Solar Tracking with Arduino

I am a CE at Mercer Univeristy and for my Embedded systems class I chose to do a project on tracking the sun collecting its energy and using it to power porch lights (something simple). My instructor is only concerned about the class understanding embedded and using microControllers.

I am new to this concept and I am frustrated. What Arduino should I use?

0 shabaz over 12 years ago

Hi,

I'm not sure, but you'll maybe want to write up some requirements to help answer
this in more detail. For example, your requirements may be to know the date and time (so you
know where the sun is) and control one motor (I'm guessing). I've never investigated solar trackers.
Then, maybe additionally your requirement is for it to be standalone, or for you to be able to
query a network to know the time. Lots of options.
If you wanted simpler calculations, you could try to measure the sun brightness level with a
light dependent resistor.

The requirements will help narrow down what you're looking for (e.g. currently I don't know if you need lots of
computation power, or lots of memory, or a network interface, etc). Your requirements will
help to determine that.

For the actual control of the motor, depending on the design, you may use a stepper motor
(as an example). You'd need to read up on stepper motor control, and also find a way to know
for sure if you've hit a limit (e.g. with a microswitch).
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