Solar design

[viraj1188]

Hello friends i am trying to attach a motor and a photo diode to my solar panel so that the motor will turn the solar panel in the direction of maximum sun light.
so i was confused how will the photo diode and motor interact.


please friends send me som info if you can ..

i diagram or any link will be great ..

please please

 

[Leftyretro]

Hello friends i am trying to attach a motor and a photo diode to my solar panel so that the motor will turn the solar panel in the direction of maximum sun light.
so i was confused how will the photo diode and motor interact.


please friends send me som info if you can ..

i diagram or any link will be great ..

please please

First you have to determine if the detector/motor system will consume more power then you get back by tracking the sun. I bet it takes a pretty large solar panel before you break even on this idea?

Lefty

 

[viraj1188]

First you have to determine if the detector/motor system will consume more power then you get back by tracking the sun. I bet it takes a pretty large solar panel before you break even on this idea?

Lefty

i will be using highly costly fiber layered solar panel that is only 12''*12" and gives out nearly 1 amp .. so i found a motor that runs on 250 mA..

i think that must work ..
SO now can you explain me ....

 

[duffy]

There's TWO photosensors, separated by a reflective (but not mirror-finish) vane. When the light falls more on the east than the west (because of the shadow from the vane) she heads west, and vice-versa. It's one opamp and a few transistors in a "H bridge driver" arrangement, no big deal to get something that's close enough for solar.

You also need 2 microswitches for travel limits. The one on the east side has a 1 amp diode across the NC contacts that only allows for west travel, and vice-versa. Both switches are in series with the motor.

The reflective vane is there to reflect enough light in the morning onto the CDS cell (avoid phototransistors for this) to reset the mechanism. You don't want a perfect mirror finish because it won't reflect correctly.

Never heard of a "fiber layered solar panel", what is that?

1 amp is not power, 1 amp is CURRENT. Makes a big difference. That's like someone asking your speed and you reply "1 hour".

 

[viraj1188]

Are you explaining the circuit which had that sun diagram in it .....

 

[viraj1188]

hey Duffy can you inform me about the ratings of the motor and which type of motor is good to be able to turn my panel.
panel specs: 12" * 12"

tell me the power and other specs..
thanks

 

[duffy]

12" x 12" is the SIZE. The power could be anything. If you don't have the specs, measure the voltage with a multimeter on a sunny day. You said it was good for an amp, right? Use ohm's law to put a resistor on it to load it down to an amp, and measure the voltage again. The first reading is the float voltage at full sun (or close to it) and the second is the loaded voltage. The motor will need to turn at the loaded voltage.

Not sure what diagram you are talking about - got a link? What I described is a pretty standard way of doing it on the cheap, though. A better system uses a microcontroller.

Got to warn you, what these guys are talking about with the motor energy is a real issue. The problem arises that when you subtract the total energy to turn the thing from the reduction in total energy from not being perpendicular all the time (motor works against wind forces, and some days are overcast), consider the loss of reliability, added complexity and so forth, it doesn't often pay to tilt the panel. That's why most solar arrays just lay flat.

 

[creakndale]

You might get some ideas looking here:
LED3X Solar Tracker Assembly

creakndale

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Here's a link might be of some help.
LED3X Solar Tracker Assembly

 

[knaaphix]

Hope You will find this link helpful
**broken link removed**

 

[audioguru]

The solar panels for parked cars tickets purchase machines are not moved. Frequently they are not even pointing in the direction of the sun but they work perfectly, even on cloudy days (rechargeable battery?)

 

[setronin]

Hi
Don't go for any mechanical system that really need maintanence.
Use any boost pfc circuit that really works even clowdy days.
Thank you

 

[Elecholic]

You might get some ideas looking here:
LED3X Solar Tracker Assembly

creakndale

I hope this will be useful for me