Original PEET with more explanation kzfaq.info/get/bejne/m5uJZb2K0LemcYU.html

@Brad Cagle, I really love your simple operational innovation. You know what, Cagle? GENIUS INVENTIONS are nothing but, SIMPLE! And yours for sure is, Simple.

Thank you. I see a metal mounting frame in your future ;-) However, I would also suggest a light outdoor-stable lubricant for the hinges - every little bit of friction reduction reduces the power needed to move things. "Super Lube" plumber's grease is impervious to almost everything and good in temperatures from well below zero to above 400F. Search your nearest home center for "plumber's grease". My qualifications? Shadetree mechanic all my life - my mother told the story that I took apart the engine on the electric train I got when I was age 6 and it still worked after I put it back together. 70 years later, I still look at things that way - I want to know how it's put together and how it works and the only way to learn is to dive in and disassemble something or to build something new. I've rebuilt vehicle engines from flathead V8 to OHV to OHC. I have permanent solar lighting in the lawn equipment shed out back (riding mower, walk behind mower, edger, small tiller, fuel, generator, etc.). Getting AC run out there at electrician prices was a totally unreasonable cost when I only wanted lights 20 minutes or so a day (no, I don't need to meet code with AC outlets every 6 feet, just a little bit of light). The original design has been working fine for 4+ years but the original AGM batteries are showing their age (90F+ temperatures in the summer do tend to age those batteries). The replacement LiFePO4 battery is now in place and should be good for 10+ years based on its cycle life and it only being discharged perhaps 20% twice a week might double that. The solar shed lighting is more reliable than the grid-powered lighting in the house - the shed lights are there EVERY time I turn the timer on (spring wound timer so the lights can never be left on - although the BMS I added would protect the battery). Total cost of solar lighting out there is now about $210 with the new LFP battery (including solar panel, controller, batteries, LED strips, wiring, fuses, timer, etc., etc., etc.).

I addition to some of the other ideas people have, move your Actuator to the centre. Easier to move a load that size from the centre than one of the sides. Will help with weight and distribution and help with the power consumption too.

@Brad Cagle, I love this simple operational invention. You what Cagle? Genius Inventions are SIMPLE! Yours IS.

User two small relays to control a larger power source from the larger panels and then could use a larger actuator to move many panels

Yes, you did change the angle of the equilibrium panels. I think that may be why they aren’t working as smoothly. Try the original ( what, it was like 45 degrees?) angle and see if it changes. Being more vertical, they just are not pointed skyward sufficiently, in my mind.

Wonderful. Excellent prototype. The tilt on the sawhorse axis might change the stresses on those hinges. Thank you for including the time lapse. It gives an visual reference to understand the maximum tilts east to west.

Great video Brad

clue -- use a tube with a rod insert to hinged the panels to the wood -- or just use a rod - attached to the wood while circular hinges are attached to the panels thus not creating any friction whatsoever .... just a thought .... 2:44 -- BTW -- just use a draped type of covering (tied to the center of the wood ) -- 4:26 -- just a suggestion -- elongate the smaller panel thus giving equal surface use on both small panels -- (food for thought) ... nice project -- I'm going to try this -- Thanks ... update -- 3 30 2024 why not use two actuator -- one for tilting to the other side and the other to tilt back to position 1 ... both are powered by their own solar panel -- reduce the friction between using both panels ... still like your idea .. it's the best of all trackers I have seen ...

Love this.

Great idea

I'm likin' this. 👍

I think with some good bearings 1 actuator would move 4 or 5 panels. But then there's the wind

Looks good

Brilliant design, Very elementary and I can find no flaws, other than if it get really windy, it may blow them off course. 10 out of 10!

Wow! What a smart idea. It's brilliant

Very similar to the same design I have in mind except that I intend to build a frame to mount the panels onto, include diodes and add a manual 2nd axis tilt adjustment as the sun shifts position throughout the year.

Great video!

Can you update the affiliate link to include the small solar panel?

Nce video, great idea…is there, at a particular moment, no short cicuit as both panels are giving 12 v ? Is this healthy?

Well you got my sub. Well done

Very creative. Have you done any output tests with the panels fixed, and the panels tracking?

Now to create an x and y axis to tilt n,s & e,w

Now you have two panels, have you compared the watt hours generated with one tracking and the other stationary?

have you worked with the angles of the actuator panels? Looks like something in the order of 30 degrees, would 40 or 50 make the moves smoother?

Could you put 2 actuators on it to help against the weight?

Great video! BTW, How did you manage to mount those two large panels to the saw horse by yourself? Can you also give the details about the diode on the Limit switch? How many switches does it have and is it easy to get access to? Thanks!

Very simple and cost effective. Have you thought of adding another actuator for the same axis on the other end to stabilize the east to westmovement? Any indicative cost inputs?

Try pivoting along the length instead of the width. This reduces the weight for the actuator.

Friction is a result of the sun heating up the frame and it expanding and shrinking. The reason it works better when the screws are loose is the space between the hinges and the screws and the wood all change as the unit cycles through the day. Heated up, expanding and then as the panel moves, the weight shifts and then you develop friction as a result. Try to balance the panel unit. It should float and be weightless in either postion. If you life one side to a 10 o clock position, and let go, it should not swing one way or another. Also do not allow the sun to directly shine on the parts. Maybe another piece of wood that is more stable could help. Did you align the hinges on the wood support before you installed the panels? During installation of the panels, did you tweek or bend the frame because of its weight and size? Blocking the sun off of certain parts may help slightly, but remember as the heat or warmth rises, so will the dimensions of the wood change!? You may want to try ball bearing hinges. I metal support attached to the panels and hinges may work better, than the wood piece you use now.

How much power are you making compared to just having it flat on the ground?

Any updates, improvements?

Afghanistan, Very Cool idea.

This is still looking great!!! I'm wondering if it would almost be better to have panels facing East to West instead of the usual South facing??? Since the panels will tilt quite a bit, they would follow the sun East to West no matter where the sun is. Thnk that would give a better angle throughout the year? Especially where I live in upstate NY.

I like it, but I need to roof mount if possible to not clutter up the yard too much(we have a veggie garden/watering system that's already taking up 3/4 of my backyard). My big concern with roof mounting is wind. You have any solutions to deal with wind?

Try putting a counterweight on the system to take some of the load on the actuator and reduces the power needed by the small panels. nice work though.

Lovely! Could you make a video about how to build the wood "table" that solar panels are at? Or do you know what's it called so i can search for it on youtube? Something similar? So we could build that one as well? Im not a handyman, but would love to build something like this from scratch so i could attach it with the solar panel! Love it!

i just wish you could catch that extra 40 watts of power

Tried to find info on PEET tracker and couldn't find anything. How about a video on building it along with a parts list. I am very interested ing building this system. Thanks.

Why don’t you place the two motor solar panels fixed on the ground opposite set back to back. I do like your idea. Also I would cut 6” on the south side of the saw horse.

Thank you for showing this video. May I ask what make and model of your small panels? I am trying to duplicate your setup but not able to use my small 12v panels to power up the actuator. Thank you in advance! Cheer :)

Mr. Cagle, move the actuator to the middle now that you doubled the panels. It will move easier, you will have to add a third leg. Thanks, I will be building it soon, excellent job sir.

Great design. I am going to try this myself but a little more beefy. I have very big 455 watt panels I want to mount 2 so I decided to uses 4x4 legs and the cross beam 4 x 6. Then mount some wood to hinges then solar rails to the wood. My question is about the actuator polarity going back and forth fighting between the small panels. I would think would eventially burn up the actuator motor?

How much more wattage are you getting out of those panels vs leaving them flat?

Does the actuator have limit switches? what stops it from continuously running when fed power from both solar panels at once?

Why don't you move the actuator to the center of the two panel. It seems that it would put less strain on the panels.

Brad how did you attach the short 2x4’s to the panels? What type of screws?

Can you specify the name brand, size and electrical info for the actuator?

Hadn’t seen the update, this is great! Did you make the “driver panels” more vertical? It looks like it. And I still say one comment on the single PEET video was right, you could put those driver panels on the ground at an angle facing east/west and it would work. I am going to try it and see if I can get that to work as well. It would let you (or make it easier to) use larger driver panels for larger arrays. I mentioned to Craig a setup I have in mind, two sawhorses with three 410 watt Hyundai panels on adjustable leg store bought sawhorses. I think I will be able to incorporate south/north periodic manual adjustments with adjustable legs.

I've seen this concept on mini-units (via KZfaq)...so nothing new here beyond scale up. My main concern is eventual burn-out of the actuator motor. At one point each day (sun zenith) the actuator motor will encounter maximum electrical input (thus heating) from both driving panels and halt. How long can it survive that contest before burn-out? I built my own dual axis tracker some years ago with two very large/heavy panels and electronic components from Amazon. It worked, but was expensive. If such systems provide 20% higher efficiency, one can purchase that many more solar panels to achieve the same mark at much less expense and effort. I found that laying panels flat on the ground facing straight up worked well. Of course, I live in Arizona and have both excellent sunlight and the acreage to set it up that way. But. My biggest challenge now, having moved south to Sierra Vista, Arizona, is WIND! We have clocked winds at up to 60~70mph - which knocked down my panels so many times I gave up on angles, trackers, etc and now have them simply laying flat facing up. This works for ME and my system - keeps my batteries up no problem. Each installation is built to operate in each individual's unique environment - one size does not fit all. I see such projects doing good where space is at a premium. We do have home owners here who have built large ground-level arrays on very sturdy (stationary) metal framework aimed Due South with a 37° inclination running their entire properties (upwards of 48-~50 panels) = expensive but viable. John

Could you use 2 actuators to deal with the extra weight?

Any ideas on how to make it storm-proof for permanent placement somewhere? So that it can handle gusts of wind...

Question: During the time the voltage supplied to the motor is undervoltage, does that cause damage to the motor?

Is it okay not to use blocking diode for the two small panel?

Would it be simpler to just have a controller for the actuator that uses some sort of timer to move it? I know this isn't what you are designing but it would seem to be relatively easy and not as potentially stressful on the motor.

any diodes added there?

Have you experienced any issue with feeding the solar panels in reverse polarity? I have no idea if feeding power in reverse will affect a solar panel, it would seem no different to hooking one up to a battery backwards. Has it hurt the panels as far as you can tell, or is this system still working fine after a year of use?

I know this is old, but midday how does the actuator not burn out when both panels are feeding power with opposite polarity?

I have a 12V, 50W panel and a 200W panel, and neither one will drive an actuator by themselves. The actuator is 12V x 3A = 36W. The charge controller will run the actuator off the car battery. But the actuator goes full travel and does NOT follow the sun. How are you following the sun?

Ok so I built mine but it doesn’t work like yours and I’m not sure why. If I operate each panel independently it works but when I wire them up as instructed nothing happens. I wired one panel positive to positive and negative to negative and the other panel positive to negative and negative to positive but at no time will they move like that. Only when the are wired one at a time to the actuator. What am I doing wrong?

The only issue I see with this design is that very high winds have a good chance of damaging it