These arrays have been working for 2 years now (2020) without significant maintenance. These 500 Watt arrays suit those with little money or space (and have some spare time).. They provide about 50% more power than fixed arrays. These two 500W arrays + 200Ah Li batteries can power both Fridge and Freezer for 24h in the event of a power blackout! PS.. You should always add Surge Suppression to the solar cables going to the 'Charge Controller'.. Any electronics connected to outdoor cables should have surge suppression - or the first lightning strike in your vicinity may kill the device. Eg, Earth the 'common' PV cable; then put a 3 stage suppressor in the 'hot' cable. (1. Gas suppressor + 2. large Ferrite bead +3. MOV & thermal fuse.)
@@keithhogan6997 The angle of the 2 5W solar cells will block the other side. So the morning light will shine on the East cell but on the west cell. It will slowly start to rotate towards the east. As the panels move that cell will get more light and increase the voltage out of the east cell.
Brilliant! A single axis, two pole ground mounted system is the way to go. Using 5W panels for the controller is something I've been researching for years and great fun to see someone actually build. The only improvement I would make would be to use a 12v linear actuator instead of a motor, gears and pulleys. Nice job!
Fantastic video and exactly what I have been searching for! Thanks so much for sharing what you created. I’m in the process of making a rope drive for a parabolic trough for super heating water and this is exactly how I plan to make them track. I had no idea mercury switches existed. Thanks again!
Great vid. I tried to explain this 'idea' (based on your earlier video) to some "experts" in the Solar field and was met with skepticism. They didn't believe it would work in practice!
This idea has been around for many years but this is the first Working Model I have ever seen! And, the first time I have seen it explained so well! Thanks..
"Lifestyle"? Yes.. My daughter helped me build these and it was a really great bonding experience! It created a wonderful lifelong memory for both of us. For a family or community, simple DIY projects are worth their weight in gold!
Wow!! This is an impressive example of minimal functional engineering. The entire concept is stripped to the fundamentals of what is important. The conflation of motor power source and automatic feedback control has me in awe! The solution to azimuth positioning, panel cooling, as well as travel limit are all so simple (high reliability) that I don’t know why this design has not been commercialized as kit. You supply the lumber and solar panel they supply the drive box, limit box, brackets, and motor. To purchase a similar 1 axis solar panel positioner is around $1000. The estimated solar production gained by a 2 axis dynamic positioner over a fixed mount is about 47%. I’m guessing that since the annual change in azimuth is about equal to the daily change in elevation that roughly half of the 47%, or that there would be a 23% increase in Wh production on any given day. With moving the sled monthly there would be even more
these are pretty cool but linear actuator works too. The main issue with linear actuators is you really want to make the whole thing very balanced and move very freely as well, or else it has to do a lot of work. There's a guy who did a video on it and builds an amazing tracker system out of wood, but it only supports 2 panels. The way he makes it it could support so much weight like 8 or 10+ panels, that would be ideal. Also he doesn't use smaller panels I think he hooks it to a battery or to the main power but no big deal since it doesn't take much power (due to how balanced and easy to move it is)
Thanks for sharing your video! How well does this setup cope with high winds? Have you needed to incorporate any fallback measures such as a mechanical lock for times when high winds are forecast?
We have 3 tracking panels which have all withstood many storms over the last 2 years. One storm destroyed some trees and our shade awning but didn't trouble the solar panels. Initially, we had a semi-attached rope that could quickly lash the panels position, but have not needed to use it.
Kids2Classic thanks! Your idea is certainly intriguing, as I always thought a solar tracker had to be an expensive thing, but checking on Amazon I see I can get a pair of 5W panels and a 3rpm worm gear motor for just about 50 euros. At that price I think I have to try it just for the fun factor alone! 👍
I would guess the worm drive must be strong and well mounted to deal with wind loads, since a worm drive is the thing keeping the tilt in position under winds
For years, I'm looking for a video where someone would have installed a solar panel with solar tracker, and another fixed panel nearby. The goal is to determine exactly the energy gain. I NEVER found anyone who did this experiment. Do you know such a case? Thanks in advance.
We have done this experiment by disabling the tracking for a few days and measuring the total kWh per day compared with the tracking total.. Tracking was 3.2 kWh; No tracking was 2.1 kWh (more than we expected) Our concept of "double the power" comes from the recommended practice of NOT facing your panels at the noon sun, but rather facing half your panels to the 9am sun and the other half to the 3pm sun.. This gives more power when it is needed. (morning and afternoon peak demand) rather than at noon when no one wants it.. In this case, tracking with 6 panels is the same as splitting 12 to 9am & 3pm.
I’m curios about the exact angle of the 5w panels. What are the width of the lumber used on the base and what size diodes are used in the limit switch diagram. This looks feasible 👍
The 12V 1watt motor only pulls 80mA, so any cheap diode will suffice.. The "sharp angle" of the 5W panels is not critical - we used a 2"/50mm wide bit of wood to support & space the bottom of the panels but we noticed that 30mm or 60mm made little difference.. The majority of the timber used in the structure was 'copper treated' pine 70 x 35mm. The vertical support posts were 70 x 45mm. PS.. Cheap 'amazon' 5W panels are not UV resistant, in 6 months, they get a white coating! (which easily cleans off with alcohol (Metho))
Great vid! I really like the design with the mercury switches. I might try it with the frame made of PVC pipe? It could be designed to be broken down and packed into my 1987 Cub CAMP-O-MATIC camper trailer and the cradle for my folding 160w solar set. Regards, Jas. vk4fjgs Rockhampton Queensland Australia
We have 4 tracking panels which have all withstood many storms over the last 3 years. One storm destroyed some trees and our shade awning but didn't trouble the solar panels.
So... is this in the southern hemisphere? The text at the beginning says it's starting at sunrise and going from "west to east". If it were in the northern hemisphere it would be going opposite this direction, per the angle toward the sun. But it's a neat idea. Think it would work with a 7kw system?
Land of Oz! I wouldn't try more than 1kW per stand. The panels form an aerodynamic 'wing' and the Storm wind forces on a larger area would require a solid foundation with a steel frame..
AM IN JAMAICA, AND AM ABOUT TO MOUNT AN 8 PANEL ARRAY ON A 6" POLE WITH CEMENT BASE ... YOUR SYSTEM IS SO STRAIGHTFORWARD !! GREAT IDEA ...WILL LOOK FOR LARGER DRIVE MOTOR JUST IN CASE ….(LIKED & SUBBED
The sun rises in East on both hemispheres. The difference you might be referring to is that outside 23.5 degrees latitude, the azimuth of the sun at high noon will either be North or South. The Earth spins the same way, regardless of hemisphere.
Hi, what is the acute angle formed between the two small 5W panels? The video says this angle is key to accurate tracking, but unless I missed it, the angle is not specified?
The "sharp angle" of the 5W panels is not critical - we used a 2"/50mm wide bit of wood to support & space the bottom of the 5W panels but have since noticed that 30mm or 60mm makes little difference.. (from team electrician)
Brian Faldt awesome, thanks Brian. I am attempting to build a test rig just with the small panels, motor and pushrod arrangement so I can check the tracking works ok here in Sweden, before then building the real rig to take the 160W panel I plan to use. How is the tracking on cloudy days by the way?
I find myself wondering at what point it will become cost effective to just put a position sensor and some "smarts." The positive is that it will recognize when it's in trouble. The negative is that it would depend on knowing the time of day. It's possible that GPS might not be there when you need it.
It should be possible, I would have thought, to use something like a Raspberry Pi with a clock/calendar module added to it - programme in the location of the solar panel (longitude and latitude) and then the processor calculates where the array needs to point at any point in time - Having said that, the simplicity of the solution in the video would be hard to beat.
@@fuzzylon i think the uC with calendar etc is cheapest in the long run. Cloudy days etc, it won't really get confused by lighting. I do love the elegance of twin solar sensor /selective power drive
Of course. Maybe, maybe. See also: Solar power plant mounted in multi-storey building! (for survivors in the zombie apocalypse): Shorts version: th-cam.com/video/k9AiiCLALRA/w-d-xo.html Full version: th-cam.com/video/sOskjOsl-cA/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/users/shortsGuZc2KhHEs0?feature=share High Power Mega Coil gun! - TH-cam
They are not "photo sensors", just small solar panels (back to back). We get them on eBay for about $12 each (usually from China).. Search for "12v 5W solar panels"
These arrays have been working for 2 years now (2020) without significant maintenance. These 500 Watt arrays suit those with little money or space (and have some spare time).. They provide about 50% more power than fixed arrays. These two 500W arrays + 200Ah Li batteries can power both Fridge and Freezer for 24h in the event of a power blackout!
PS.. You should always add Surge Suppression to the solar cables going to the 'Charge Controller'.. Any electronics connected to outdoor cables should have surge suppression - or the first lightning strike in your vicinity may kill the device. Eg, Earth the 'common' PV cable; then put a 3 stage suppressor in the 'hot' cable. (1. Gas suppressor + 2. large Ferrite bead +3. MOV & thermal fuse.)
I am enthralled with the simplicity and elegance of your system. One question, how do they reset for the next sun cycle?
@@keithhogan6997 I have the same question
@@keithhogan6997 The angle of the 2 5W solar cells will block the other side.
So the morning light will shine on the East cell but on the west cell. It will slowly start to rotate towards the east. As the panels move that cell will get more light and increase the voltage out of the east cell.
Brilliant! A single axis, two pole ground mounted system is the way to go. Using 5W panels for the controller is something I've been researching for years and great fun to see someone actually build. The only improvement I would make would be to use a 12v linear actuator instead of a motor, gears and pulleys. Nice job!
Very innovative. The "opposing tracking panels" setup is brilliant!
I've been looking for this information for a long time and just found it.
Grateful you have freely shared this.
Thanks so much
Fantastic video and exactly what I have been searching for! Thanks so much for sharing what you created. I’m in the process of making a rope drive for a parabolic trough for super heating water and this is exactly how I plan to make them track. I had no idea mercury switches existed. Thanks again!
Great vid. I tried to explain this 'idea' (based on your earlier video) to some "experts" in the Solar field and was met with skepticism. They didn't believe it would work in practice!
This idea has been around for many years but this is the first Working Model I have ever seen! And, the first time I have seen it explained so well! Thanks..
Best Solution i ever seen at 2020. Wooden co2 neutral frame and solartracking. Best video to save the western lifestyle in coronaadjustment times.
"Lifestyle"? Yes.. My daughter helped me build these and it was a really great bonding experience! It created a wonderful lifelong memory for both of us. For a family or community, simple DIY projects are worth their weight in gold!
How to get those little birds for this video is the most expensive of all ! . Thanks for sharing
My cat perked up and really listened intently. LOL.
Thank you so much, for sharing. I was looking for something like this. your video shows and explains the best.
this is the first ingenious tracker I found on TH-cam👍 maybe you should add an latitude angle adjustment for saisonal adaption...
This is great. Grateful you have freely shared this. Thanks so much! 👏👏👏
Wow!! This is an impressive example of minimal functional engineering. The entire concept is stripped to the fundamentals of what is important. The conflation of motor power source and automatic feedback control has me in awe! The solution to azimuth positioning, panel cooling, as well as travel limit are all so simple (high reliability) that I don’t know why this design has not been commercialized as kit. You supply the lumber and solar panel they supply the drive box, limit box, brackets, and motor. To purchase a similar 1 axis solar panel positioner is around $1000. The estimated solar production gained by a 2 axis dynamic positioner over a fixed mount is about 47%. I’m guessing that since the annual change in azimuth is about equal to the daily change in elevation that roughly half of the 47%, or that there would be a 23% increase in Wh production on any given day. With moving the sled monthly there would be even more
these are pretty cool but linear actuator works too. The main issue with linear actuators is you really want to make the whole thing very balanced and move very freely as well, or else it has to do a lot of work. There's a guy who did a video on it and builds an amazing tracker system out of wood, but it only supports 2 panels. The way he makes it it could support so much weight like 8 or 10+ panels, that would be ideal. Also he doesn't use smaller panels I think he hooks it to a battery or to the main power but no big deal since it doesn't take much power (due to how balanced and easy to move it is)
great video. how do you adjust the motor automatically ? thanks
Great and simple! Does these little 5w panels have enough power to move the Unit on cloudy days?
Thanks for sharing your video! How well does this setup cope with high winds? Have you needed to incorporate any fallback measures such as a mechanical lock for times when high winds are forecast?
We have 3 tracking panels which have all withstood many storms over the last 2 years. One storm destroyed some trees and our shade awning but didn't trouble the solar panels. Initially, we had a semi-attached rope that could quickly lash the panels position, but have not needed to use it.
Kids2Classic thanks! Your idea is certainly intriguing, as I always thought a solar tracker had to be an expensive thing, but checking on Amazon I see I can get a pair of 5W panels and a 3rpm worm gear motor for just about 50 euros. At that price I think I have to try it just for the fun factor alone! 👍
I would guess the worm drive must be strong and well mounted to deal with wind loads, since a worm drive is the thing keeping the tilt in position under winds
Add a couple gas pistons for stability in winds, etc and yeah. Well done.
Awesome. 👌👍
Thank you.
why hasn't anyone commercialized this w a declination adjustment over the seasons? and adjustability for alignment w Earth's axis bravo edu
It sounds like we need to get a platform for the people's needs and never mind youtube !
you just posted that on TH-cam
How much energy this uses?
I see you have diodes in your diagram and picture - are these 12v 1amp? no mention in the article.
The motors pull about 1 Watt - so the current in the diodes is < 100mA - so any cheap diode will do.
@@Kids2Classic Is that why you used 2 small diodes for each direction instead of one larger one?
For years, I'm looking for a video where someone would have installed a solar panel with solar tracker, and another fixed panel nearby. The goal is to determine exactly the energy gain. I NEVER found anyone who did this experiment. Do you know such a case?
Thanks in advance.
We have done this experiment by disabling the tracking for a few days and measuring the total kWh per day compared with the tracking total.. Tracking was 3.2 kWh; No tracking was 2.1 kWh (more than we expected) Our concept of "double the power" comes from the recommended practice of NOT facing your panels at the noon sun, but rather facing half your panels to the 9am sun and the other half to the 3pm sun.. This gives more power when it is needed. (morning and afternoon peak demand) rather than at noon when no one wants it.. In this case, tracking with 6 panels is the same as splitting 12 to 9am & 3pm.
I’m curios about the exact angle of the 5w panels. What are the width of the lumber used on the base and what size diodes are used in the limit switch diagram. This looks feasible 👍
The 12V 1watt motor only pulls 80mA, so any cheap diode will suffice.. The "sharp angle" of the 5W panels is not critical - we used a 2"/50mm wide bit of wood to support & space the bottom of the panels but we noticed that 30mm or 60mm made little difference.. The majority of the timber used in the structure was 'copper treated' pine 70 x 35mm. The vertical support posts were 70 x 45mm. PS.. Cheap 'amazon' 5W panels are not UV resistant, in 6 months, they get a white coating! (which easily cleans off with alcohol (Metho))
Thanks for responding!
Brilliant.
Great vid!
I really like the design with the mercury switches.
I might try it with the frame made of PVC pipe?
It could be designed to be broken down and packed into my 1987 Cub CAMP-O-MATIC camper trailer and the cradle for my folding 160w solar set.
Regards, Jas.
vk4fjgs
Rockhampton Queensland Australia
Is it storm-proof? how does it handle wind gusts?
We have 4 tracking panels which have all withstood many storms over the last 3 years. One storm destroyed some trees and our shade awning but didn't trouble the solar panels.
So... is this in the southern hemisphere? The text at the beginning says it's starting at sunrise and going from "west to east". If it were in the northern hemisphere it would be going opposite this direction, per the angle toward the sun. But it's a neat idea. Think it would work with a 7kw system?
Land of Oz! I wouldn't try more than 1kW per stand. The panels form an aerodynamic 'wing' and the Storm wind forces on a larger area would require a solid foundation with a steel frame..
AM IN JAMAICA, AND AM ABOUT TO MOUNT AN 8 PANEL ARRAY ON A 6" POLE WITH CEMENT BASE ... YOUR SYSTEM IS SO STRAIGHTFORWARD !! GREAT IDEA ...WILL LOOK FOR LARGER DRIVE MOTOR JUST IN CASE ….(LIKED & SUBBED
The sun rises in East on both hemispheres. The difference you might be referring to is that outside 23.5 degrees latitude, the azimuth of the sun at high noon will either be North or South.
The Earth spins the same way, regardless of hemisphere.
@@74p But what if you believe the earth is flat?
Wouldn't it move north to south? 🤣 🤣 🤣
Hi, what is the acute angle formed between the two small 5W panels? The video says this angle is key to accurate tracking, but unless I missed it, the angle is not specified?
The "sharp angle" of the 5W panels is not critical - we used a 2"/50mm wide bit of wood to support & space the bottom of the 5W panels but have since noticed that 30mm or 60mm makes little difference.. (from team electrician)
Brian Faldt awesome, thanks Brian. I am attempting to build a test rig just with the small panels, motor and pushrod arrangement so I can check the tracking works ok here in Sweden, before then building the real rig to take the 160W panel I plan to use.
How is the tracking on cloudy days by the way?
2:22 Hmm... THAT is simple indeed!
simple but best
I find myself wondering at what point it will become cost effective to just put a position sensor and some "smarts." The positive is that it will recognize when it's in trouble. The negative is that it would depend on knowing the time of day. It's possible that GPS might not be there when you need it.
It should be possible, I would have thought, to use something like a Raspberry Pi with a clock/calendar module added to it - programme in the location of the solar panel (longitude and latitude) and then the processor calculates where the array needs to point at any point in time -
Having said that, the simplicity of the solution in the video would be hard to beat.
@@fuzzylon i think the uC with calendar etc is cheapest in the long run. Cloudy days etc, it won't really get confused by lighting. I do love the elegance of twin solar sensor /selective power drive
It looks like the web sight is down. This looks very cool. Does any one have access to the site or info on the site?
thank you
Of course. Maybe, maybe. See also: Solar power plant mounted in multi-storey building! (for survivors in the zombie apocalypse):
Shorts version:
th-cam.com/video/k9AiiCLALRA/w-d-xo.html
Full version:
th-cam.com/video/sOskjOsl-cA/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/users/shortsGuZc2KhHEs0?feature=share
High Power Mega Coil gun! - TH-cam
Hey, what kind of phot sensor brand do you use? I would love the detail of that!. It looks awsome!!
They are not "photo sensors", just small solar panels (back to back). We get them on eBay for about $12 each (usually from China).. Search for "12v 5W solar panels"
this is a classic solution .. so I Imagine your axis is parallel to Earth's? I want one 🙂
please send to me price list?
Neat idea
Brilliant
Subscribed!
Very nice iss
2024 pricing: $900.00
Mute bottom goes hard on this one
Birds stop singing @ 4.37
nice. doesnt work in winter
'Winter' makes no difference. The panels even track ok on a bright cloudy day.
You will just have shorter days when the sun is up.
huh?
Good
My DIY Solartracker ➡️ th-cam.com/video/X0lmYFwOq3U/w-d-xo.html
Microswitch