i thought i'd start a new thread as to not hijack this one:
http://fieldlines.com/board/index.php/topic,145606.18.htmlalright, i'm getting more and more intrigued! i've read about the zomeworks systems, and also found some info from a DIY version. it seems the type that just use the weight of the fluid to go from side to side (zomeworks) seem to work moderately well. my place is in a very windy area, and i doubt a large dampener would keep panels pointed at the sun all the time. without a dampener, i think these trackers would be all over the place. also dampeners seem to be hard to come by used and finding a cheap, large and sturdy one may be difficult.
sooo- seeings how i've got new panels in route, i think i'm gonna have a go at the type that uses the freon to build pressure behind a double acting hydraulic cylinder to track the sun. i'm guessing that the hydraulic cylinder would be strong enough to hold the panels in the desired location without a dampener even under pretty substantial winds. a small dampener could always be added if needed. i would also guess that it would react faster to cloud cover, and morning shift to the east. it just seems like a far superior way to track, though slightly more complicated.
cold temps may also make the tracker not work very well, thus a brace to hold centered during the winter may be needed.
my largest set-back for this project is the lack of knowledge of various refrigerants. and also sweating copper pipe to hold the refrigerant. i can sweat copper plumbing pipe just fine, but that typically only has to hold 30-60 psi. i think refrigerant can produce much higher psi when sitting in a closed loop of copper, baking in the sun at ambient 105d F.
i plane on using some sort of lubrication added to the freon to keep the o-rings in the hydraulic in good shape.
can anyone elaborate on this written by xeonpony?
For this idea you would use 300sus mineral oil as it must be soluble by the R-12 (Freon tm) How ever I would not recommend R-12 due to it's ODP value, R-152a or R-134a is readily available from air duster cans of all things with a bit of propane mixed in to assist in oil transfer so you can use mineral oil.
there's quite a bit i don't understand IE- "300sus" "ODP value" differences between 152a and 134a and propane....
any comments/criticism/info fully welcome.
thanks!
adam