Possible to make a solar tracker?

[boxfishpooalot]

I want to make a solar tracker like this one for my tank!

http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-product-design/sun-sill-smartphone-controlled-mirrors-reflect-sunlight-into-home-lucy-norman.html

Is it possible to do?

[jonjonwells]

I know the arduino is more than capable of do this... just do an internet search and you will find several examples. You should be able to find someone who has already done the programming to make it work. There is a massive amount of people playing with them lately.

[Bryopsis]

+1 to an arduino

That and some servos you can easily make a tracker to move the solar panels..
If you want something more intuitive, that's the challenge. Otherwise it would be based off time rather than "sensing".

If you go the sensing route, you'll need to monitor the voltage, and then find what the peak is for direct sunlight. When current voltage falls x% below the peak, turn 1-2 degrees. (something like that, I'm sure someone has already figured it out somewhere on the internet) You might search Hackaday.

[mcgyvr]

you just provided a link showing that its possible. ??
now what is your real question.

[Bryopsis]

you just provided a link showing that its possible. ??
now what is your real question.

Why not skip to the chase!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0_nuvPKIi8

[boxfishpooalot]

I'm not an electrical engineer if I buy an ardunio would I be able to do this? If I post pics step by step would anyone on her be able to point in the right direction? My main concern with the ardunio is the mirrors would need to be angled differently than a solar panel would be, for the reflected sun to be bounced off a few mirrors to finally reach overtop the tank. how would we do this?

[Bryopsis]

It would take quite a bit of design to achieve this. It would almost be easier to place multiple mirrors in varying degrees of where the sun lands each day, and then point them all to a single mirror, that points to the tank or a mirror above the tank.

As the sun moves, each mirror will reflect.

As far as collectively moving all mirrors like the link, that'll take a fair amount of calibration and coding.

Another option is if you can put in a focused skylight tube that directs sunlight above down the tube, into the tank. That's probably the most maintenance free, but costly as you have to modify the house.

[boxfishpooalot]

Yeah that sounds plausible having many small mirrors. Much less complicated than having to program. I cant put a sun tube because it's an apartment. When I get a house, that's going to happen for sure.

Would one large (2feet long)concave mirror that reflects to a focal point work? Then just reflect to other mirrors to above the tank. Possibly that would melt the glass.

[mcgyvr]

why are you doing this/what are you expecting?
whats in the tank (corals? what kind?, fish only?, etc..)?
size of tank?

Its fairly simple to do though.. there are tutorials out there already for solar tracking with the arduino.. its all done for you basically..
just seems overkill for a small tank though IMO..

[boxfishpooalot]

why are you doing this/what are you expecting?
whats in the tank (corals? what kind?, fish only?, etc..)?
size of tank?

Its fairly simple to do though.. there are tutorials out there already for solar tracking with the arduino.. its all done for you basically..
just seems overkill for a small tank though IMO..

Why? Because the sun is full of good light. Corals have evolved under it. I just want to see the result. Plus led and other lights looks fake to me. Show me a link and I'll check it out. Why not do it?

[Gorgok]

How much usable sunlight do you actually get during winter up there? Quick google claims around 7-8 hours of sunlight, but that is from rise to set, of that how much is usable? Maybe half? And it happens to be in the middle of the day... Which is just fine if you are home at that time or are simply using it to grow stuff, but otherwise really annoying.

[Bryopsis]

I think the algae would love it a lot more than bluer spectrum "reef" led's/etc..
That and having focused lenses to limit light on the sides of the tank is one thing I love about my leds. :)

[BrettFridley]

I want to make a solar tracker like this one for my tank!



Is it possible to do?
Hello friend were you able to make the tracker? I do want to make one so can you please help me out? Please reply thanks in advance:)

[BrettFridley]

I want to make a solar power system (http://www.shinesolar.net/products/on-grid-mono-panels) like this one for my tank!



Is it possible to do?
Hello friend were you able to make the tracker? I do want to make one so can you please help me out? Please reply thanks in advance:)

Still waiting for reply.

[boxfishpooalot]

I haven't made one. Sorry but I think it requires too much study on my part. My next tank will have sola tubes or a glass roof above it :)

[rk_tek]

Cheap and easy solar tracking circuit to drive a DC motor

http://i554.photobucket.com/albums/jj434/rk_tek/B509049B-6CF7-46B4-9C71-2177BB116A92.gif (http://s554.photobucket.com/user/rk_tek/media/B509049B-6CF7-46B4-9C71-2177BB116A92.gif.html)

[boxfishpooalot]

Let me know if it works for you!