By The vast majority of the solar installations are mainly passive sky viewers. They are sitting in one fixed place, where they have only a short time in the midday to get the full blast of the sun. But the sun is not a fixed object, and a wall panel wall is losing out on a tremendous view of potential energy. You will need a system that will be working all day if you wish to cease leaving energy on the table. With the help of the Sunchaser8 design, you will be able to make your fixed system dynamic and sun-seeking. Such a do-it-yourself solar track design will guarantee that your panels are always facing the rays of the sun, thus maximizing the number of photons that are captured as the sun comes over the horizon all the way until it sets behind the tree-line in the evening.
The Art of Solitude Incidence and Effectiveness
In order to see the reasoning behind the need of a tracker, we need to consider the angle of incidence. Solar panels have maximum effectiveness when the sun rays are directed on the glass at a 90 degree angle. As the earth rotates, the sun deviates in a fixed system, and does not remain in this perfect position. Mid afternoon, the ray of the sun falls on the panel at an acute angle and this means that much of the energy becomes reflected off the glass instead of being absorbed by the silicon cells. This is solved by a tracking system which physically turns the panel to track the solar arc. Where a fixed panel could experience a bell curve of production that only peaks around midday, a tracked system can produce plateau high energy production that can remain constant over many hours.
The reasons why you should build a Sunchaser8 Solar Tracker
Commercial tracking systems are available in the market but are usually quite costly to a DIY amateur in a home environment. The most promising thing about Sunchaser8 solar tracker is that it can produce professional level results with the help of parts which are readily available in the market. Constructing your own system enables you to adjust the size to your particular power requirements, whether you are using the system to power a small off-grid cabin or even trying to charge a battery bank to power a garden shed. In addition to the advantage of the increased availability of free power, a DIY tracker is an astonishing project in terms of education. It is a combination of mechanical engineering, basic electronics and environmental science in one functional tool. You also have the skills to take care of the system and repair it when you put one together and you are guaranteed of having a system that will last many years without even having to spend the expensive service call to have the system repaired.
Basic Parts to the DIY Construction
You will also require some basic types of parts to work with in order to begin with your build. The first one is the structural frame. The lightweight, rust resistant and capable of supporting the wind load makes aluminum the material of choice. Second is the brain of the operation, which is normally a microcontroller, such as an Arduino. This board interprets sensor data and instructs the motor when it is time to move. Third are the sensors themselves which are typically Light Dependent Resistors (LDRs). The system is able to check which side is getting more light by having LDRs to point into little shrouds or dividers. When the light on the left sensor is greater than the light on the right, the right sensor triggers a motor to turn the panel to the left until both the lights are the same.
Construction Logic Step-by-Step
Mechanical pivot is the initial stage of the construction. You desire that the panel should move in a natural manner, and in that respect it is a good idea to employ the best pillow block bearings. After the pivot has been established, the linear actuator is mounted. The positioning of the actuator is critical; the actuator must be placed in a way that it can move the panel at least 120 degrees across the sky as well as have sufficient throw. Once the mechanical frame is tested, you then pass to electronics. You will connect the LDRs in a voltage divider circuit in such a way that the Arduino can read their values in the form of analog values. The code you post to the controller serves as the logic: it crosses the values but disregards small oscillations (to avoid the motor hunting or jittering) and the move command is performed when the difference is bigger than a certain threshold. The panel also needs to be programmed to get back to the East command so that it can reset itself at night in anticipation of the next sunrise.
Weather and Environmental Factor Management
Weather is one of the largest obstacles that may occur with any outdoor tracking system. Wind is a sail on the flat solar panel and exerts a lot of pressure on the motor and the frame. To address this, anemometer (wind sensor) is often added to the construction of many DIYers. When the wind exceeds a safe speed, the controller can be programmed to fold the panel in the horizontal position to reduce the resistance. Also, it must not compromise on waterproofing. IP65 rated enclosures should be used to house all electronic components and liquid-tight glands should be used to close cable entries.
Performance Information and Expectations
The discrepancy in output is shocking in a real life situation. A typical 100-watt panel in the fixed south facing position would perhaps average 500 watt-hours of energy on a clear summer day. A similar panel, with an active tracker, may frequently generate 700 to 800 watt-hours. This translates to a performance that is almost the same as that of an additional panel but you do not need to spend or space on additional hardware. This conservation is especially important during the winter time when the daylight time is limited and all sunlight sunshine is treasured. Pointing the panel directly at the low winter sun you get the maximum light that you have.
Conclusion
Sunchaser8 project is not merely a method to reduce your power bill by a few dollars; but a move toward energy independence. It transforms the consumer of technology to an active producer of energy. The current design needs time and effort but the long-term reward of more efficiency and technical expertise is invaluable to its investment. This is because when you look up at your panel as it crawls across the sky following the sun, you will be satisfied knowing that you are getting as much clean energy as you can.
