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Forum Index : Solar : solar tracker in the making
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| brucedownunder2 Guru  Joined: 14/09/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1548 |
I'm playing again.... Just welding ,grinding,painting and generally keeping busy . I hope it all comes out OK . Iused to get shading with my old elevation/rotating frame ,so decided to give the u-beaut "follow-the-sun" type a go .. Bruce 
Bushboy |
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Tinker Guru Joined: 07/11/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1904 |
Hi Bruce, Interesting design you got there. You may remember my two axis tracker I posted about here a couple of years ago. Its still going strong but, like everything I build  , there is room for improvement.
So my MkII version is well underway now and I'll post pictures when its working. It looks nothing like my MkI or yours, BTW  Klaus |
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| brucedownunder2 Guru Joined: 14/09/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1548 |
Yes, A couple have noticed the lack of side bracing.. I've allways intended to add these, just that I've got to get a "aroundtoit" ... took the trailer down the hill yesterday and got some concrete blend ,so we're in business again.. I'll have to weld up a split 4inch pipe piece with side clamping flanges . The ground is fairly rocky , so thats in my favor also. My windgennie anchors are "deadman" style and backfilled with concrete/rock . They ain't goin anywhere fast. Bruce. Bushboy |
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| neil0mac Senior Member  Joined: 26/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 210 |
Better still, Bruce, get a second hand one! They're a "used tuitt."! On the question of mounting the pole in the 'rock'. My structural engineer made be embed the pole 600mm into a 600mm diameter hole 2.2 M deep - but in soil. The 'lift' from a strong wind is very large and his main concern was 'friction' between the mounting and the soil. (Maybe, you could make your rock hole 'bell shaped' at the bottom? Just a thought.) Aren't car wheel hubs great - no (or very little) machining. |
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| brucedownunder2 Guru Joined: 14/09/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1548 |
Got around to fitting a bit more steel together - the axle is mounted ready for the solar panels . Then the job of fitting some actuators and cabling .. 
Close up of the 3.30pm angle ,,turning out OK , so far .. Bruce 
Bushboy |
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| neil0mac Senior Member Joined: 26/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 210 |
Bruce. Out of curiosity, how many panels (and size) do you intend to swing off that frame? BTW, I'm even more convinced that a D-I-Y tracker is a good way to go. I'm about to get my meter read for the first time (quarterly) and my 3.6KW of panels has started operating, over the winter months, put out just over 1500 KWHrs to the grid. |
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| brucedownunder2 Guru Joined: 14/09/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1548 |
Hi Neil and Crew ,, It's very strong and if I get the anchoring right ,then it would take 4 800x1600 panels (175 watters) easy. Six , I think would be pushing it a bit ,,we have had 120Kph wind gusts up through the valley to where this contraption is built. I have no problems with the engineering ,just the "up-lift" is worrying me. Still looking out for 2X 110 Watt second hand panels if anybody has a few spare under the bed !!.. working on my wind gennie at the moment,so the tracker is on hold for a week or so.. Bruce Bushboy |
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| neil0mac Senior Member Joined: 26/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 210 |
Bruce, It is a simple matter to increase your anchoring with a retro-fit base. Box up a square metre or so (and 100 mm deep?) around your pole and sink 4 holes (300mm? dia) at each corner as deep as you deem necessary. A bit of concrete and some stiff reo and the wind will have to lift your entire back yard (well, almost!) For some added security (and/or to save concrete mixing/pouring) angle the piers out at say 30 deg for less reliance on 'friction' at the sides of the holes. |
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| brucedownunder2 Guru Joined: 14/09/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1548 |
Thanks for the advice Neil, are you available next Tuesday ,lol.. I'm 67 now and my property is mountain goat country ,so things around here get done slooooly... I'm going to do what you said but probably just steel posts in concrete being bolted to the maim pipe.. I have to consider the easiest way because just getting concrete down there is a bucket at a time job. Ok, see you nice an early tuesday -- dry bread and tea provided lol Thanks Bruce. Bushboy |
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| brucedownunder2 Guru Joined: 14/09/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1548 |
Hi Crew ,, Just an update on the tracker project ... Have sort of nearly finished the input "look and switch" control panel ..The 48v regulator was designed by Ross W and built by Bryan .Thanks . The panel frame is progressing ,have added a very strong back brace and am nearly ready to mount the panels --the actuators will come later . Bruce 
Bushboy |
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| windlight Guru Joined: 03/03/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 331 |
Bruce have you filled in under your house, it does not look quite like I remember it, then again maybe it is the remember bit thats wrong. allan "I like this place and willingly could waste my time in it" - (Act II, Scene IV). |
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| brucedownunder2 Guru Joined: 14/09/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1548 |
Hi Allan ,, Yes have done a bit ,mostly the concreting and two sides are window and door . Still to come , gyproc ceilings , stud and cement sheeting back walls . Presently , setting up the solar tracker /Panel control gear and the Exmork 3Kw windgennie control gear and Battery Banks (48v) Having fun in the playpen... 
hope ya got ya floaties on ,mate. Bruce Bushboy |
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| bvan1941 Newbie  Joined: 06/05/2010 Location: United StatesPosts: 24 |
Hey Brucedownunder2, How's things going on your Solar project? Looking forward to your upddate. BTW like your swiveling rack mount! Bill Bill |
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| brucedownunder2 Guru Joined: 14/09/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1548 |
Hi Bill ,, She's coming along pretty well ,been busy doing the other 3765 things that have not been finished around here. But no worries,thats just me.. Cut up some AL channel I had laying around for the last 15 years into 100mm lengths for support pads for the panels .. I decided to mill the 8mm holes out so I would not have to remove them if the holes are slightly out .. 
there are 4 panels of 220 watts ,so I had to fabricate 16 of these brackets .. next is the etch primer and then epoxy painting --want all the structure well painted and no maintanance for many years. The mounting is next then the actuator arms to control the movement of the frame.. Bruce. Bushboy |
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| bvan1941 Newbie Joined: 06/05/2010 Location: United StatesPosts: 24 |
brucedownunder2, Good to see your chipping away thru the project! Always interested in your projects, like your skills. Bill Bill |
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| brucedownunder2 Guru Joined: 14/09/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1548 |
Thanks Bill ,,, she's come to another standstill for a couple weeks.. I'm into building in the back wall under my house for the oncoming winter.. I've been doing a bit of heavy duty cabling and keeping the battery banks on float with a stand-alone rectifier .. Let you know when I get back to the tracker. Bruce Bushboy |
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| brucedownunder2 Guru Joined: 14/09/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1548 |
Hi Crew ,, just did a bit more towards the solar panel mounting on the frame --I'm slow at these things , have a hundred jobs being done around here between bouts of very painful gout ... 67 you wait --- don't laugh!!. OK, painted the Al mounting feet to go no the steel rotating frame -milled out the mounting holes for some "play" in bolting them on . (Bit hard mucking around up there on step ladders with a 3/8 inch drill into 1/4 thick steel) fitted them after drilling all the required holes in the frame steel ,,in the workshop with my press drill,,. 3 coats of paint and I'm out in the paddock again ready for helpers to man-handle the solar panels into position on rubber insulating washers and stainless steel bolts. 
Bruce Bushboy |
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Gizmo Admin Group  Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5078 |
Yeah you cant rush these things Bruce
One thing, is there any change the panels will be flexed? I once had a panel that was mounted on a frame that bent in the wind, twisting the panel, and ended up cracking a lot of the cells. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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| Privatteer Newbie Joined: 09/06/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 39 |
I hope I have as nice workshop and view when I am 67. |
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| brucedownunder2 Guru Joined: 14/09/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1548 |
Hi Crew,, Well, finally got the panels mounted with some help from neighbours,the fixing bolts and nuts were difficult to fit-my mistake in the preparation of the mounting blocks. It's very rigid , and yes Glenn, I will be fixing side braces . There is 900 watts swinging around there , I don't reckon any more panels would be wise.. Working on the inside control bits and pieces now, have to be carefull,50 odd Vdc is a bit dangerous.I just don't turn the breaker off , I disconnect the supply in lead. 
Now for the actuators and additional post to support them -more concrete and digging ,will it ever stop.. Bruce Bushboy |
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