi 5y ago

I swear I had this idea when I was 14………but I didn’t make it……….……..and I live in the first world………………

system2 5y ago
I don't know your age but finding a solar panel when you were 14 probably was not as easy as today. Storage of the vehicle is probably the biggest challenge too.
- kube-system 5y ago
  You’ve been able to get hobby solar cells at places like radioshack for as long as solar calculators have been around. Since the 80s, at least. But the price per watt to do something like that back then would be insane. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/45/b6/9f/45b69f8d1639dbcbd8a85794780be63c.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/originals/45/b6/9f/45b69f8d1639dbcbd8a8...
  - Alan_Dillman 5y ago
    The RS ones sucked, and it was better bang for your buck to just get a load of calculators for a dollar each... at the dollar store.

rocky1138 5y ago

I'd love to get a bit more information on it, such as range, charging times, battery chemistry.

terramex 5y ago

Previous discussion from 12 hours ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28186992 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28186992

spiritplumber 5y ago

we made one out of an Ape 50 shell some time in the 90s (because we were given a bunch of mismatched solar cells for free). I think it showed up in the local paper. Cute.

wehnsdaefflae 5y ago
"cute"... what are you criticizing exactly?
- spiritplumber 5y ago
  I'm not, I still think it's a cute idea.

squarefoot 5y ago

Those solar panels are mounted in a way to get the worst possible efficiency (aside making them facing down). I'm very skeptical of the outcome, or maybe they're incredibly oversized for the task so that even a couple of them getting a fraction of the sunlight can make the vehicle work. If he mounted them on the roof they would work a lot better by taking more direct sunlight, and he would save a lot of money by using just one or two for the same performance. Kudos to the kid for actively making stuff though; most of his western peers would waste all day tapping on a phone while he is using his brain to solve problems.

whydoineedthis 5y ago
Don't you think he has them on the roof as well? While not optimal, he will get some power no matter what direction he's facing, and that may be enough for the small task. Sri Lanka is ridiculously sunny.
- conductr 5y ago
  Along these lines, he may also have a very small daily range and thus below optimal charging conditional could meet his needs
- squarefoot 5y ago
  > Don't you think he has them on the roof as well? He doesn't, and you replied without even watching the video. He has the usual tent on the roof, which would have been the best spot to mount the panels. Had the kid been some some western youtuber, those who downvoted me would be in line to write my same exact post. Please be honest with yourselves and others.
  - Alan_Dillman 5y ago
    I think you could bear another watch yourself, and a little less negativity. The rear side panels are hinged on top, so they can be raised to the sun while the tuk is stationary. As well, in the back, on the roof is clearly another panel. You can see the lack of translucency at about 0:07, and his hand on the rear frame at 1:14. Actually you can see it a bit better at 0:04. Further, its entirely possible that he has an extra vehicular set of panels at home base. He probably parks it with the doors open, facing the rising sun, catching some charge before the horizontal panels become directly illuminated.

davewasthere 5y ago

A pair of safety goggles (while grinding steel) would be a good investment too.

pranade 5y ago

This kid is awesome

aparsons 5y ago

The signage on the vehicle indicates this lad is from Kilinochchi [1]. Not surprised in the least- the last time I was in Ceylon, I learnt that the people in the North are expert boat-builders and very resourceful. [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilinochchi https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilinochchi

alangibson 5y ago

There needs to be a program to sponsor top shelf educations for these super resourceful, highly motivated kids in these "how'd they do that" videos that circulate. Genius is evenly distributed, but the opportunity to develop it is not.