Connectors aid solar car challenge

Lemo is continuing to sponsor the Mad Dog III solar powered car, designed and built by the students of South Bank University for racing in the American and Australian Solar Car Challenges.

Lemo is continuing to sponsor the Mad Dog III solar powered car, designed and built by the students of South Bank University for racing in the American and Australian Solar Car Challenges.

The concept car was created in 1998 after the first World Solar Rally in Japan, and was based on solar panels accumulating onto lead-acid batteries within a basic aerodynamic shell.

Mad Dog III was an enhanced version of the aerodynamic shell with other systematic improvements that enabled it to win in its class at the World Solar Rally in Japan.

Mad Dog III consists of several high-precision, highly efficient components such as ASE solar cells with Gochermann cell-lamination, Saft lithium-ion batteries and an NGM brushless DC motor.

In order to operate in the harsh outdoor environment it also required lightweight, tough, watertight connectors with very low electrical resistance.

It is extremely important for a solar car to reduce electrical losses.

The F series connector was a natural choice for the majority of the control systems because of its proven Formula 1 'track record' and its tough, vibration resistant, lightweight design.

The power system required larger contacts to handle the additional current so a 4K connector was used.

The telemetry system involved B series connectors.

Importantly, Lemo was also able to offer backup service in UK, USA, Australia and Japan.

(This was Engineeringtalk's Top Story on 9 May 2002).

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