Solar tracker

[Junkie]

I have built this simple solar tracker. The motor is a bit too fast, but it works and tracks the sun.
The motor is a windscreen wiper motor and it's controlled by two relays. It's based around the
infamous two solar panels wire back to back to track the sun. I think this would work much
better with a slightly smaller slowly geared motor, which I'm looking for. It manages to return
itself to the morning sun, which I didn't expect it to do 

Here's a video (don't know how to embed it, sorry):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iF3OaKYnXHU

Here's the circuit in case anyone wants to have ago.


Diodes are general purpose silicon diodes, D1 must be able to take the motor current.
R1, R3 are 1K.
R2, R4 are 10k
R5  4K7 variable
Q1, Q2 any general purpose transistors.
SW1, SW2 are the limit switches, normally closed contacts.

[wiboater]

 Mc MasterCarr sells DC gear motors that work well for trackers. Get one about 4 RPM. They are around $43.00  I have one on mine.

[ghurd]

Might try adding a 25 ohm 10W power resistor in series with the motor.

UK?
I am in the states, but shoot me an email anyway.
Might be a few small stray flame-proof metal-film resistors around here that would help.
G-

[conntaxman]

Junkey, that seems pretty good for a small cir,Did you try it with clouds? With the motor geared up it would be alot better Like you said.
Nice little cir.
Im building the cir from here http://phoenixnavigation.com/ptbc/articles/ptbc55.htm I have re-built this same cir now 3 times to try to get it to work right.I trackes the sun, But will move in the west direction untill the next day. I guess that is how it's suppose to work from what I have been reading about it.Some people have got it to work but some changed some parts also. C3 1000uf is an eletrolitic not a ceramic.
Good luck with the tracker.
John

[oztules]

John,
A fellow called Kahlid had some problems with this circuit on another site. I gave some some pointers in an email, which I notice he has reproduced for folks to read, it may help you a bit as to how it works.

http://www.thebackshed.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3854&get=last#37448

2 posts near the bottom of the page.


................oztules

[Algie]

Hi

I found a very easy way to turn the dish via the sun just using a satellite reciever powering up the actuator and giving the sat reciever timers on various satellites.

Ex at 0700 it looks at far east satellite and thus wakes up with sun and than turning to various satellite during the day and finish up to the far west satellite in the eveving

A very simple way to get the 30% extra from the sun