Solar Panel Frames

cobes,
Make your own out of ply and pine if you have the tools and a place to do it.
Piano hinge the back and case clip the front to fold out like a suitcase.
Cheers,
Bros,

Now, being Sloarex, they should have that fancy aluminium extrusion around them, that simply accepts metric threaded screws, anywhere along the extrusion.

With mine, I simply made a low level tripod, and mounted the panel to that, go out every couple of hours, and hive it a tap with my foot, to keep track of the sun.

Above the panel, I made what I guess you would call a gnomon, this sits inside a short piece of round tube for protection, and the inside is painted matt black. The sun casts a readily seen shadow, which makes aligning to the sun less of a hit & miss affair.

Wolfie

Hi Chris,
the easiest way, (well for my pair of 68W Sola panels) was to get a couple of heavy duty hinges from a hardware store, screw them to the aluminium frame. Then put a couple of handles on the opposite side, this enables them to be carried easily.

I then got some light duty hinges and a couple of aluminium square tubes. These are pop rivetted to the frame as well. So I line it up with the sun, tilt them backwards and the aluminium legs hold it upright at the right angle. It iseasy to move around and then when breaking camp it all folds away and is easily carried.

My next project is to build a solar tracker though. I have designed a small circuit which will (hopefully) track the sun. I have also designed (but am yet to build) a portable frame. What I am hoping to happen with this is to have a lightweight portable setup, that I can setup and it will automagically follow the sun through the day while I am off fishing, bushwalking, sleeping, whatever. Well thats the theory at least. If it doesn't work or draws too much power or is not portable enough. then it is back to the old hinged setup as it is tried and proven.

Cheers

Peter