Comments on: LED sensor solar tracker

By: Arun

Arun — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 09:12:54 +0000

i want more information about sensor. please sent to me please.

By: Sagar

Sagar — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 16:39:56 +0000

I thought LED meant Light Emitting Diode. How is it being used to DETECT light? Pardon me for my ignorance but would appreciate someone explaining this.

Thanks

By: Sagar

Sagar — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 16:37:52 +0000

I thought LED meant Light Emitting Diode. How is an LED being used to DETECT Light? Please pardon my ignorance and someone post a reply.

By: JC

JC — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 02:25:12 +0000

So… where is the hack? Or is this yet another commercial for a product in the box?

By: MrGoodBytes

MrGoodBytes — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 01:34:29 +0000

good to see the EV post trend. That project has been posted for YEARS [I used that very site to build mine about 4 years ago]. It works great!

By: obm

obm — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 11:05:51 +0000

I actually participated in a solar energy course in university. The problem with solar tracking systems is the energy it requires. If you write down the energy gain vs. loss, it turns out that fixed angle is more efficient for most of the panels/motors out there. A solar panel works even it sees the sun at an angle (even more efficently in some cases, for example double glass heat capture types), and drop from the optimum in such a condition often does not compansate energy needed to rotate the system. A simple calculation yields 40′ N at 23′ panel slope in my country for optimum yield.

By: gorobotics.net

gorobotics.net — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 04:55:30 +0000

Re to #5
nickjohnson, LEDs, function almost like a photodiode. Photodiodes, however, are optimized to detect light not emit it. You’re right though, you won’t see much a signal at all from a LED, your best be would be to use a phototransistor, as this amplifies the signal.

By: dave

dave — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 04:09:00 +0000

bfr – reducing the duty cycle doesn’t mean increasing the frequency… just means that they are in an “high” state less often, therefor less voltage and less power

By: steve

steve — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 17:52:28 +0000

while using a pic is certainly adequate, isnt it a bit overkill? the linked page mentions BEAM style solar tracking, and i speak from personal experience when i say that such circuits utterly simple, far less expensive, and equally as effective.

search for BEAM with respect to an ivore or a photovore, sunhead, sun tracker, solar tracker, etc

Some good examples: http://costaricabeam.solarbotics.net/Circuits_Main.htm

-steve

By: grendel

grendel — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 17:17:40 +0000

Awesome! Excellent work. I’ve considered taking a stab at something like this myself, but not with SMT chips. Way to go!

By: joiseymike

joiseymike — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 16:19:22 +0000

What’s a good book or primer to learn about circuit boards, eprom programming and stuff? Would hack-a-day consider a section to newbies like me who want to pop their heads out from being neck-deep in code all the time?

By: nickjohnson

nickjohnson — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 14:55:56 +0000

Very nice. I’ve tried using LEDs as a photosensor before, but couldn’t get enough of a signal.

By: jim

jim — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 06:12:41 +0000

Ah here we go. good work

By: Will O'Brien

Will O'Brien — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 05:06:21 +0000

I deserved it on that one. Thanks!

By: Tank

Tank — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 04:59:37 +0000

I don’t want to be a grammar nazi, but when you say “to rotate on a single access” the word you want is ‘axis’ not ‘access’.