Giannis Arvanitakis
Published © CC0

Dual Axis Solar Tracker Panel with Auto and Manual Mode

A solar panel that can rotate in two axis either automatically using four light sensors, either manually with the aid of two potentiometers.

IntermediateFull instructions provided60,398
Dual Axis Solar Tracker Panel with Auto and Manual Mode

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Arduino UNO
Arduino UNO
×1
Rotary potentiometer (generic)
Rotary potentiometer (generic)
×2
LED (generic)
LED (generic)
×2
Pushbutton switch 12mm
SparkFun Pushbutton switch 12mm
×1
Servos (Tower Pro MG996R)
×2
Photo resistor
Photo resistor
×4
Resistor 10k ohm
Resistor 10k ohm
×5
Resistor 221 ohm
Resistor 221 ohm
×2

Software apps and online services

Tinkercad
Autodesk Tinkercad
Arduino IDE
Arduino IDE

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Soldering iron (generic)
Soldering iron (generic)

Story

Read more

Schematics

Schematic

Wiring schematic

Code

Rotating solar panel code

Arduino
The final code of the dual axis solar panel
#include <Servo.h>
//Initialize variables
int mode = 0;             
int buttonState = 0;      
int prevButtonState = 0;  
int topLeftLight = 0;     
int topRightLight = 0;
int bottomLeftLight = 0;
int bottomRightLight = 0;
int LeftLight = 0;
int RightLight = 0;
int TopLight = 0;
int BottomLight = 0;
//Declare two servos
Servo servo_9;
Servo servo_10;

void setup()
{
  pinMode(7, INPUT);    //Mode Button
  pinMode(12, OUTPUT);  //Led indicator for manual mode
  pinMode(11, OUTPUT);  //Led indicator for auto mode
  pinMode(A0, INPUT);   //Potentiometer for right-left movement
  pinMode(A1, INPUT);   //Potentiometer for up-down movement
  pinMode(A2, INPUT);   //Light sensor up - left
  pinMode(A3, INPUT);   //Light sensor up - right
  pinMode(A4, INPUT);   //Light sensor bottom - left
  pinMode(A5, INPUT);   //Light sensor bottom - right
  servo_9.attach(9);    //Servo motor right - left movement
  servo_10.attach(10);  //Servo motor up - down movement
}

void loop()
{
  buttonState = digitalRead(7);
  if (buttonState != prevButtonState) {
    if (buttonState == HIGH) {
      //Change mode and ligh up the correct indicator  
      if (mode == 1) {
        mode = 0;
        digitalWrite(12, HIGH);
        digitalWrite(11, LOW);
      } else {
        mode = 1;
        digitalWrite(11, HIGH);
        digitalWrite(12, LOW);
      }
    }
  }
  prevButtonState = buttonState;
  delay(50); // Wait for 50 millisecond(s)
  if (mode == 0) {
    //If mode is manual map the pot values to degrees of rotation
    servo_9.write(map(analogRead(A0), 0, 1023, 0, 180));
    servo_10.write(map(analogRead(A1), 0, 1023, 0, 180));
  } else {
    //if mode is auto map the sensor values to 0-100 ligh intensity. 
    //Every light sensor has different sensitivity and must be first tested 
    //for it's high and low values
    topLeftLight = map(analogRead(A2),50,980,0,100);
    topRightLight = map(analogRead(A3),200,990,0,100);
    bottomLeftLight = map(analogRead(A4),170,970,0,100);
    bottomRightLight = map(analogRead(A5),250,1000,0,100);
    //Calculate the average light conditions
    TopLight = ((topRightLight + topLeftLight) / 2);
    BottomLight = ((bottomRightLight + bottomLeftLight) / 2);
    LeftLight = ((topLeftLight + bottomLeftLight) / 2);
    RightLight = ((topRightLight + bottomRightLight) / 2);
    //Rotate the servos if needed
    if (abs((RightLight - LeftLight)) > 4) {    //Change position only if light difference is bigger then 4%
      if (RightLight < LeftLight) {
        if (servo_9.read() < 180) {
          servo_9.write((servo_9.read() + 1));
        }
      }
      if (RightLight > LeftLight) {
        if (servo_9.read() > 0) {
          servo_9.write((servo_9.read() - 1));
        }
      }
    }
    if (abs((TopLight - BottomLight)) > 4) {  //Change position only if light difference is bigger then 4%
      if (TopLight < BottomLight) {
        if (servo_10.read() < 180) {
          servo_10.write((servo_10.read() - 1));
        }
      }
      if (TopLight > BottomLight) {
        if (servo_10.read() > 0) {
          servo_10.write((servo_10.read() + 1));
        }
      }
    }
   }
}

Credits

Giannis Arvanitakis

Giannis Arvanitakis

3 projects • 47 followers
I am a Computer Science Teacher and in charge of the Technology evening clubs at the Experimental Elementary School of Florina.
Thanks to Rob Martin.

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