Hi Marty,
We have a R&D project aimed at Urban and transient tenants that move around, as many people do.
It comprises if either a Single or Two x 500W 48V solar panels.
A handy person can manufacture there own DAT, the most expensive item is the Dual Axis Slew Bearing =US$800+.
This is an images of our first DAT-1 prototype design to be a free standing with a Foundation base, that SHOULD be Weighted or Secured to the ground for safety reasons.
We manufactured this module with seating (shown without cover & floor planks) or it could be a Table to sit around, either way, the base/foundation needs to be secured to stop being blown over in High Winds.
There several ways to secure any DAT Module to the ground;
- Fit 4~6 Ground Screws, that can be removed just like a threaded screw.
- Flat, Thick Metal Plate, that could be in pieces (modular).
- A Block of Concrete, that sits above the Ground, that could also be Modular.
- Old school, & Not-so-Green, a Buried Cement & Steel Foundation block.
We built this one with a Heavy Timber Seating, this design could hold an Inverter and several Batteries to weigh down the module, and making it safer in Hi-wind. The front floor panels (not shown), could have two Mature Pot-planter to weight down the Tracker & camouflage the unit.
The hinge is designed to allow for the DAT to be assembled at waist height, then Raised into operation position and Lowered if maintenance is required.
Below image shows the DAT-1 Racking during Test phase.
This DAT-1 module pivot point is 3mt high and sheltered between the neighbours buildings.
As we are on the Top of a Ridge, currently this unit starts Generating Energy from 6am until well after 7:30PM, and if there are Clouds at Sunset, it will generate from the reflecting light off the underside of the Clouds.
This all equates *approx. *10 (hours day) x 500W =5kWh/p per Day, a two Panel DAT-2 will harvest 10kWh/p per day.
According the the Australian Bureau of statistics, the average house consumes approx. 10kWh of energy per Day!
So, my parting thought is, Why are the Masses investing in Caveman Fixed Racking, and consuming far more precious resources. We feel it’s Smarter to Reduce the Panel purchase, and use a Steel DAT, that will Generate far more energy for the next 30+ years.
A DAT-8 module, fitted with 8x 440W solar panels (3.52kW Array) will generate over 38.72kWh/p Energy per day.
Where Fixed Racking only provides 5hours of peak/useful Generation, that equates needing a 7.74kWh Array !
NB: No solar generation enters the control housing, that is just for holding the control module & Super Capacitor battery that Only controls the full automated Tracking, Rotation & Hi-wind sensors, this DAT stows the Panel horizontal during Hi-wind or at Night stow position, awaiting for Sunrise again!