Solar panel mount for Spider Rover

thingiverse

I chose a gear motor 1:50 which is not the fastest option for driving a worm gear driven mechanism already. However, with lower power consumption, solar cells rated 9V&109mA each (under full sunshine) easily keep it moving. I connected the cells in series since they're sufficient to run the motor at 12 volts, taking approximately ~70-95 mA. I haven't attempted to connect them in parallel yet but this setup works sufficiently well already. A key note: it is essential to have a worm gear securely fixed with ball bearings (check pictures), or it may quickly overheat from excessive friction. The worm gear should be smooth and well-maintained; avoid using gears with faults, edges, blobs, etc. After lifting the mechanism into the air, conduct a 15-minute burn-in process by powering it up to ensure everything runs smoothly.