tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83562112279302221752024-02-18T18:35:06.299-08:00My Solar Adventures- DIY solar and arduino projectsHow to make Solar panels, Solar cells and Solar powered projects . DIY Arduino projects like solar arduino tracker, solar backpack, how to make a solar cell using 1n4148 diodes.Sarang Guptahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236482725704414471noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356211227930222175.post-76766779594221733082012-06-21T07:59:00.001-07:002012-06-24T09:01:03.229-07:00How to : DIY Solar Backpack with Solar Mobile phone charger and LED Lighting<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh67DssOOV_IrJnPYGMOy0tFK4F3C0RJQMWBDTA6C4c53SB0S3KC1Unrj0qAl0BWHDoH0RwAvoTnEL2Cvj_oXRH1gqCv26eNCdZ9JdYVat66gzVUcT9qWLrdfP0Qrqaya2qXMl2eZ4pABmj/s1600/Solar_Backpack.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Solar Backpack with Solar Mobile phone charger" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh67DssOOV_IrJnPYGMOy0tFK4F3C0RJQMWBDTA6C4c53SB0S3KC1Unrj0qAl0BWHDoH0RwAvoTnEL2Cvj_oXRH1gqCv26eNCdZ9JdYVat66gzVUcT9qWLrdfP0Qrqaya2qXMl2eZ4pABmj/s640/Solar_Backpack.JPG" title="Solar Backpack with Solar Mobile phone charger" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>The Finished Solar Backpack!</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Introduction</span></h2>
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Last year , i was trekking in the mountains and was surprised by the lack of electricity. Although there was an abundance of sunlight during the day, all lighting there during the evenings/night was with oil lamps which not only smoky but provided very little light. Vowing to return next year better prepared, i made a solar backpack. It can be also used to power widgets such as the arduino, raspberry pi, etc. Here are the features:</div>
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<ul>
<li style="text-align: left;">Can charge upto 6 mobile phones at one time!</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">140 lumen high power led lighting</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">27wh high capacity battery</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Modular Design for expansion</li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5CWRR7wZpYjCsDr2PajrS8dejM6nKuLBlv2abg5OGCyDV5iYvHKE262ggxtn-Dba607HCw1BQJz1-XRAgox7POa-H544nb3gYsF5rhVUl23vN151QabNBaYSqPnPsldxfMDwOwA_woO-/s1600/Phone_Charging_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="DIY solar mobile phone charger" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5CWRR7wZpYjCsDr2PajrS8dejM6nKuLBlv2abg5OGCyDV5iYvHKE262ggxtn-Dba607HCw1BQJz1-XRAgox7POa-H544nb3gYsF5rhVUl23vN151QabNBaYSqPnPsldxfMDwOwA_woO-/s320/Phone_Charging_3.jpg" title="DIY solar mobile phone charger" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Success</span><span style="font-size: large;">!</span></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Materials Required:</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Backpack:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">5W Solar panel for 6v battery</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Old Bag / Bagpack</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">General Purpose PCB</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Schottky Diode (1n5189/ SS14 etc)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">6v Sealed Lead Acid battery</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2 pin Terminal plug
</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Solar Mobile Phone Charger Circuit:</span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> 5v 3A LDO (I used a ucc383. You can use an LDO with a lower current capacity also)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Heatsink for the TO-220 package LDO</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">USB Port</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Light engine:</span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">High Power led (Can be 1w-3w. I used a CREE XM-L as it is the most efficient led the world) </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Heat Sink for LED</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Lens/Reflector for the LED</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">LED Driver</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Instructions</span></h2>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Attach the solar panel to the backpack. You can stitch it, use hot glue, epoxy or any other adhesive as you see fit. I used a synthetic rubber based adhesive called FeviBond.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Using a general purpose board, construct the following circuit:</span></li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyB_ocPmfOYGGgliTZLuSzN_1p6ch3LMYzZ7Vhyphenhyphenmb6jtFp4nOs6BC2abR2_5ogQnEqAtl4K8ZM4B4T2IKbFjYozwhDKnbDVMwdKh6_sfmCtF7aGJy-0HQOXR9iNORK6MJhfqyu4ZAQU5h5/s1600/Circuit+Diagram.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Circuit Diagram for solar mobile phone charger " border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyB_ocPmfOYGGgliTZLuSzN_1p6ch3LMYzZ7Vhyphenhyphenmb6jtFp4nOs6BC2abR2_5ogQnEqAtl4K8ZM4B4T2IKbFjYozwhDKnbDVMwdKh6_sfmCtF7aGJy-0HQOXR9iNORK6MJhfqyu4ZAQU5h5/s640/Circuit+Diagram.png" title="Circuit Diagram for solar mobile phone charger " width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Circuit Diagram for solar backpack</span></h3>
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<ul style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;">
<li>The USB port can be used as a solar mobile phone charger to charge phones, tablets etc. </li>
<li>My PCB looked like this:</li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyMLXs7j7IKUTKl-2irmcRpoMN72fFQFOIpZsUfss8yjedw3bvD3U8_07hONWPJG_jwrJR-D3oThyphenhyphenF5rqDwv1sbj5dLSjtmguCzWs_a2Da8_AX7JHQedMUv8Xt3cvvZhoF2nWfUqDLJSj/s1600/PCB_Front.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="PCB for solar mobile phone charger" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyMLXs7j7IKUTKl-2irmcRpoMN72fFQFOIpZsUfss8yjedw3bvD3U8_07hONWPJG_jwrJR-D3oThyphenhyphenF5rqDwv1sbj5dLSjtmguCzWs_a2Da8_AX7JHQedMUv8Xt3cvvZhoF2nWfUqDLJSj/s320/PCB_Front.JPG" title="PCB for solar mobile phone charger" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">PCB of Solar Backpack</span></h3>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>To make the light engine, i soldered some wire to the Cree XML led and mounted it on the heat sink.</li>
<li>Although the Cree XML can be driven with 3 Amps or current giving a staggering 1000 lumens, i could not find a suitable driver. Hence, i am using a 350ma driver.</li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHO_g5rFuzkgYJrBIqjN1zJiB7MfdVTsqb1nyi8y3umY63knXyyZB26hNbwbeSR8VquHxKNKzhPeYyBNL4MKFnZdPXoBjfqX4Tq_ZpC5Dd_eu2gYKWBVTtJA0qoHu7iAcl0TdVV8NL6Zgh/s1600/Light_Engine_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img alt="Power led mounted on heatsink" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHO_g5rFuzkgYJrBIqjN1zJiB7MfdVTsqb1nyi8y3umY63knXyyZB26hNbwbeSR8VquHxKNKzhPeYyBNL4MKFnZdPXoBjfqX4Tq_ZpC5Dd_eu2gYKWBVTtJA0qoHu7iAcl0TdVV8NL6Zgh/s320/Light_Engine_1.JPG" title="Power led mounted on heatsink" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Led mounted on heatsink</b></span></td></tr>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Some LED drivers, for use as halogen replacements have a bridge rectifier.If you wish, you can remove the diodes as they cause a voltage drop of about one volt. I removed them as they reduce efficiency</span></li>
<li>Mount the led driver on the other side of the heat sink</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCYIi5egkL7sgvHpq0vtZGeY_tnu8tdgSun5ZmUNtxsCmMne-4Iz9TUW15T34iHU_AZa0nY3xSyMs8YbuhroCnYcOCbJ6NtB5hmez-4cMFXPPA_inANhsGHZplb7J36s0fpS_Aemis61vn/s1600/Light_Engine_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCYIi5egkL7sgvHpq0vtZGeY_tnu8tdgSun5ZmUNtxsCmMne-4Iz9TUW15T34iHU_AZa0nY3xSyMs8YbuhroCnYcOCbJ6NtB5hmez-4cMFXPPA_inANhsGHZplb7J36s0fpS_Aemis61vn/s1600/Light_Engine_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Led driver mounted on a heatsink" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCYIi5egkL7sgvHpq0vtZGeY_tnu8tdgSun5ZmUNtxsCmMne-4Iz9TUW15T34iHU_AZa0nY3xSyMs8YbuhroCnYcOCbJ6NtB5hmez-4cMFXPPA_inANhsGHZplb7J36s0fpS_Aemis61vn/s320/Light_Engine_2.JPG" title="Led driver mounted on a heatsink" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Led Driver mounted on heatsink</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: left;"></span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">Attach the reflector or lens to the led. </span></li>
</ul>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdVbi-EVqfhjW7a42SdOf6HWQSmR7j6xr_aO9_rlg1TvBc0K2z9w7HzIQoFcNpsPdf201ij9xivqHF8sSWtgLsV8T6bxmANOLwANz91Wqfh02Q9Zm-z6uHnq2GMbciER9imeP4Ouju9AyZ/s1600/Light_Engine_3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Reflector mounted on a led" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdVbi-EVqfhjW7a42SdOf6HWQSmR7j6xr_aO9_rlg1TvBc0K2z9w7HzIQoFcNpsPdf201ij9xivqHF8sSWtgLsV8T6bxmANOLwANz91Wqfh02Q9Zm-z6uHnq2GMbciER9imeP4Ouju9AyZ/s320/Light_Engine_3.JPG" title="Reflector mounted on a led" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Reflector mounted on the led</b></span></td></tr>
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Enjoy your eco-freindly power source! In the picture below, it is a solar mobile phone charger!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFeErgIH5NcTWryM-PeZCOfAX8T5Lv7XYprQTR5FdW1QNIvLZAknBqey1ipBqgsKtbUaN8hD_5ZaMSUsntcEzIm7hmAftxEDMfg5dS-7Re1bkLvAlY8kAJXdjwbPQWnqeYYf91L2aWWzU8/s1600/Phone_Charging_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="mobile phone being powered by solar panel" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFeErgIH5NcTWryM-PeZCOfAX8T5Lv7XYprQTR5FdW1QNIvLZAknBqey1ipBqgsKtbUaN8hD_5ZaMSUsntcEzIm7hmAftxEDMfg5dS-7Re1bkLvAlY8kAJXdjwbPQWnqeYYf91L2aWWzU8/s320/Phone_Charging_2.JPG" title="mobile phone being powered by solar panel" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Mobile phone being powered by 100% solar power!</b></span></td></tr>
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<div>
In the picture below, the Arduino Uno is being powered by the solar backpack, making it a solar powered arduino! You can also use this to power the Raspbery Pi, Teensy etc!</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNCVXOkdiFbmRDknQmjzOjQvgfzZU9O3Jfsj19mPkv2DlVKmf2P_6ZB4UB4P2xMUcJqmsOqkvON1UcFTi9rqeTaygF7QRtDvcBcdcXsnAdfrDOmjvHE9qWfXLMK30P-LO4NHpirDWvBCaO/s1600/Arduino_Power.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="solar powered arduino" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNCVXOkdiFbmRDknQmjzOjQvgfzZU9O3Jfsj19mPkv2DlVKmf2P_6ZB4UB4P2xMUcJqmsOqkvON1UcFTi9rqeTaygF7QRtDvcBcdcXsnAdfrDOmjvHE9qWfXLMK30P-LO4NHpirDWvBCaO/s320/Arduino_Power.JPG" title="solar powered arduino" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Solar Powered Arduino</b></span></td></tr>
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</div>Sarang Guptahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236482725704414471noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356211227930222175.post-80792626160647521982012-05-08T05:01:00.000-07:002012-05-08T05:04:15.056-07:00How to Make an Arduino Solar Tracker : The Light Sensor<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h1>
How to Make an Arduino Solar Tracker : The Light Sensor </h1>
<div>
One of the most important parts of the solar tracker is the Light Sensor whose job is to accurately detect the position of the sun.</div>
<div>
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
What is a light dependent resistor or photo-resistor?</h4>
<div>
The resistance of a light dependent resistor or photo-resistor changes according to the intensity of the light. In other words, the resistance of the LDR is inversely proportional to the light intensity. We shall use this property to track the sun</div>
<div>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Design of the light sensor</h3>
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<h3>
</h3>
<h4>
</h4>
<h4>
</h4>
<h4>
</h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Circuit diagram</h4>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr-h9SPPTzLg3bNogy8KALLc-gxB97oNBPRbRBLo5Daq0pFTWc5yUqREhMUYhWDUgkxpZ-xTEWJ5hrwVfzQc6kMSu-7Tk-gxo9grrO8vO2q6QhScvGFq-LJY76HhQMxm4kIwOEnZODKIUo/s1600/soalr.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Circuit Diagram: Light Sensor for an Arduino Solar tracker " border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr-h9SPPTzLg3bNogy8KALLc-gxB97oNBPRbRBLo5Daq0pFTWc5yUqREhMUYhWDUgkxpZ-xTEWJ5hrwVfzQc6kMSu-7Tk-gxo9grrO8vO2q6QhScvGFq-LJY76HhQMxm4kIwOEnZODKIUo/s1600/soalr.png" title="Circuit Diagram: Light Sensor for an Arduino Solar tracker " /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Circuit Diagram: Light Sensor for an Arduino Solar tracker</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The light sensor works by creating a voltage divider by using a fixed resistance, in this case a 15 kilo-ohm resistor and an LDR. The value of the resistor was chosen as the illuminated resistance of my LDR was approximately 12 kilo-ohm. The corresponding voltage created is fed to the ADC of the arduino. Since the one end of the LDR was tied to ground, an increase in illumination would correspond to a higher ADC output</div>
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Physical Design</h4>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikt7NWWkdFsWLvXe7g66mFxbVj33PLSUrXAGmlVcHROhepJB20ulp7jT7RmuL6zZs34fKq6fnLTh0q-CBrCceKTuL_xTrbEezrKlNbn4UwRAuQWEitD_1s6yQuO3RgmapuGBXQbUdUrYUT/s1600/IMG_4694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="light sensor arduino" border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikt7NWWkdFsWLvXe7g66mFxbVj33PLSUrXAGmlVcHROhepJB20ulp7jT7RmuL6zZs34fKq6fnLTh0q-CBrCceKTuL_xTrbEezrKlNbn4UwRAuQWEitD_1s6yQuO3RgmapuGBXQbUdUrYUT/s320/IMG_4694.JPG" title="light sensor arduino" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mechanical aspect of light sensor design</td></tr>
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The light sensor was constructed on a piece of perfboard with some ribbon cable for easy connectivity to the Arduino.</div>
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The light sensor is in a T shaped design with a piece of perfboard/veroboard perpendicular between the two LDRs. The reason for the "divider" is that if the position of the son is on either side of the light sensor, a shadow will fall on one sensor and only the LDR facing the sun will be illuminated</div>
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Connecting it to the Arduino and the Software</h4>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd3JaQraJLyYrj_NVJeRx8XsJ-4vgcohyphenhyphensV4VcODYFPZ9Ry7Uix8iTmSPtw_IlJ4w7YYIbpQ6YGgtQv98k8SQgJywmtEG-FYoqiC-xdI1LQzmdNg9GpKNKwcShtEC5eISlgotdbAOxYnkq/s1600/IMG_4693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="solar tracker arduino light sensor" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd3JaQraJLyYrj_NVJeRx8XsJ-4vgcohyphenhyphensV4VcODYFPZ9Ry7Uix8iTmSPtw_IlJ4w7YYIbpQ6YGgtQv98k8SQgJywmtEG-FYoqiC-xdI1LQzmdNg9GpKNKwcShtEC5eISlgotdbAOxYnkq/s320/IMG_4693.JPG" title="solar tracker arduino light sensor" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Connection of light sensor to arduino</td></tr>
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The outputs form both the LDR are connected to ADC pins AnalogPin0 and AnalogPin1 of the arduino. </div>
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Here is a simple arduino sketch that reports the value of both the LDRs and reports it on the serial monitor</div>
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<b>/* </b></div>
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<b>LDR Calibration test for solar tracker </b></div>
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<b>Sketch by Sarang Gupta</b></div>
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<b>For more info visit www.mysolaradventures.com</b></div>
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<b>*/</b></div>
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<b>int ldr1 = 0; //LDR1 is connected to analog pin0</b></div>
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<b>int ldr2 = 1; //LDR2 is connected to analog pin1</b></div>
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<b>int ldr1_value = 0; //variable to store LDR1 values</b></div>
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<b>int ldr2_value = 0; //variable to store LDR2 values</b></div>
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<b>void setup()</b></div>
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<b>{</b></div>
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<b> Serial.begin(9600); //start outputting data to serial monitor</b></div>
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<b>void loop()</b></div>
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<b> ldr1_value = analogRead(ldr1); //reads the light hitting LDR1</b></div>
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<b> ldr2_value = analogRead(ldr2); //reads the light hitting LDR2</b></div>
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<b> Serial.print("LDR1 reading= ");</b></div>
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<b> Serial.println(ldr1_value); //prints the LDR values to serial monitor</b></div>
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<b> Serial.print("LDR2 reading= ");</b></div>
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<b> Serial.println(ldr2_value); //prints the LDR values to serial monitor</b></div>
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<b> delay(50); //wait for 50 ms</b></div>
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<b>}</b></div>
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In the next post i will outline the actuator for the solar panel and a video of the final working tracker!</div>
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</div>Sarang Guptahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236482725704414471noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356211227930222175.post-61059843120928632132012-04-20T23:51:00.001-07:002012-05-08T05:06:01.372-07:00How to Make an Arduino Solar Tracker : Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In the next couple of days i will be making an arduino solar tracker. The is the first post in the series of posts in which i show you how to make an arduino solar tracker</div>
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What Are Solar Trackers?</h2>
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<span style="text-align: left;">It is a well known fact that solar panels give maximum power when the incident ray from the sun hits the solar panel perpendicularly. Hence if a solar panel is kept along the ground, it will give maximum output during the noon when the solar radiation is maximum and the suns rays strike it perpendicularly. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://energyworksus.com/images/TILTARR.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="solar panel output" border="0" height="157" src="http://energyworksus.com/images/TILTARR.gif" title="Formula to calculate solar output" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Formula for calculating solar output</td></tr>
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This is where solar trackers come in. Solar trackers follow the sun, just like a mechanical sunflower. I will be building a single axis arduino powered solar tracker which tilts the solar panel in the direction of the sun. Using a solar tracker increases the output of a solar panel by 50 to 60 percent although it may not be practical at all scales and sizes.</div>
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</div>Sarang Guptahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236482725704414471noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356211227930222175.post-10823495723410024872012-04-12T02:45:00.002-07:002012-04-22T04:36:38.419-07:00How to make a solar cell using diodes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ww_a9JS9IJ8/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ww_a9JS9IJ8?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" />
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ww_a9JS9IJ8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></object></div>
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So the other day while i was studying about solar cells, i realized that a photovoltiac solar cell is very similar to a standard silicon diode, they are both p-n junctions, the only difference being that a solar cell has a higher surface area. So i decided to use an 1N4148 standard small signal rectifier with an exposed die. I connected it to a Multimeter to check the voltage coming out of the diode. To my surprise, it worked! After concentrating the light to the diode with a magnifying glass, i was a able to get a usable voltage from the diode</div>
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Although i doubt that this would be more efficient than a standard photovoltiac cell, i believe that this might be useful in low cost applications<br />
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Please feel free to give any suggestions and improvements in the comments</div>
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<b>Thank for watching!</b></div>
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<b>EDIT: I got featured on <a href="http://hackaday.com/2012/04/13/using-diodes-and-transistors-as-solar-cells/#more-71533" target="_blank">Hackaday.com</a>!</b></div>
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</div>Sarang Guptahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236482725704414471noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356211227930222175.post-80774636249468775922011-07-02T21:15:00.000-07:002012-04-22T04:29:03.391-07:00I got a new solar panel - Battery charging<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So recently, i bought a new solar panel. Its capacity is 5W and it is very handy for the summer months in india. It can easily charge a 6v 4.5AH SLA (Sealed Lead Acid) battery. My charging setup is as follows-<br />
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Solar panel -> 1n4007 diode -> Battery<br />
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The battery can store up to 27 WH and gets charged in one day easily.<br />
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I check on the setup regularly with a multimeter.<br />
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Lead acid batteries are every well suited to charging with a solar panel since they are not fussy about over charge/undercharge, they can store large amounts of current for a very less cost, and they can be drip charged. The battery in question costed me about $5, very cheap compared to a li-ion solution.<br />
They charged battery is then used to charge various mobile phones as well as for lighting during power cuts. I plan to expand this system with a 12v 7.2 AH battery and a 20 Watt solar panel. Also, i want to upgrade the diode form an 1n4001 to a shottky diode because the voltage drop is much less then normal rectifiers!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhobb7O4pnmnbQyhPuHYmTg-IlrXndLhxxkx6TQUM6XiBqytTX_Unr075gttiKtAC7t8_Tn66WX4IcLKZ5f4RDM2C-u9vV-z0Il8kXr4jDC7swUHmYiHLZmQWkNNNcsec6KgDvbGG23tbHA/s1600/IMG_4631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="6v 4.5AH Sealed Lead Acid Battery " border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhobb7O4pnmnbQyhPuHYmTg-IlrXndLhxxkx6TQUM6XiBqytTX_Unr075gttiKtAC7t8_Tn66WX4IcLKZ5f4RDM2C-u9vV-z0Il8kXr4jDC7swUHmYiHLZmQWkNNNcsec6KgDvbGG23tbHA/s320/IMG_4631.JPG" title="6v 4.5AH Sealed Lead Acid Battery " width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">6v 4.5AH Sealed Lead Acid Battery</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgds7QzRPUMps6Fjf0y29h0r9QeVADhYCtH7eXns4JCk6GFcegfeSZQzQMjK9Dmz15HGs2vC-gk-Ixhl3ErTjeRYr2ix2_JlzY6p81AHG6ociyhnD2HYY6_XRtQAihhhPzZ4bmYI2DZs8JK/s1600/IMG_4632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="5W Solar Panel" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgds7QzRPUMps6Fjf0y29h0r9QeVADhYCtH7eXns4JCk6GFcegfeSZQzQMjK9Dmz15HGs2vC-gk-Ixhl3ErTjeRYr2ix2_JlzY6p81AHG6ociyhnD2HYY6_XRtQAihhhPzZ4bmYI2DZs8JK/s320/IMG_4632.JPG" title="5W Solar Panel" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5W Indian Manufactured Solar Panel</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXCyWYMSdS_0HyXB-eGUVnm-VbuIUqNrhXNwGqvN0R1V_OGq3Tl48EvRa6WRZ2EVMK2c4yeMLHSZlTXKW74w4s45Z-wRN0B6nMpTUE7-Hbl3Kc2Sfb9lP66hpDlii6uF0PNhNrEXQH1C-/s1600/IMG_4633+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Solar panel battery charging" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXCyWYMSdS_0HyXB-eGUVnm-VbuIUqNrhXNwGqvN0R1V_OGq3Tl48EvRa6WRZ2EVMK2c4yeMLHSZlTXKW74w4s45Z-wRN0B6nMpTUE7-Hbl3Kc2Sfb9lP66hpDlii6uF0PNhNrEXQH1C-/s320/IMG_4633+-+Copy.JPG" title="Solar panel battery charging" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Solar Panel with battery for charging</td></tr>
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<br /></div>Sarang Guptahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236482725704414471noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356211227930222175.post-82878296103291720732011-06-28T22:32:00.000-07:002011-06-28T22:32:54.498-07:00Questions and Anwsers- Solar energy and the solution to global warming<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">What is photovoltaic?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal">Photovoltaic refers to property of certain semiconductors like silicon to convert solar radiation into direct current or DC electricity. Many cells containing photovoltaic materials can be arranged in a such a way so as to charge a battery or run a television. Production of photovoltaic energy has been doubling every 2 years, increasing by an average of 48 percent each year since 2002, making it the world’s fastest-growing energy technology.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The need for ‘Green’ energy<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal">Due to the greenhouse effect, the industrial revolution as well as rising carbon dioxide levels, the mean temperature of the earth is rising exponentially. This rise in temperature has led to the extinction of several species of animals and plants but even more worryingly, it has led to the melting of glaciers and ice reserves causing sea levels to rise. These changes in the climate and topography of earth will result in the frequency as well as magnitude of both man made as well as natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, cyclones etc. Also fossil fuel reserves of the earth are estimated to finish in 20-30 years, enough time for a green revolution<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Green energy and Photovoltaic<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">Photovoltaic energy is currently being touted by many experts as the ‘next big thing in green energy’ because-<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: 346.5pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span>It will create almost limitless energy forever without any drawbacks or any emissions</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span>The amount of solar energy received by the sun is at average of 1Kw per m<sup>2</sup></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span>Since the sun wont die out any time soon, and the life time of a solar cell is atleast 30 to 35 years there is no maintainence cost as well</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span>The price of solar panels has dropped by almost 50% in the last few years</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span>Government incentives like the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission in india also help boost the solar industry</li>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: 346.5pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: 346.5pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: 346.5pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: 346.5pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></div></div>Sarang Guptahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236482725704414471noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356211227930222175.post-6866326958013761452011-06-28T02:33:00.000-07:002012-06-24T09:08:24.053-07:00Introduction<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hello!<br />
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This is my new blog about solar energy!<br />
I will try to cover many topics in this blog including solar energy, solar panels, solar systems etc. I will also try to explain the science and the working behind each and every thing!<br />
I have had a passion for all things green and especially solar solar energy and after lots of procrastination, i have finally created this blog!<br />
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So stick around and enjoy!<br />
Sarang</div>Sarang Guptahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236482725704414471noreply@blogger.com3