Solar Tracker

Build a Sun-Tracking Solar Panel!!

UseanArduinoProMini,astandardservo,someclevermachining,andsome photoresistorvoltagedividerstobuildaoneaxisSunTrackingSolarPanel TheSolarTrackeraimsatmaximizingsolarenergyabsorptionthroughouttheday

Step 1 Get supplies

You Will Need:
4xPhotoResistors Iuse4butthiscouldbedonewith2andbetterlogic 4xResistors willbesizeddependingonphotoresistors 1xArduinoProMini3285v 1xFTDICable C bl 1xStandardServo 1xRandomServoHardware 1xAcrylic y Inch8x3inSheet 1xRollofElectricalTape 1xMiniBreadboard 1xAluminumLShapedMaterial(4x4x6inchsides) 1xAluminum1/8inch1x8inchShank 1xSolarPanel 2xIndustrialStrengthVelcro 2xScrewsandNuts 3/4inch440thread 8xScrewsandnuts 1/2inch440thread Solder

Step 2 Tools needed

You Will Need (Power Tools):
Mitersaw Steelimpregnatedpowersander Drillpresswith1/8inchbits Horizontal H i t lband b dsaw

You Will Need (Hand Tools):

Assortedfiles Deburringtool Adjustablewrench Philipsheadscrewdrivers Soldertool

Step 3 Project Mount

L-Bracket
CuttheLBracketintoa6inchlengthorso.Usethesandertosmoothitallout Inthecenterofoneoftheplanes,markanddrilltwoholes.Usesanderandde burr

Side

Back

Step 3 Project Mount

Servo to L-Bracket Connector
Mountservohardwaretothe1x8inchshank Takeyourshank,selectheight,markholesfromLBracketanddrill Rememberthatthesolarpanelwillberotatingalongtheservosaxissoleave appropriate i t room.Sand S dand dde d burr b Assemble

Servo hardware

Side

Back

Step 4 Solar Mount

Servo to Solar Assembly
Useservohardwarethatattachestotheaxis Tracesolarpanelsoutlineonacrylicandcutitout.Makesuretomakeanotchfor thepowercord Countersink C t i kholes h l i inorder d to t attach tt hsolar l assembly bl to t servoh hardware. d File Fil edges d andassemble Mountthesolarassemblyontotheprojectmount
Servo hardware Acrylic Servo

Solar Panel and Acrylic

Solar Panel

Side

Back

Se ervo

Servo

Step 4 Sensor Array

Cant Adapt without them:
Usetheohmmetertomeasuretheresistivityofthephotoresistorsbothinadark andinasunnyarea.Thenuseavoltagedividertodeterminethemostaccurate scopebymaximizingthevoltagechangebetweentheresistors
Maximize the change in this voltage

V Vcc

+5v

Photo Resistor

R it Resistor

0V

G Ground d

FromTesting
Dark Ambient SimulatedSun 12000Ohm 1100Ohm 78Ohm (Fingeroverphotoresistor) (Classroom) (12inchesfrombrightworklight)

Step 4 Sensor Array

Step 4 Sensor Array

Results
Goinginseries(VccpRRGND)tiethepRRnodetotheADC pin V Vmax of fpR RRnode d is i about b t4 4.7V 7Vand dVmin V i is i about b t0 0.35 35 UseRof1kand+/10%willkeepdifferenceingreatestregion Allresistorsare0.98xkOhmswhichiswithinstandardsand willcreatesimilarreadablevoltages

Step 4 Sensor Array

Build the Servo Array:
Weregoingtouse4sensors.Getoutthatsolderingironandusethisschematic Usetheelectricaltapetocoveranyexposedwiring Testwithapowersourceandohmmeter
Photo Resistor

Resistor

VCC

ADC

GND

Arduino

Step 4 Sensor Array

Assemble the Array:
Takethefoursensorsandattachthemtotheassembledprojectmountandsolar assembly Takesomeextrawireandelectricaltapeandbuildsolarblindersforthesensors The Th bli blinders d allow ll f forb better tt calibration lib ti and dsensing i

Servo

Side

Front

Step 5 Microcontroller
Get your program on
SolderleadstoyourArduino GettheFTDIcableinstalledandfunctional Arduino Pro Mini UploadatestprogramtotheArduino(verifyfunctionality) arduino.cc Attach Att hf foursensorsto t ADC ADCs14( (analog l t todi digital it lconversion) i ) AttachservotooneofthePWM(pulsewidthmodulation)ports UsetheUARTtocheckvaluesofADCreadingsthroughSerial.println(sdfsdf); UsetheServoclasstoinitializeandtesty yourservo Setupaninitializationroutinewheretheservomovesthesolarpanelsothe sensorarraycandeterminetheangleofmaximumsunlightandthenmovethere Setuptrackinglogic.Iusedaminimumofa10%differencebetweenanytwo sensorstomovethemandalongsettlingtimeindicativeofaslowmovingsun sun.This reducesoscillationsduetonoise. Withfoursensors,thepanelcanmoveinsmallamounts(differencebetweenthe centerlookingsensors)orlargeamounts(ifthesideviewsensorsindicatealarge differential) Becarefulwithcastingandscaling.

Step 5 Microcontroller
Program more
CloudMode Ifcloudsarepresentorthedayisovercast,youcanlookattherate thesunhasbeenmovingandassoonasitappearsagainmovedirectlytothe maximumangle

Nightmode IfthedeviceisinCloudModeforalongwhileandthepanelis facingthesettingsun,youcanimplementanotherpredictivecasewherethepanel caneitherbemovedparalleltothegroundorreflectedacrosstheverticalaxisto prepareforsunrise. sunrise

Step 6 Testing
Attach the Solar Panel and Increase Efficiency!
Setupavoltagedividersimilartothesensorsandattachthesolarpaneltooneof theunusedADCs Watchthevoltagechangeinproportiontotheangleofthesolarpanel

Isthesystemreallyworthit?Grabacouplemorestationarysolarpanels,build somemorevoltagedividers,attachtotheADCs,andlookatthedifferencesovera fewweekperiod.Youbethejudge!

Sources
Give Credit
fromhttp://arduino.cc/en/Reference/Libraries Arduino Pro Mini servolibrary,andcorrespondingexamplecode arduino.cc seriallibrary,andcorrespondingexamplecode variablecasting http://www.mkssoftware.com/docs/man3/itoa.3.asp