Hello
I am in the process of placing two small (less than a pound each) solar panels on the roof of my house.
I would like to rig the system to tilt with the sun. This works out to a motor moving at 0.000012 hz or 0.000694 rpm. Does anyone know how to do this? Any other way to tilt the panels automatically an CHEAPLY will also work.

Please try to keep the price tag below $100.

Can you please tell me where one can buy solar panels for less than a pound?
.
If that price is right, why don't you place a couple more of these panels together in one frame, each slightly tilted differently? And than wire everything in parallel, using diodes to separate them from each other.

At least I would do that, and prevent a lot of problems with trying to get everything motorized to keep it pointed at the sun.

Success!
As always : if you require more info, please let me know. If this solves your problem, please rate the answer provided! Feed back is always appreciated!
;)

Sorry about the confusion and the delay. The panels each weigh less than 1 pound. So any suggestions to the original problem?

Ps each of the panels are $40 and give off 135 mwatts

Gears.

You can slow down a DC motor using PWM. The Velleman p/n K8004 is available from www.Jameco.com. Motors can be up to 10 Amps. Supply voltage can vary too. Velleman has a website as well.

solar tracker - Google Search

My Homemade Solar Tracker

MOTHER' S SUPER-SIMPLE SOLAR TRACKER

Sun Tracker Automated Solar Panel | Edmund Scientific
This tracker is ready to go $109.00

Super Simple Sun Tracker. Without using complex circuits and sensors, I was able to make my simple home-made Sun Tracker. This one only needs Solar cells, a motor and some gears. (11/20/2007)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Solarrigger2000

sorry about the confusion and the delay. The panels each weigh less than 1 pound. So any suggestions to the original problem?
Ps each of the panels are $40 and give off 135 mwatts

---

Aaaaahhhhhh : they WEIGH less than a pound... :(

But if they are so small and only produce 135 mWatt each, why bother about solar panels any further?
I have panels here of 2' by 2' (600 x 600 mm) weighing around 2 pounds (1 Kg) that produce over 20 Watt each.
135 mWatt is even less than what is produced by mini solar panels on garden lights, that are sold here as a complete set of 6 garden light armatures for less than $ 10,00.

Average solar panels produce approx. 1 Watt per invested 4 US $
In the latest developments in solar panels they even claim to produce approx. 1 Watt per invested US $
So why do you want to spend all that money on moving toys?

See this link to solar panel prices !

Here is a link to low cost solar panel scraps for experimenting.


;)

Sorry another mispost on the wattage.

Thanks to everyone for the tips on tilting the panels!

The one Biggsie showed from the Edmund Scientific looks like it will take care of the East/West, To get Maximum, You may want to consider the Up/Down Tilt also as to accommodate the Seasons, If it is fixed, set angle for the Middle(Equinox)