Little battery charger PV.. On Ebay.. - Page 2

wilfor03 · 06-09-10, 12:04 PM

Hey Xringer.....have you gotten the bugs worked out of your controller board yet? You were having problems with the "west" tracking function and return-at-night function? I've tried to get ahold of Duane @ RedRok and no response yet.....soooooooooooo...I think I may give the MTM Scientific board a try....Just really curious before I buy, ya know.....Thanks a bunch.....Bill

Xringer · 06-09-10, 12:26 PM

I ended up adding a pot to the reference voltage divider and got better tracking. (per the manual).
But since I've moved the mount, (and left the ground rod), I seem to be picking up
some RFI in my long sensor head cable.. The local AM station is less than 2 miles away.

The night return function works great. But only when it's dark..
The 'lost' west tracking problem is still there, because I have not moved the
West sensor up closer to the glass. (I plan to do that someday)!

It only gets lost when it's a very cloudy morning and the sun comes out at lunchtime..
I'm still thinking of just adding a West button to the control box..

Just now, I've added to 47 uF caps across the light sensor input lines..
I hope that might reduce the reply clicking some. (From clouds and leaves etc).
It might also help the RFI (if that's the problem).

The board is easy to use, easy to assemble, but be prepared to tinker with it a bit.

wilfor03 · 06-09-10, 01:12 PM

Thanks Xringer.....I might just give it a shot and hollar your way if I run into troubles (needing help, or whatever, eh?).....thanks abunch.....Bill

wilfor03 · 06-10-10, 06:03 PM

Wooo-Whooooo....just got an email from MTM Scientific that they shipped my tracker board.....probably get maybe Monday.....I'll post pictures of whats going on with it.....this is the last I have to do to get the "system" automated. Appreciate the help, Rich.....Bill

Xringer · 06-10-10, 08:31 PM

Cool! Now you will be able to just sit back and watch it track!

IIRC, I somehow blasted my chip. It's an LP339 and I replaced it with a Radio Shack part..
LM339 Quad Comparator (14-Pin DIP) Model: LM339 | Catalog #: 276-1712 $1.49
I even picked up an extra chip for a spare. Of course it will never be needed
until the day I lose it.. Murphy effect..

Anyways, if your actuator has limit switches built in, you will need to install
some shorty jumpers in those middle terminal pairs.
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...arControls.jpg

How do you plan to mount the photocells?? PB jar??

wilfor03 · 06-11-10, 12:28 PM

Hey Xringer....are you talking about the 2-each E switch/W switch terminals I blew the picture up to see)? Yeah, I'm gonna put them in some sort of clear jar on the north-east top of the solar array. Should only be bout 3 1/2' from where they'll be mounted to where the board is? Think that will work.....Bill

Xringer · 06-11-10, 03:49 PM

The E & W switches are the East and West end-limit switches.
If you don't have out-board switches (if your actuator has limit switches built in),
you will need to add a couple of jumpers..

You should use 2-pair wire (2 twisted pair) to connect to the photocells.
My cable is about 10 feet long. (In case I want to move it higher on the array).

I've seen some clear jar setups, and I always wondered about the heat
build-up and condensation inside the jar.

But, I had to get fancy and ended up with too much West side blockage..
Very soon, I'm yanking that thing down and moving the West side
photocell much closer to the glass.. Hopefully, that will help.

I know that days like today will be the challenge, (the sun came out at 3PM)
and it's going to take something well designed to work well..

wilfor03 · 06-11-10, 04:24 PM

10-4 on the jumper wires....my actuator has the built in limit switches. Did you get your actuator fixed up? How did you mount your photo-resistors? On a piece of veroboard or???? You just got me thinking about that? no sleep tonite (LOL).....Bill :eek

Xringer · 06-11-10, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilfor03

10-4 on the jumper wires....my actuator has the built in limit switches. Did you get your actuator fixed up? How did you mount your photo-resistors? On a piece of veroboard or???? You just got me thinking about that? no sleep tonite (LOL).....Bill :eek

My actuator is okay. I just used a metal divider between the photocells.
The pictures are here: http://ecorenovator.org/forum/projec....html#post5718

I painted the inside of the module flat-black and put heat shrink on the leads,
so they wouldn't short out..

wilfor03 · 06-15-10, 01:03 PM

Yea...my circuit board just arrived today! Looks really good (and simple) with all the parts and PCB. Hopefully, tonight, I'll start putting it together and test it out outside in the morning (if there's any sun). I'll keep you guys posted.....Bill

06-09-10, 12:04 PM	#11
wilfor03 Lurking Renovator Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 29 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Tracker Board Performance Hey Xringer.....have you gotten the bugs worked out of your controller board yet? You were having problems with the "west" tracking function and return-at-night function? I've tried to get ahold of Duane @ RedRok and no response yet.....soooooooooooo...I think I may give the MTM Scientific board a try....Just really curious before I buy, ya know.....Thanks a bunch.....Bill

06-09-10, 01:12 PM	#13
wilfor03 Lurking Renovator Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 29 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Tinkering with the board Thanks Xringer.....I might just give it a shot and hollar your way if I run into troubles (needing help, or whatever, eh?).....thanks abunch.....Bill

06-10-10, 06:03 PM	#14
wilfor03 Lurking Renovator Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 29 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	New PCB Wooo-Whooooo....just got an email from MTM Scientific that they shipped my tracker board.....probably get maybe Monday.....I'll post pictures of whats going on with it.....this is the last I have to do to get the "system" automated. Appreciate the help, Rich.....Bill

06-15-10, 01:03 PM	#20
wilfor03 Lurking Renovator Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 29 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Pcb Yea...my circuit board just arrived today! Looks really good (and simple) with all the parts and PCB. Hopefully, tonight, I'll start putting it together and test it out outside in the morning (if there's any sun). I'll keep you guys posted.....Bill

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06-09-10, 12:26 PM	#12
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	I ended up adding a pot to the reference voltage divider and got better tracking. (per the manual). But since I've moved the mount, (and left the ground rod), I seem to be picking up some RFI in my long sensor head cable.. The local AM station is less than 2 miles away. The night return function works great. But only when it's dark.. The 'lost' west tracking problem is still there, because I have not moved the West sensor up closer to the glass. (I plan to do that someday)! It only gets lost when it's a very cloudy morning and the sun comes out at lunchtime.. I'm still thinking of just adding a West button to the control box.. Just now, I've added to 47 uF caps across the light sensor input lines.. I hope that might reduce the reply clicking some. (From clouds and leaves etc). It might also help the RFI (if that's the problem). The board is easy to use, easy to assemble, but be prepared to tinker with it a bit.

06-10-10, 08:31 PM	#15
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	Cool! Now you will be able to just sit back and watch it track! IIRC, I somehow blasted my chip. It's an LP339 and I replaced it with a Radio Shack part.. LM339 Quad Comparator (14-Pin DIP) Model: LM339 \| Catalog #: 276-1712 $1.49 I even picked up an extra chip for a spare. Of course it will never be needed until the day I lose it.. Murphy effect.. Anyways, if your actuator has limit switches built in, you will need to install some shorty jumpers in those middle terminal pairs. http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...arControls.jpg How do you plan to mount the photocells?? PB jar??

06-11-10, 12:28 PM	#16
wilfor03 Lurking Renovator Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 29 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Hey Xringer....are you talking about the 2-each E switch/W switch terminals I blew the picture up to see)? Yeah, I'm gonna put them in some sort of clear jar on the north-east top of the solar array. Should only be bout 3 1/2' from where they'll be mounted to where the board is? Think that will work.....Bill

06-11-10, 03:49 PM	#17
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	The E & W switches are the East and West end-limit switches. If you don't have out-board switches (if your actuator has limit switches built in), you will need to add a couple of jumpers.. You should use 2-pair wire (2 twisted pair) to connect to the photocells. My cable is about 10 feet long. (In case I want to move it higher on the array). I've seen some clear jar setups, and I always wondered about the heat build-up and condensation inside the jar. But, I had to get fancy and ended up with too much West side blockage.. Very soon, I'm yanking that thing down and moving the West side photocell much closer to the glass.. Hopefully, that will help. I know that days like today will be the challenge, (the sun came out at 3PM) and it's going to take something well designed to work well..

06-11-10, 04:24 PM	#18
wilfor03 Lurking Renovator Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 29 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	10-4 on the jumper wires....my actuator has the built in limit switches. Did you get your actuator fixed up? How did you mount your photo-resistors? On a piece of veroboard or???? You just got me thinking about that? no sleep tonite (LOL).....Bill :eek