track the sun

Suggestions for improvement, new category ideas, comments to the editor.
Post Reply
george house
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2015 9:09 pm
Location: brighton ont, canada

track the sun

Post by george house » Sat Feb 14, 2015 2:49 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_N1MWrAVQM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; maybe not like this, but out of wood or pallet wood, couple of posts, to turn them by hand, and tilt

similar like the youtube video above, what do you think

techman
Site Admin
Posts: 1329
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2011 11:49 am

Re: track the sun

Post by techman » Mon Feb 16, 2015 9:02 pm

I plan to put up a sort of visor on the top front of the tiny house and hinge it. Then use actuators to adjust the angle into the sun for the various seasons.

I also hope to set up more panels out in the yard on a pole and build a sun tracker.

The_Amateur
Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Nov 02, 2013 9:17 pm
Location: NW Atlanta

Re: track the sun

Post by The_Amateur » Thu Feb 26, 2015 10:27 pm

Does that mean you're going to cut the tree in front of your house down? The shade will block your solar most of the summer time if not all of it once leaves grow since the sun will be at an angle around 70 degrees in the sky. Having them by your RV and slightly elevated is what I would most recommend if not on top of the truss thing you're doing for your wind turbines in warmer weather. Perhaps you could post a screenshot of a satellite picture of just your plot so I could better see or you could PM me your address or lat/lon and I'll look further into it? Don't want to sound like a creep saying that, but I think I may be of some help looking at the picture of the place and analyzing it myself.

You could manually do everything by looking at a website if you don't feel comfortable revealing info at any level. Open the page and see what city is nearest to you since I'm not familiar with where most cities on the list below are. You will just need to work on some angles and timeframes and you're set to go, but I could do that for you. http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/s ... y=New+York" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

techman
Site Admin
Posts: 1329
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2011 11:49 am

Re: track the sun

Post by techman » Sat Feb 28, 2015 11:57 am

The tiny house gets most of the sun all day. The RV gets morning to afternoon sun but not late afternoon to evening. It is shaded in summer badly in the afternoon.

I need to cut the trees in front of the tiny house for summer solar production. Plus it will reduce summer humidity. The old camper sitting right here was too wet inside and moldy due to these trees.

With them gone I will have dryer air and more solar panel production most of the time during all seasons.

DakotaEight
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue May 12, 2015 7:48 am

Re: track the sun

Post by DakotaEight » Tue May 12, 2015 7:56 am

If you drew out the layout of your tiny home on wheels and the whole property with due north marked on the diagram then you could get better help. As far as i know you would want the whole solar aray to be together in the middle of the clearing on the farthest north side of your property facing due south. If your worried that the wires are a waste of money then think about all the sun power you will be missing out on....even in the winter. Just bury the wires a foot into the ground and dont worry about it ever.

techman
Site Admin
Posts: 1329
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2011 11:49 am

Re: track the sun

Post by techman » Thu May 21, 2015 8:32 am

Right now the best location is out farther behind the RV. In spring, about a month ago, it was right up against the RV.

Afternoon sun hits the tiny house fully.

My situation is complicated due to all the trees. I hope to set up a solar tracker one day but I am no engineer and the wind here is brutal.

Post Reply