History of the Motor

The idea of a light-commutated motor, where solar cells power the individual coils of a motor, was first described by Daryl Chapin in an experiment kit from 1962 about solar energy. The kit was distributed by Bell Labs, where Chapin together with his colleagues Calvin Fuller and Gerald Pearson had invented the modern solar cell eight years earlier, in 1954.[2] Chapin's version of the motor uses a vertical glass cylinder on a needle point as a low-friction bearing. A magnetic suspension of the rotor was added in 1994 by eccentric inventor Larry Spring to create "Larry Spring's Magnetic Levitation Mendocino Brushless Solar Motor"- more commonly called "Mendocino Motor" with a horizontal rotor. The name comes from the location of his workshop on the Mendocino coast of California. Source: www.wikipedia.org

Why did you make it?

I am very fascinated by this engine it needs only a few sunbeams to drive the motor. Very special on this engine is that the rotor hovers over the magnetic bearings, absolute amazing.

The Mendocino Solar Kit is easy to assemble, what you need is only a little bit of glue, sandpaper, hexagonal wrench, a soldering iron and soldering tin.

Assemble sheet (download): >Mendocino_Montage_Instruction_eng.pdf