3D printed DIY 2-axis solar tracker

Rad project to do!


Another good one is transmitting audio over laser by modulating the laser - first via PWM, then AM, then FM. Kids love that one.

-methods
 
Many places will only allow homes to mount any solar panels on their roof, in a fixed flat-mount style. I've heard that we can easily gain at least 20% more watts by adding a tracking system, so when a panel array is limited in size (and the cost to fit your budget), then...an additional 20% from the max size you're allowed is well worth it.

If anyone has the option, my favorite style of tracking solar-panel mount is two panels on a crossbar, on top of a post. They will not be shaded by nearby homes [because you can mount them in the yard where sun is the best], and they can also be rotated downwards to hose them off. Dust is the silent thief which steals your potential watts.

I am also concerned with hail damage, or wind-driven debris (I live in windy Kansas). I have seen hail-damaged solar panels, and I like that the panels can be rotated face-down in a hail storm.

A final benefit of this style is that...since the weight of the panels is balanced, it only requires a small motor to move it up and down, and left to right...

SolarTwoPanels.png
 
If you have a lot of wind, especially gusty, and want a lot of panel area but don't want to build a super-hefty central pivot, you could build a "hamster wheel" cage around the panels via circles of tubing at the inner and outer ends of the set of panels, and then use a T- or cross- frame that supports those from underneath, allowing the cage to roll like a barrel.

Then the entire vertical pole can be rotated around it's own axis if necessary (such as to place in line with rather than across prevailing winds during a high-wind storm, etc).
 
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