Team Collaboration

The Solar Knights have shown up to FTC to give our support to our very own Paladin Robotics, team 5499. Both the Solar Knights and Paladin Robotics are part of our Engineering Program. We support and work with each other to bounce ideas around. This collaboration is very beneficial to both teams.

SPHS Paladin Robotic's robot ~ Sonic 

 Casey talking with the FTC referees. 

 Both Solar Knights and Paladin Robotics going over strategies for the next match.  

 Paladin Robotics dominating the field with Casey and Pierce driving.

Matt Medosky (Solar) with Andreas Sarris (Robotics) talking to the other teams at the competition.

Corporate Thank You

At this time of the year, the Solar Knights would like to take the time to thank everybody who has donated to help out our dream of building and racing the Solar Knight III and Solar Knight I on the Solar Car Challenge cross country race to Los Angeles, California.

We would like to thank our major corporate sponsors, especially FPL, Bentley Systems Inc. & the Bentley Collaborators, Waste Management. These corporations have helped the Solar Knights not only raise money to accomplish our goals, but to also spread the word about the club and what we are all about.
They have helped get the word out about our club to some other top name companies that are now interested in helping an alternative energy club like ours.

Once again, thank you to FPL, Bentley Systems Inc. & the Bentley Collaborators, Waste Management. as well as all of our donors and sponsors. We could not accomplish everything we do without your help.

Solar Team Update 12/12/12

Greetings everybody and Happy Holidays! The Solar Knights have been busy in their workshop building promising gifts of clean renewable energy.
Solar Knight I has made some significant progress in the past few weeks. Sydney, Solar Knight I's captain, is finally able to drive the car she loves so mud and she couldn't be happier. At the same time, Josh and Matt have improved the car's auxiliary wiring as well as the car's horn and brakes.
Solar Knight III is being a little naughty this year. All the team members have spent hours working on various parts of the car to get it ready for the race this summer (which we still plan on attending). Josh, Sydney, and Emily have spent a few days adjusting the car's brakes and have made some progress. However, the car is still far from being Race-Ready.
The Solar Knights would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of those who have helped us since this year began, and allowed us to display the car, especially the SPHS Athletic Department, who let us display our car at all of the home football games.
Without the support of our community, the Solar Knights would have a hard time making a difference. Please continue all of the support and come back soon to see our next update and what the Solar Knights have accomplished.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from all of us at South Plantation High School.

Weekly Update Numero Uno

Hello everyone! It's time for the Solar Knights' weekly update for all of our dedicated fans and followers.

   We are making progress on Solar Knights 3. In the past week, Josh has touched up and fixed some of the wiring that was done on the car two years ago. At the same time, Matt has gone through every solar cell on the array and is busy making a detailed wiring diagram of it. Fernando has even looked into anything that could be fixed up on the bottom of the car!

Fernando checking the bottom of the car

Luis working on the motor controller's wiring

Our new recruits looking over our many documents on Google Docs

   Other important news, there is now a second solar car team in South Florida! Western High School has decided to join in the alternative energy challenge and build their own solar car.
   On Wednesday, the team payed the Solar Knights a visit to talk with us about how to properly build and wire a solar car. We started by showing them Solar Knight I & III then took them on a little journey to see Solar Knight II, which is resting peacefully in our team's trailer.
   Pictures of Western's visit are soon to come, so be on the look-out.

Be sure to come back next week to see our next weekly update and check on our progress! :)

Off To A Great Start!!

   For everybody who has been waiting for the return of the Solar Knights, your prayers have been answered! We're back and already off to an amazing start. We have recovered from last year's little slump and are making significant progress. First of all, we have a brand new team sponsor: Mr. John Martin. He was the school's robotics team sponsor last year and has graciously accepted our invite to become our sponsor as well. With his help, we came in all summer and finished a variety of solar and electric vehicle projects.
    First order of business is to announce our new Solar Captain........ Josh Garcia!
   Our first project of course is Solar Knight III. Over the summer we came in and got the car running again! We've even taken it out to a few school football games. Our goal for it now is to get it race ready.

Matt Medosky teaching incoming freshmen about Solar Knight 3

Josh working on auxiliary wiring for Solar Knight 3

Matt checking each panel on Solar Knight 3's array

 Our second project is Solar Knight I! That's right, our first solar car has finally returned to its original home. Over summer, we were able to hook the batteries back up and get it to run. However, like SKIII, it still needs a lot of work before it can be considered for any cross country solar race.

Solar Knight I resting peacefully in it's original home

   Another new expansion project we have undertaken is an electric go-cart. It was originally a Senior Research Project a few years ago but was abandoned and left to rust. Fernando, one of our most recent new members, found it and jumped on the opportunity to fix it up.

Fernando working on the Electric Go-Cart

   As you can see, we have a lot of work ahead of us, but with our team and the new members we have gained, we're all confident we can get every single one completed. Our goal for this year is to finish Solar Knight III (and hopefully Solar Knight I) and compete in this year's Solar Car Challenge from Forth Worth, Texas to Los Angeles! It's a huge goal, but we're already working hard to get there.
   We're all looking forward to what this new school year will bring!