hi. I had to build and program a solar tracker for my BTech project.
-I got most parts laser cut out of wood from a drawing I made in Solidworks.
Step 1: Parts :
****** You need *****
4 x LDRs
4 x 1kOhm resistors
female pin connectors
chipboard screws
M6 bolts & washers
M8 bolts&washers
Arduino Mega 2560
Motor Control shield (for 2 servos)
1x6V battery if you want to drive it without cables
1 x 180° Servo
1 x 360° continuous rotation servo
Step 2: Step 1: Shaft :
- I turned a stepped shaft on the lathe where the bearing fits onto. This bearing then fits snugly into the laser-cut base of the compartment. On top of the shaft is the connecting union for the motor. It is fixed through the shaft with a bolt.
- The shaft is pressed into a stainless steel shaft, so it looks like the tracker is sitting on a post.
- Only for aesthetics really.
Step 3: Step 2: box assembly :
- As you can see, the box fits together nicely, with holes at the exact right place for mounting purposes.
- I made two small shafts out of brass round bar, and drilled and tapped them for the side shafts. They both run through a cylindrical bearing in the side of the box.
- I had a 180° servo for the vertical, and a 360° continuous rotation servo for the horizontal. The 360° servo gave me some trouble, and I have not streamlined it 100% yet. But it works.
Only one side is driven, and the other follows as it is attached to the other arm.
Step 4:
- I got a perspex lid, so one can look into the compartment and see what's going on.
Step 5:
- Here is another image of the inside
Step 6: The Sensors :
- The sensors are mounted in 4 Quadrants as seen on a few other projects.
Step 7: Circuit :
Here is the circuit setup. The motor shield is of course stacked on top of the Mega. I left it off just for demo.
- Here is the result *
- The image is the readings that are displayed in the Serial monitor *
- The image is the readings that are displayed in the Serial monitor *
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