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Old 06-19-10, 11:04 AM   #31
wilfor03
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Cool

Got a question for ya.....if ya hook the tracker up with the panels initiallly at the 12 noon position, when you apply power to the board, (@ say, 8am) will it track back to the east and get caught up to the sun? And then track on to the west with the sun's movement? Was just thinking bout that? Thanks............Bill

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Old 06-19-10, 12:37 PM   #32
Xringer
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Yeah, anytime you turn it on, if the one of the sensors sees sunlight, (E or W)
it will move the mount towards the sun.
It will stop moving, once both sensors see the sun. (Or, if they are both blocked by clouds).

My little add-on switch across the West sensor (to move the mount west)
will not work when bright sun is shining on the East sensor.

The resistance is so low at that time, the pull-up voltage coming from the
1k pull-up resistors is lower than the reference voltage (from the 100k & 9.1k)
So, no motor drive..

If there are lots of clouds, BOTH senor voltages are are high and the circuit
won't allow the motor to go both directions at once..

The motor move logic kinda reminds me of the XOR (exclusive OR), it's table is:
'One or the other, but not both or neither'..
http://phillips.rmc.ca/courses/milis...1/xor-nand.png

When it gets real dark (black tee-shirt over the sensors or at night),
the Dark Reset Threshold (1k & 7.5k voltage divider)
voltage which is up around 11v on a 12v system will be a bit less than
the voltage coming from the west sensor (pin 10) which will be at the full 12v.
That causes the East relay to pull in and stay in all night long..

That's why you need a good charger on your Mover battery..
I have to brag that my Fios battery is up to full charge by 9:30 AM
on sunny days..



Cheers,
Rich
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Old 06-19-10, 01:29 PM   #33
wilfor03
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Talking

Cool Beans!! I was thinking it would using the clear jar (baby food). I'm also wiring in the manual switching as this attachment shows. It will allow me to take it to 12 noon position for storms and such if I need to. Thanks a bunch, Rich..........Bill
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Old 06-19-10, 11:11 PM   #34
Xringer
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That should work just fine. Just make sure the polarity switcher is in the right posistion,
after the storm passes, are else the mount will move east when it tries to move west..

It's been sunny here and my array has been tracking very precisely..

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