DIY Solar Parabolic Collector, Timelapse 1 day

An almost perfect sunny day here with moderate cloud cover developing mid-day causing the system to wander slightly, otherwise it stayed locked on the sun beautifully. A time lapse video of one full day, one pic every 60 seconds. For more info: http://www.ffwdm.com/solar/solar-index.htm George Plhak

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• solar
• tracking
• tracker
• parabolic
• parabola
• trough
• collector
• heater
• DIY
• do it yourself
• homemade

[georgeplhak]

Some people do it that way, using a "clock" drive. I found it easy to track actively with the inexpensive redrock sensor. The clock drive accuracy would have to be periodically checked anyway with some sort of active monitor.

[georgeplhak]

The array responds to the rising sun in the morning and swings to the east.

[SysadminsWithGuns]

Why would you track the sun, rather than just move the actuator at the rate that you know the sun is moving?

[HobbyVAWT]

At the end of the day does it reset, or does it do that in the morning?

I live in hail country. how do the mirrors hold up?

[HobbyVAWT]

At the end of the day does it reset, or does it do that in the morning?

[PaulArveson]

It's not a clock drive; apparently it is tracking the light source. That is why you see it backtrack sometimes -- I guess it sees more light at the edge of a cloud sometimes.