Solar box cookers and solar panel cookers normally do not need to be turned to follow the sun unless you are cooking beans or an especially large amount of food. If tracking the sun is necessary, some of the ideas below might serve this purpose.
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[[Solar box cookers]] and [[solar panel cookers]] normally do not need to be turned to follow the sun unless you are cooking beans or an especially large amount of food. They may need to be moved slightly a couple times over a three or four hour cooking period. However, [[parabolic solar cooker]]s require constant reorientation with the sun to remain effective cookers. If tracking the sun is necessary, some of the ideas below will serve this purpose.
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[[File:Von Oppen tracking diagram.jpg|thumb|none|400px|The Von Oppen system uses a half filled bottle to act as a floating piston, which drops when the water is slowly drained from the reservoir.]]
[[File:Von Oppen tracking diagram.jpg|thumb|none|400px|The Von Oppen system uses a half filled bottle to act as a floating piston, which drops when the water is slowly drained from the reservoir.]]
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==Scheffler Community Kitchen clockwork tracking system==
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[[File:Scheffler_tracking_mechanicals,_2-9-13.jpg|thumb|300px|The [[Scheffler Reflector|Scheffler]] clockwork tracking system mechanicals]]
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[[Simply Solar]] provides explanation of their various tracking systems at
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[http://www.simply-solar.de/index.php/products/tracking-systems Scheffler tracking systems]. The mechanical system incorporates a clockwork mechanism, and often uses recycled bicycle parts. It is run by a weight and controlled by a pendulum. Resetting the reflector back from the evening position to the morning position is done by hand. They also offer photovoltaic options as well. {{See|Scheffler Community Kitchen}}
==Programable tracking systems==
==Programable tracking systems==
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Still in its infancy, programable tracking systems are being developed with software to not only rotate the reflector to maintain maximum exposure to the sun, but to also control cooking time and desired temperatures.
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Still in its infancy, programable tracking systems are being developed with software to not only rotate the reflector to maintain maximum exposure to the sun, but to also control cooking time and desired temperatures.
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==Photovoltaic tracking systems==
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[[File:Solar_Tracker_circuit_schematic.jpg|thumb|300px|A photovoltaic solar tracking circuit schematic provided by [[Marian Popescu]]]]
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A clever system has been developed by several designers, which uses two photovoltaic panels configured to maintain an even balance of power to a small electrical turntable motor. The required photovoltaic panels typically are fairly small, and are placed side by side, but at slightly different angles to face the sun. As the sun moves across the sky one panel will begin to receive less direct sunlight.
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The resulting electrical imbalance causes the dominant panel to engage the motor. The turntable will rotate until both photovoltaic panels face the sun equally, and the motor disengages. The simple system can be fairly lightweight for rotating a box or panel cooker. However, a larger [[parabolic solar cooker]], which will benefit the most from a good tracking system, will require a stronger motor and larger panels to rotate the cooker.
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More information about the system designed by [[Marian Popescu]] can be found at [http://electroschematics.com/8019/diy-solar-tracker-system DIY solar tracking system]
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==Audio and video==
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[[File:Solar oven tracker wiring|thumb|left|400 px| A very clear short video of a simple photovoltaic tracking mechanism.]]
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[[File:CATASSOL automatizado 1|thumb|left|400px|[[Pleno Sol]] provides a short demonstration of the photovoltaic tracking system they have developed.]]
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[[Video:Smart Solar Oven Platform Benchtop Test.wmv|thumb|400px|left]]
[[Video:Smart Solar Oven Platform Benchtop Test.wmv|thumb|400px|left]]
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*'''December 2010:''' Programable system tracks the sun, and turns the reflector away when cooking is completed.
[[Video:Cooking a Yam 12-30-10.wmv|400px|]]
[[Video:Cooking a Yam 12-30-10.wmv|400px|]]
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|'''December 2010:''' Programable system tracks the sun, and turns the reflector away when cooking is completed.
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==Audio and video==
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|<youtube>92xBhfcUX0A</youtube>
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|[[File:Solar Oven with Tracker .mpg|425]]
|'''March 2011:''' Box cooker rotated by PV panels sending power to 12 volt motor. As one PV panel begins to receive less light, it sends less power to the servo, which operates the motor until both panels are a sending balanced power stream.
|'''March 2011:''' Box cooker rotated by PV panels sending power to 12 volt motor. As one PV panel begins to receive less light, it sends less power to the servo, which operates the motor until both panels are a sending balanced power stream.
Solar box cookers and solar panel cookers normally do not need to be turned to follow the sun unless you are cooking beans or an especially large amount of food. They may need to be moved slightly a couple times over a three or four hour cooking period. However, parabolic solar cookers require constant reorientation with the sun to remain effective cookers. If tracking the sun is necessary, some of the ideas below will serve this purpose.
Simply Solar provides explanation of their various tracking systems at
Scheffler tracking systems. The mechanical system incorporates a clockwork mechanism, and often uses recycled bicycle parts. It is run by a weight and controlled by a pendulum. Resetting the reflector back from the evening position to the morning position is done by hand. They also offer photovoltaic options as well.
Still in its infancy, programable tracking systems are being developed with software to not only rotate the reflector to maintain maximum exposure to the sun, but to also control cooking time and desired temperatures.
A clever system has been developed by several designers, which uses two photovoltaic panels configured to maintain an even balance of power to a small electrical turntable motor. The required photovoltaic panels typically are fairly small, and are placed side by side, but at slightly different angles to face the sun. As the sun moves across the sky one panel will begin to receive less direct sunlight.
The resulting electrical imbalance causes the dominant panel to engage the motor. The turntable will rotate until both photovoltaic panels face the sun equally, and the motor disengages. The simple system can be fairly lightweight for rotating a box or panel cooker. However, a larger parabolic solar cooker, which will benefit the most from a good tracking system, will require a stronger motor and larger panels to rotate the cooker.
March 2011: Box cooker rotated by PV panels sending power to 12 volt motor. As one PV panel begins to receive less light, it sends less power to the servo, which operates the motor until both panels are a sending balanced power stream.
Added by Gaiatechnician
Added by Tom Sponheim
Added by Paul Hedrick
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