"This kit should only be used by persons 12 years old and up, and only under the supervision of adults who have familiarized themselves with the safety measures described in the kit."

Keep small children away due to small parts. The main goal is to make a solar-powered vehicle which uses hydrogen and oxygen in order to move - in other words, a car fueled by water!

This kit includes thirty experiments concerning different power sources and how they can be used mainly in transportation. It also discusses how those ideas can then be transferred to use in other areas such as machines and power tools. The set contains intricate electronic items such as a solar panel, a digital multimeter, fuel tanks for hydrogen and oxygen, a complete fuel cell, a model car chassis, electric gear motor, and a gas collector, along with simple components like safety goggles, wheels and axles. By using all these items, one can create several different versions of the automobile and one crane (not all at once, but in succession).

The first is powered by solar energy, then another with a hydrogen/oxygen mix extracted from water. In conjunction with creating these sophisticated cars, the student also learns what makes up solar panels, how different angles and amounts of light affect the quantity of power produced by the panels, and how using oxygen and hydrogen derived from water can create more economical moving vehicles. When I initially opened the box containing what I thought was all I would need to make the model car, it was, in reality, missing several vital pieces such as an extremely small screwdriver for the incredibly small screws in it. And, although the instructions say that a syringe should have been included, mine was missing. Other simple items were also needed, though these can usually be found at home, such as a balloon, pencil, flashlight or high-powered lamp and a quart of distilled water.

The colorful 96-page manual, written in a friendly yet thorough approach, covered such topics as solar electricity, types of fuel (hydrogen, electric, solar), and safety while using electronic components. However, I was disappointed to find that the instructional photos and wording of the manual sometimes seemed incomplete. For example, when told to put a screw into a part, I found that the screw was already installed in it. That made me unsure as to whether or not they had done the step for me, or if I was reading it wrong. Since it was an electrical item, I did not wish to mistakenly put something where it should not be, and potentially hurt myself. Once these obstacles had been overcome, the joy of seeing my first electric car scurry across the room was an extremely exhilarating experience.

Then came experiments using the multimeter, the various light sources, angles and obstacles and their influence on the solar panel and consequently the variance in the drive and power of the car. Though I would probably not recommend this kit for anyone who did not have a driving interest in and foundational knowledge of electronics, despite all obstacles, it was still an enjoyable learning experience.



-- Product Review by: David Lane, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine