Stationeers Simple solar tracking

A tutorial for automating the tracking of solar panels. Today I am building a navagational lighthouse on the top of a mountain to stop me getting lost. I will cover a basic circuit for solar automation and then a less basic circuit for a large improvement and creating a failsafe system that will allways be able to recover from any power outages. I will also cover some tricks and tips for circuit planning and layout to make the circuits easier to read and understand.

[@macgyver4269]

Nice way to use the basic solar panel. 👍

[@paulward8358]

Your videos are excellent, very well put together and explained. I hope you carry them on into the more complex set ups.

[@cowsareevil7514]

I am curretly just rambling out guides at random. If there is something specific, just drop a request.

[@Garthritis]

@@cowsareevil7514 I whole heartedly agree with this bloke. You're builds are clean and at a pace that one can understand without too much trouble. Just started playing this, and watching your vids, but one on food production would be neat. If you have that covered already, just point me in the right direction and I'll check it out. Keep up the good work buddy!!

[@a.k.7840]

Simply brilliant!

[@Garthritis]

A thing of beauty!

[@notean]

Basic sense when making panels just for maybe add one more simple panel if it need more time and avoid all complexity and extra power for schematic. Actually 1-2 simple panels should be enough. And clad them in glass unless you enjoy to repair it every storm. Still we thank you!

[@PhxVigo]

In the morning, when the sun is below 15 degrees, does this circuit return a negative number? Are the solar panels okay with that? (They wig out if you give them more than 100, but not if you give them less than 0?) Example, early morning, the sun angle is 3. You subtract: 3-15=-12 Then you divide: -12/1.5=-8 You check for values over 100, but not less than 0, so I assume that -8 gets written out by the batch writer.

[@seanmccomas9482]

I don’t understand the use of the transformer. I watched that part a few times and I understand the need but not how it works in this set up?

[@cowsareevil7514]

The preference for power is transformers then batteries then devices. Without it, the power will go to charging the battery before powering the tracking circuit. The transformer ensures that the first preference for the power goes to the tracking.

[@seanmccomas9482]

@@cowsareevil7514 thanks, that was the piece I was missing.