HARBOR FREIGHT SOLAR PANELS/home made tracker

[chalkhill714]

nice job does the wind bother your panels or can you lock in place great idea how did you mount the lazy susan on bottom

[doug2877]

@chalkhill714 the stand just sits on the lazy suzan, and strong wind will get them to move but not much...LATER FROM THE WEST COAST...

[jarkosih]

Homemade Solar panels,reduce energy usage click my name below.

[doug2877]

@jarkosih we know less than a $1 a watt

[vaughn1111]

I bought the panels in 2007. I only live a block from the ocean and the salt air/water got inside and corroded the bottom of all 3 panels within a year. Needless to say I couldn't do anything with them and had to throw them away. Just want people to keep that in mind in their design schemes.

[doug2877]

@vaughn1111 thanx, I live like three miles from the pacific, 3 years with no problem

[hitmanhite]

Are those power lines above your pool?

[doug2877]

@hitmanhite no those r guide lines...LATER FROM THE WEST COAST...

[thepatjack12]

I am doing the same thing with the harbor freight system but I cannot find the parts I need could you tell me where you bought them from and what they are called.

Other than that a great Inspiration to me thanks!

[packagewarren]

say Doug, could you show the setup from the lazy susan side, so i could see how you fixed the Lazy Susan to the pole? nice setup. i need to try this. good idea.

[ChuffChuffWoo]

You can make an automatic tracker by buying small 'solar motor kits' from a toy shop -connect one small motor to two of the small solar panels, + to - and - to + with the motor across the connections, then the panels are arranged back to back so when the sun shines on one side, the motor spins one way, when the sun shines on the other panel, the motor spins the other way, - no electronics required! you can use lots of gears, or switches on it to switch a more powerful motor to move the panels.

[maidmercy]

The cost is $159.00 now over on harbor freight. Just thought I would let anyone know that is looking at getting this system.

[carlthesolarguy]

Well, I am happy to see more interest in going green...but 45 watts is hardly enough to charge that whole bank of batts. If you series your panels, that increases voltage. Too high a voltage can damage those batteries, I hope you have a charge controller for them.You need to parallel the panels...to keep the volts at 16-18...but that will increase the amps. Also, face the panels south and angle them at about 45 degrees for year around charging for a fixed array.

[STARFIRESOLAR]

Isn't the 37 degrees supposed to be off of the 90degrees striaght up? What you have looks to be 37 degrees off of horizontal. Not trying to be a know it all, I'm just saying....

[GoatHollow]

Video response accepted... Looking for a cheap way to auto track myself

[1kzrider]

passing word these are made from topray in china

[vicmeuk]

superb mate!!! A+

[field16]

You make it look easy to spin those solar panels way over head.

Have you had any issues with wind trying to pick your panels off the pole?

I still have to make a mount for my panel. I'm a little worried about wind getting under the panel and tearing it up, like an umbrella in a storm, getting turned inside-out.

[doug2877]

It spins super easy, my kid tracks while im at work. she has seen 30mph wind and it just kinda shimmied a little..I get an extra 40% by tracking I have had to dump some load lately know I have a turbine so I will have to start using more or sell it to my buddy next door....thanks for your comments...........LATER FROM THE WEST COAST......................

[jakeskatesgood]

im doing the same thing but on a smaller scale. and im from the west coast too

[mrbuki77]

Very nice setup. I like your tracker idea. I have to keep my set up on top of my back porch, since I live in a community. So I will place my panel rack directly on top of the lazy susan and attach a gear with a shaft that extends through my porch roof. This way I will be able to turn it from inside my porch. Thanx for the great idea. Sam

[tpm4life]

nice vid. i got the same setup for Xmas and the way i got riged it had light most the day with the low winter sun. now im lucky if i get 3 hr. thanks for the low buck tip...

[doug2877]

NO PROBLEM MAN GLAD I COULD HELP

[BeefyCrackers12]

i love it!

how much do the solar kits cost?

[doug2877]

199 + tax=218 thanks