Prototype Testing in Spain

3 min read

Launching a product isn't just about having great ideas; it's about making sure those ideas actually fly! But let's be real, endless meetings, discussions, and more meetings can feel like a never-ending maze. Trust me, been there, done that, got the 'wasted time' t-shirt.

Here's the hack: skip the talkathon, get the basics, and dive in yourself. That's the secret sauce to getting things moving.

So, we hustled and found our dream team: think batteries, quality solar panels, and an electronics whiz. And guess what? Fate smiled upon us and dropped the perfect engineer right around the corner in Park Royal. Talk about a game changer!

With our crew and gear all set, we embarked on the wild ride of designing our first bit of tech and after a whirlwind of months, voila! We had a prototype, it was finally showtime. Testing mode: activated.

In Search of some Sun

February in the UK, more rain than sun...

Waiting till April for decent weather? Nah, not going to happen. We needed real data, pronto.

So, where do a bunch of sun-chasers head for testing that’s close to the UK and cheap to get to? Spain, baby! Talk about a tough gig, right? But hey, fate waved its wand again, and behold, a good friend, Rasa from Lithuania, just bought a spot in Costa Brava with a roof terrace, Perfecto! Cue the thank you, gifts, and promises of future goodies for her space.

Now, imagine us hauling batteries and high tech gear through airports. Trust me, we looked like we were building some sci-fi gadget in our suitcases! We were half expecting a full interrogation, but smooth sailing and we got through customs no problem! Losing our gear would've been a major issue and delayed everything for months. But we made it, unpacked, and the stage was set for some serious tinkering and testing.

Torrevieja near Alicante

Getting the Data

Our rooftop lab was a hit, but we weren't settling for 'kinda-sorta' data. We wanted the real deal, no wishy-washy stuff. Clear, solid numbers were the name of the game.

Here's the setup: the method involved 2 different base units with different battery types for comparison, and 2 different solar panel sizes associated with each base setup for productivity comparisons. Both units had 4 battery packs each, and each battery pack needed to be tested individually throughout its charging duration. Armed with data sheets to fill out, we tested each battery pack on an hourly basis.

Brian and I couldn’t go anywhere, we were rooftop prisoners, taking it in turns to test through the system recording the data and making necessary observations, scribbling notes, and fine-tuning our setup. 

Thank goodness for music and a few chilled beverages to jazz up our data collecting marathon. Amidst all the tinkering and drowning in figures, we managed a few icy dips in the pool and some seaside munchies, but mostly, it was all about that vital info hunt. Sunny Spain was living up to its reputation and kept those sunbeams coming.

Look out for our next blog to discover the results and what it meant~

Set up for testing