We Care Solar Solar Suitcase User manual

We Care Solar - Solar Suitcase Installation Guide - 2017 Page | 1
We Care Solar Suitcase
Installation Guide
2017
®

We Care Solar - Solar Suitcase Installation Guide - 2017 Page | 2
Contents
Solar Suitcase System Overview............................................................................................. 3
Understanding the Solar Suitcase........................................................................................... 4
Batteries, Panels, and Lights ............................................................................................... 4
Main Control Board.............................................................................................................. 5
The Charge Controller ......................................................................................................... 6
Getting Started ........................................................................................................................ 9
Appliances............................................................................................................................. 11
Charging Appliances.......................................................................................................... 11
Phone Charger................................................................................................................... 12
Headlamps......................................................................................................................... 13
Fetal Doppler ..................................................................................................................... 15
Installation Guide for Solar Suitcases.................................................................................... 18
Installation Planning........................................................................................................... 19
Installation Day Preparation Checklist ............................................................................ 20
Installing the Solar Panel ................................................................................................... 21
Solar Panel Installation Checklist.................................................................................... 30
Installing the Solar Suitcase............................................................................................... 32
Solar Suitcase Installation Checklist ............................................................................... 36
Installing the LED Lights .................................................................................................... 38
LED Lights Installation Checklist..................................................................................... 41
Installation Day –Documentation ...................................................................................... 42
Documentation Checklist ................................................................................................ 44
Teaching Healthcare Workers How to Use the Solar Suitcase.............................................. 45
We Care Solar Suitcase Teaching Script........................................................................... 45
Teaching Tips .................................................................................................................... 51
User Comprehension Checklist.......................................................................................... 52
Solar Suitcase Repair and Maintenance ............................................................................... 53
Troubleshooting................................................................................................................. 54
We Care Solar Service Kits................................................................................................ 58
Warranty ............................................................................................................................ 61
Solar Suitcase Installation Master Checklist.......................................................................... 62
Checklist of Skills for Installing, Using, Maintaining the Solar Suitcase................................. 64

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Solar Suitcase System Overview
The Solar Suitcase Includes:
Appliances:
1 Lithium Ferrous Phosphate (LFP)
12 volt battery
2 rechargeable headlamps with micro
USB cable
2 bright, rugged LED lights
1 multi-tip phone charger
1 homerun cable for solar panels
1 2-slot USB adapter
1 wall mounting hardware kit
Optional Appliances:
1 roof mounting hardware kit
▪Fetal Doppler
Solar panel(s) –EITHER:
▪AA/AAA battery charger
2 plastic-backed solar panels (20 watts each)
OR
1 aluminum glass solar panel (50-200 watts)
▪Expansion switch box (provides 2
additional lights)
FETAL DOPPLER
(optional)
SOLAR
PANEL
LED LIGHTS
EXPANSION SWITCH
BOX WITH
ADDITIONAL LIGHTS
(optional)
HEADLAMPS
LFP BATTERY
MICRO-USB CABLE
AA/AAA RECHARGEABLE
BATTERY CHARGER
(optional)
MULTI-TIP PHONE CHARGER

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Understanding the Solar Suitcase
Batteries, Panels, and Lights
Battery Solar Panel
Lights
The Solar Suitcase includes a Lithium Ferrous
Phosphate battery (LFP; 12 volt, 12 amp-hour)
that stores electricity for night time use.
The LFP battery lasts for 5 years, and can be
fully charged and discharged hundreds of times
before it needs replacement. It can also be
stored for months without harm to the battery.
The Solar Suitcase is also compatible with
Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) batteries.
Battery Replacement. After years of usage, if
you notice the battery is full at the beginning of
the evening, but runs out of charge quickly (for
example, the battery cannot provide enough
power for one LED light through the night), it is
time to replace your battery.
The Solar Suitcase can power two LED lights
throughout the night and an additional two
LED lights in systems using a 65-200 watt
solar panel. The LED lights plug into the light
sockets and are secured with the threaded
ring that is around the plug. The LED lights
can be cleaned with a damp cloth.
The solar panel turns sunlight into
electricity. The electricity is used to
charge the main battery in the Solar
Suitcase. The solar panel for the Solar
Suitcase is sized so that the battery can
fully charge every day.
Plastic-backed
(G-10) Everbright
Panels
Aluminum Glass
(Conventional) Panel

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Understanding the Solar Suitcase
Main Control Board
Main power switch/circuit breaker
Internal battery cable
Charge controller
Battery terminals/slip-on connectors
Light sockets
External battery socket
Light switches/circuit breaker
Solar socket
Appliance switch/circuit breaker
Solar plug on homerun cable
Appliance sockets (12V DC)
2 expansion sockets
Internal battery socket
Terminal screws (on charge controller)
7b
2
5
4
3
11
10b
10a
7a
8
12
1
9
7b
6
2
2
3
4
5
6
8
9
10a
10b
11
12
1
7a

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Understanding the Solar Suitcase
The Charge Controller
The Solar Suitcase connects solar panels to a charge controller, which optimizes the solar
charge into the battery. The charge controller also regulates the use of the energy stored in
the battery to power lights and other appliances.
Solar Charging Light
CHARGING –During the daytime,
when the green charging light is lit, it
means that the solar panels are
properly wired and that the Solar
Suitcase is receiving charge from the
solar panels. If you do not see this
light in the daytime, the system is not
properly connected.
Battery Type Selector
The selector must be on “2-
SEALED” for all sealed lead acid,
AGM batteries and LFP batteries like
the kind that comes with the Solar
Suitcase.
Battery Status Lights
The three colored lights allow the user to
assess the level of charge in the battery.
Lithium Ferrous Phosphate Battery
BLINKING GREEN –Battery is
full. This is a good time to charge
mobile phones and other
appliances.
SOLID GREEN –Battery is
between 10% and 90% charged.
You may charge appliances on
sunny days.
YELLOW –Battery is getting
very low –10% or less. Conserve
energy. Turn off all lights and
discontinue charging appliances.
RED BLINKING –Battery is
very low and power will soon turn
off. Turn off all light switches and
appliances. Wait until next sunny
day for battery to recharge.
13
15
14
13
14
15

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Solar Charging Light
The battery is charged every sunny day.
But how do you know your battery is charging?
There is a green light on the charge controller above the sun.
This light is called the solar charging light.
When it is daytime and the homerun cable is properly connected,
this light will be green. 
If you do not see this light in the daytime, the system is not properly connected.


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Battery Status Light
•The battery is like a bucket that holds water. The energy from the sun is like the water.
•The charge controller is like our eyes. It lets you see how much energy is in the
battery, like how our eyes let us see how much water is in the bucket.
•If the bucket is overflowing, this is a good time to wash your clothes.
➢Similarly, if the green light is blinking on the charge controller, this means there
is overflowing electricity in the battery. This is a great time to charge appliances.
•If you have little water, you would not use the water for washing clothes. You would
save the water for drinking.
➢If you only have a small amount of electricity in your battery, you need to save
this for lighting at night.
•If the bucket is empty, you cannot use water until the next time you fill your bucket.
➢When the battery is empty, it can only be filled during the next sunny day.

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Getting Started
1.Place the solar panel(s) in the sun and connect the solar
panels to the homerun cable
Place the solar panels in a sunny location. The panels should be permananetly mounted
on a rooftop with no shade between the hours of 9 AM and 4 PM. The panels should have
a minimum of 10 degree slope so that the rain will clean the panels off.
2.Connect the homerun cable to the Solar Suitcase
Make sure that the solar plug (yellow and blue) is fully inserted and rotated so that it is
locked in. The silver tab will face forward and click into position.
3.Connect the battery to the Solar Suitcase
Insert the battery plug into the internal battery socket.
✓


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The Solar Suitcase arrives with a battery cable already connectred to the battery with slip-
on connectors. If the slip-on connectors have come loose from the battery terminals, then:
Attach the (+)RED terminal on the battery to the (+)RED slip-on connector.
Attach the (–) BLACK terminal on the battery to the (–)BLACK slip-on connector.
Make sure the slip-on connectors are fully inserted.
4.Turn on the system
Once the solar panel and battery connections are secure, you can turn on the system. Use
the main power switch to turn ON the system. The battery status lights willflash in sequence
and the charge controller will turn on. After 3 seconds, the solar charging light will glow
solid . The Solar Suitcase is now ready to use.
The main power switch should remain ON at all times The
only time to turn the main power switch OFF is when you are replacing the main
battery.
Solar
Charging
Light

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Appliances
The Solar Suitcase comes with the following appliances:
Depending on the product specifications ordered, your Solar Suitcase may also include the
following optional appliances:
Charging Appliances
Appliances should only be charged during the day and when the battery status light is green.
The battery status light on the charge controller will tell you whether or not it is ok to charge
appliances.
If the battery is:
BLINKING GREEN –Battery is full.
This is the best time to charge mobile
phones and other appliances.
SOLID GREEN –Battery is between
10% and 90% charged. You may charge
appliances on sunny days.
If the yellow or red lights are on, your battery is
low. Do not charge any appliances at this time.
To charge appliances, BOTH the solar
charging light AND the battery status
light should be green.
2 headlamps
Micro USB cable for
headlamp
2-slot USB
adaptor
Multi-tip phone
charger
AA/AAA rechargeable
battery charger

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Appliances
Phone Charger
The Solar Suitcase comes with a multi-tip phone charger that is able to charge most types of
cell phones.
Using the phone charger:
1) Plug the 2-slot USB adaptor into one of the appliance sockets and flip the appliance (red) switch to
turn the appliance charger on.
2) Plug the multi-tip phone charger into the 2-slot USB adapter and the appropriate plug on the other
end of the multi-tip phone charger into the cell phone.
The appliance
switch turns on
both appliance
sockets.
X
Only charge ONE phone at
a time with the multi-tip
charger. If you charge more
than one at a time, it can
break the charger.
You can also use your own cell phone
charger with the Solar Suitcase, either
by using the 2-slot USB adapter or by
plugging a car charger directly into the
iance
appliance
socket.
2-slot USB adapter

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Appliances
Headlamps
The Solar Suitcase comes with two headlamps.
Using the headlamp:
1) Use the strap to put the headlamp on your head and
push the on/off (top) button to turn it on.
2) If fully charged and with the light on the brightest mode,
the headlamp will last for about 3 hours. If you want to
conserve power, you can dim the light. To do this, hold
the on/off button down and the light will get dimmer. To
return the light to the brightest setting, simply push the
on/off button to turn the headlamp off, and then turn it
back on again.
3) You can also adjust the angle of the light beam by rotating the light away from the strap
once it is on your head.
4) When you are done using the headlamp, push the on/off button on the top to turn it off.
Charging Light:
When you turn the headlamp on, the charging light on the side
of the headlamp will briefly flash green, orange, or red, before
changing to white. If it flashes orange or red, it is time to charge
the headlamp.
If the charging light is blinking blue when you try to turn it on and
it will not turn on, it means the headlamp is locked. To unlock it,
hold down the on/off button until the blue light turns off and the
main light turns on (about four seconds).
strap
charging light
on/off
button
charging port

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You will also know if the battery is running low if the light does not seem very bright or the
headlamp won’t turn on at all. The headlamps can be charged just like a cell phone. If the
headlamp is completely discharged, it will take about three hours to fully charge it back up.
Charging the headlamp:
1) Plug the 2-slot USB adaptor into one of the appliance sockets and flip the appliance (red)
switch to turn the appliance charger on.
2) Plug the micro-USB charging cable into the 2-slot USB adapter and plug the other end
into the charging port on the side of the headlamp.
When charging, the charging light should be flashing green. When the headlamp is fully
charged, it will turn to solid green.
2-slot USB adapter

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Appliances
Fetal Doppler
One of the optional appliances in the Solar Suitcase is the fetal Doppler. Midwives use the fetal
Doppler to hear a baby’s heartbeat and to get a digital reading of the heartbeat. The fetal
Doppler can be used instead of a fetoscope.
Using the fetal Doppler:
1) First, palpate the mother to find the position of the fetus
2) Place lubricant on the probe
•For lubricant, you can use ultrasound gel or any vegetable oil
•DO NOT use water because it does not conduct sound well
3) Turn the fetal Doppler ON using the side switch
•The switch also controls the volume
4) Place the probe on the mother’s belly
5) Listen for the heart rate for five seconds, and increase the volume if needed
6) Shift the angle of the probe slightly if you don’t hear a heartbeat, and wait again for five
seconds
7) DO NOT move the probe quickly
8) PLACE, PAUSE, and LISTEN

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9) You have found the heartbeat when you hear a steady heartbeat and the heart on the
display is solid black
10)Turn the fetal Doppler OFF after you are done using it
Understanding the fetal Doppler display
•The normal fetal heartrate is between 120 and 160. If the heartbeat is less than 120 or more
than 160, the baby may be in danger
•If the heartbeat remains abnormal, turn the mother on her side, begin intravenous fluids,
start oxygen and call for assistance
•Call a doctor or refer the mother to a hospital if the fetal heartbeat remains too fast or too
slow
•If the heartbeat is less than 100, it may be the mother’s heartbeat. To confirm whether you
are hearing the mother, check her wrist pulse with your hand while listening to the fetal
heart rate.
•Remember: You must see a solid black heart in the display to be receiving an
accurate heart rate reading
Low battery
indicator
Heartbeat display
On-off switch and
volume control
Speaker
Ultrasound probe sensor
Place lubricant gel here
Ultrasound
probe

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Charging the fetal Doppler using the AA/AAA rechargeable battery charger:
1) Open the back of the fetal Doppler. Remove the batteries for charging.
2) To charge, place the positive side of the batteries in the positive side of the charger. To charge AA
rechargeable batteries, the small white tab on thebattery charger needsto be in the upright position.
To charge AAA batteries, the small white tab needs to be moved downwards.
3) Plug the rechargeable battery charger into the one of the appliance sockets and flip the appliance
(red) switch to turn the appliance charger on.
The LCD display will tell you that the batteries are charging and show you when the batteries are fully
charged. If the LCD display is not lit, check that the charger is properly inserted into the appliance socket
and that the appliance switch is turned on.
IMPORTANT: The battery charger can charge rechargeable (NiMH) AA batteries (like those that come
in the fetal Doppler) and rechargeable AAA batteries. The charger CANNOT be used with single-use
(Alkaline) batteries. If you place single-use batteries into the battery charger, the charger will break.
Charge the batteries in “families”, meaning all the batteries that go with an appliance should be charged
together at the same time.
White tabs
LCD display
Charging AA batteries
Charging AAA batteries
Appliance
socket
Appliance
switch
Make sure you
match up the +
and –signs

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Installation Guide for Solar Suitcases
1. Installation Planning
2. Installing the Solar Panel
3. Installing the Solar Suitcase
4. Installing the LED Lights
5. Installation Paperwork

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Installation Planning
Planning - Before Installation Day
1. Identify installation team. Most teams will include one driver and 2-3 technicians.
2. Location planning –Call the clinic at least one day in advance.
a. Ensure the person in charge of the clinic will be present on installation day, as
well as most of the midwives so that they can be trained on Solar Suitcase use and
maintenance.
b. Make sure there have been no recent changes to the electricity status of the
facility. For example, it is possible the facility may have received alternate solar power
or been connected to the grid since the facility was assessed.
Installation Day - Steps
1. Leave early –in most places working on the roof after noon is HOT. You also want to leave
time for unexpected delays (e.g. car trouble).
2. Prepare and load tools and equipment in vehicle. Review preparation checklist (next page).
a. When possible, bring an extra Solar Suitcase for teaching.
b. Bring food and water –often there is little available at the site and it is a long and
potentially unsafe day without sustenance.
3. Arrive and introduce yourselves to the person in charge of the clinic. Take a tourof the clinic
with the medical team.
4. Identify the best location for the Solar Suitcase, lights, and solar panels.
a. Engage the health workers at the clinics, as they are the best source of information.
They know how rooms are used, which doors are locked, where the equipment will be
safe, etc. Start with them and then consider the technical options second.
b. When determining light placement, don’t forget to ask the three main questions (Where
do you stand when conducting deliveries? Where do you care for the baby after
delivery? Where does the mother rest after giving birth?)
5. Organize team –assign responsibilities to roof lead, ground lead, and teaching lead. You
will get more consistent results if people are responsible for specific activities.
6. Complete installation of solar panels, Solar Suitcase, and lights. Review checklist for each.
7. Train the healthcare workers how to use and maintain the Solar Suitcase and review
checklist.
8. Complete paperwork.*
9. Review final installation checklist.**
10.Clean up the site –take away debris and re-organize any furniture moved.
11.Present clinic certificate to person in charge of clinic and midwives. Take a photo of them
in front of the Solar Suitcase.
12.Take photos of installation. Show us your good work!
13.Re-organize tools, load vehicle and depart prior to dark.
* Paperwork is extremely important. Please take the time to complete the necessary
documentation.
** Checklists reduce errors –Use them!

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Installation Day Preparation Checklist
When packing up your equipment in the vehicle to drive to an installation,
use this checklist to make sure you do not forget anything:
1. Solar Suitcase + 1 extra for teaching health facility staff –Make sure that
appliances, installation hardware, user manual, and poster are inside
the Suitcase
2. Solar Panel(s) + 1 extra in case of breakage
3. Installation paperwork (stickers, tracking sheet, receipt, certificates,
baseline form, etc.)
4. Toolbag –Make sure the toolbag includes all the necessary tools for
installation
5. Drills –Make sure the drill batteries are charged and you bring the
charger
6. Ladder for reaching the roof (+ step ladder for installing lights indoors if
you have one)
7. Water and snacks for during installation
8. Camera for taking photos at installation