Hello Everyone!
I am looking for some feedback on a new solar tracking system I have designed and built for my Sprinter van. The idea has been discussed before, but to my knowledge this is the first system ever built that will track the sun in 2 axis automatically, and fold down flat to the roof of a vehicle during travel. I am looking for some feedback on system sizing, energy needs during summer and winter, overall impression, and questions or concerns you might have about a system like this on your overland rig.
Summarizing the system, 2 200W panels are mounted on a hub that can be raised/lowered, and tilted in any direction via 3 linear actuators to minimize the incident angle of solar rays on the panels, and increase the energy output of the system. Using a GPS system, the vehicle orientation is determined, and the optimal angle to tilt the panels is automatically actuated, adjusted every 15 minutes or so to track the sun. When the vehicle is moving, the system folds down flat to the roof adding about 6" of height. The daily benefit depends heavily on the time of year and location. As many of you know, winter time solar energy is hard to come by, as days are short, and the sun is much lower in the sky reducing the output of panels mounted flat on the roof. Here is a summary of the energy production in the winter and summer at San Francisco on a clear sky day:
In each case, the tracking system adds about 1kWh of energy, and shows the dramatic difference the time of year makes to the output of solar. So how do these numbers compare with your experience? Do you notice a big drop off in energy during the winter for those of you using your rigs year round? How much of an impact is an extra 1 kWh or doubling the output of your system in the winter time, and similarly what would going from 3-4kWh in the winter time mean for the use of your camper?
For those of you further north (Seattle for example), the situation in winter is even worse, with a 400W array making only 0.56kWh of energy in the winter. In this location the tracker would make 1.47kWh (still adding ~1kWh) or 2.6X.
Does this type of increase move the needle in terms of what you can run completely off solar, how long you can plan to go off-grid, or reduce the space taken up by solar panels on the roof for other things? How much energy would you need to be fully off-grid with solar year round (please share your vehicle type and basic info if you are willing to share)?
Here is a video showing the tracking system in action!
Disclaimer, yes this is a product I have developed as part of my business, but no I am not trying to sell it here. I would like this thread to focus on the utility of this type of system in overlanding in the eyes of this knowledgeable community. Thanks in advance for your input!
I am looking for some feedback on a new solar tracking system I have designed and built for my Sprinter van. The idea has been discussed before, but to my knowledge this is the first system ever built that will track the sun in 2 axis automatically, and fold down flat to the roof of a vehicle during travel. I am looking for some feedback on system sizing, energy needs during summer and winter, overall impression, and questions or concerns you might have about a system like this on your overland rig.
Summarizing the system, 2 200W panels are mounted on a hub that can be raised/lowered, and tilted in any direction via 3 linear actuators to minimize the incident angle of solar rays on the panels, and increase the energy output of the system. Using a GPS system, the vehicle orientation is determined, and the optimal angle to tilt the panels is automatically actuated, adjusted every 15 minutes or so to track the sun. When the vehicle is moving, the system folds down flat to the roof adding about 6" of height. The daily benefit depends heavily on the time of year and location. As many of you know, winter time solar energy is hard to come by, as days are short, and the sun is much lower in the sky reducing the output of panels mounted flat on the roof. Here is a summary of the energy production in the winter and summer at San Francisco on a clear sky day:
| System | Summer Solstice | Winter Solstice |
| 400W Flat Array | 3.22 kWh | 1.01 kWh |
| 400W 2 Axis Tracking System | 4.14 kWh (+30%) | 1.98 kWh (+96%) |
In each case, the tracking system adds about 1kWh of energy, and shows the dramatic difference the time of year makes to the output of solar. So how do these numbers compare with your experience? Do you notice a big drop off in energy during the winter for those of you using your rigs year round? How much of an impact is an extra 1 kWh or doubling the output of your system in the winter time, and similarly what would going from 3-4kWh in the winter time mean for the use of your camper?
For those of you further north (Seattle for example), the situation in winter is even worse, with a 400W array making only 0.56kWh of energy in the winter. In this location the tracker would make 1.47kWh (still adding ~1kWh) or 2.6X.
Does this type of increase move the needle in terms of what you can run completely off solar, how long you can plan to go off-grid, or reduce the space taken up by solar panels on the roof for other things? How much energy would you need to be fully off-grid with solar year round (please share your vehicle type and basic info if you are willing to share)?
Here is a video showing the tracking system in action!
Disclaimer, yes this is a product I have developed as part of my business, but no I am not trying to sell it here. I would like this thread to focus on the utility of this type of system in overlanding in the eyes of this knowledgeable community. Thanks in advance for your input!
