Oyster satalite to solar conversion (1 Viewer)

[Vic. Parsons.]

I guess the best answer is a tracking panel plus more flat on the roof but you would have to park correctly to avoid shading issues. However, I'm not convinced even the increase in winter is significant compared to likely energy consumption by the average motorhome. If a tracking panel can generate 10Ah that doesn't go far if you want to run the heating overnight and watch a bit of TV. We have 200W flat on the roof but probably need 300. I fitted a B2B for energy requirements in the cold months.

I'm not knocking the project but I can't see these being generally adopted.

The 80w tracking panel on our Hymer is supplementary to a 100w flat panel and an 80w tilting panel.
Given the limited roof space, for us it would not be possible to fit another 100w panel due to the layout of roof lights, vents and the other 2 panels. The only available space in fact is where the satallite dish is and it would be pointless to remove the Oyster just to fit a less efficient flat panel in it's place.
Like Grant, we manage our power consumption during the night and on foul weather days. Our night time consumption is pretty minimal, we have an Avtex tv using maybe 1.5ah and a complete conversion to led lighting which uses as little as .25ah. There's the fridge panel using peanuts, etc. So what we have used overnight is generaly recovered the following day. This was the case before we fitted the 80w tracking panel.
We're currently on EHU, but when we go off grid next time, I'm sure it will show much improvement
As for being generally adopted, I guess there will be other folk with similar space restrictions that may see a tracking panel as a viable option. It won't be for everyone but I would say full timers spending a lot of the winter off grid would benefit from it, especially if like us, they have the old Oyster 3 zone control unit and don't want to splash out £500 plus for Oyster's updated controller. We decided £500 was too much to pay just to watch what is 90% rubbish.
Instead, we use a few 2 Tb hard drives which gives us plenty of choice. Smart phone to keep up with current events and who needs satallite tv? ?
There will always be options, some like to use a generator, some have box trailers with extra panels fitted, some have free standing panels, some even have Oyster's own tracking panels and a few have wind turbines fitted. It's horses for courses.

 

[Runar]

A few months ago I set about turning our Oyster satalite dish into a sun tracking solar panel.
I first made a bracket to replace the original dish bracket and mounted the 80 watt panel.

View attachment 351020

I had to wait until we were in Portugal to meet up with electronics wizz Grant Needham who had made and programmed a new controller to fit the original Oyster wiring harness. This is a prototype with power switch, 2 button menu and small LCD screen.
The next picture is Grant wiring up the controller. (The case is made from an old cigar box).

View attachment 351021

On the panel bracket we fitted a light sensing diode in a deep tube but later added a piece of 45 degree cut tube to act as a deflector to prevent stray light reflected off the roof from giving false readings. (This can be seen at bottom right in the videos).

There were a number of small programming glitches when we first tested it, but over the course of a few days we managed to iron out the problems and it's now working perfectly.

The functions are:
Auto:
Find the sun, which deploys the panel and uses the diode and dithering to accurately locate the sun.
Next, it does a 5 degree clockwise turn every 20 minutes also with a dithering function to account for the sun's arc. The LCD displays a countdown to the next operation.



Park:
This will bring the panel down to the parked position.
This function also works when the ignition is turned to start the engine.
We're also going to add a park when dark feature.



Manual:
This allows individual button presses for up, down, clockwise and anti-clockwise with a 5 degree shift for each press.

There is also a setup menu and a voltage readout for the light sensing resistor.

We're now working on a second prototype which will work on a bluetooth connection to a smart phone with an app to control all the above functions so that the control unit can be hidden away in a cupboard instead of being surface mounted.

We're also thinking of making a kit for DIY installations which will include the panel bracket, controller and app along with full installation instructions.
This won't happen until we return to the UK next year but if you're interested in a conversion then PM me and I'll add you to the list of Interested parties.

Thanks for taking the time to have a look and hope it gives you some ideas as to what to do with an old satalite dish when other forms of tv reception eventually make it redundant. It's also a good alternative to removing an Oyster dish which has been known to be a difficult process. ?

Very impressive. I have thought about doing the same thing but what I do not have on is the software that controls the system. Is there anything you can tell me more about or if I can buy it.

 

[thetravelingchef]

A few months ago I set about turning our Oyster satalite dish into a sun tracking solar panel.
I first made a bracket to replace the original dish bracket and mounted the 80 watt panel.

View attachment 351020

I had to wait until we were in Portugal to meet up with electronics wizz Grant Needham who had made and programmed a new controller to fit the original Oyster wiring harness. This is a prototype with power switch, 2 button menu and small LCD screen.
The next picture is Grant wiring up the controller. (The case is made from an old cigar box).

View attachment 351021

On the panel bracket we fitted a light sensing diode in a deep tube but later added a piece of 45 degree cut tube to act as a deflector to prevent stray light reflected off the roof from giving false readings. (This can be seen at bottom right in the videos).

There were a number of small programming glitches when we first tested it, but over the course of a few days we managed to iron out the problems and it's now working perfectly.

The functions are:
Auto:
Find the sun, which deploys the panel and uses the diode and dithering to accurately locate the sun.
Next, it does a 5 degree clockwise turn every 20 minutes also with a dithering function to account for the sun's arc. The LCD displays a countdown to the next operation.



Park:
This will bring the panel down to the parked position.
This function also works when the ignition is turned to start the engine.
We're also going to add a park when dark feature.



Manual:
This allows individual button presses for up, down, clockwise and anti-clockwise with a 5 degree shift for each press.

There is also a setup menu and a voltage readout for the light sensing resistor.

We're now working on a second prototype which will work on a bluetooth connection to a smart phone with an app to control all the above functions so that the control unit can be hidden away in a cupboard instead of being surface mounted.

We're also thinking of making a kit for DIY installations which will include the panel bracket, controller and app along with full installation instructions.
This won't happen until we return to the UK next year but if you're interested in a conversion then PM me and I'll add you to the list of Interested parties.

Thanks for taking the time to have a look and hope it gives you some ideas as to what to do with an old satalite dish when other forms of tv reception eventually make it redundant. It's also a good alternative to removing an Oyster dish which has been known to be a difficult process. ?

Hi Vic Parsons
just seen this, how do i get in touch to get a system, my number is 07977474055. Thanks Steve

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[SheikhLala]

Think you can only patent inventions and I'm sure this has been done before. Unless it's got something unique about it ?

As much as I like gadgets, It won't take off because of the cost anyway ?

My friends in Spain have a German made system that uses a chuffing big dish mounted in the garden that tracks the sun, very effective and only have a small generator as back up. Free electricity all year.

 

[Steve and Denise]

Very interesting project I wonder if Vic. Parsons. Ever got it all up and running as planned?

 

[poacher]

Very interesting project I wonder if Vic. Parsons. Ever got it all up and running as planned?

Vic Parsons was last seen
Last seen Jul 6, 2021

we night be waiting a while for an update

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[Steve and Denise]

Vic Parsons was last seen
Last seen Jul 6, 2021

we night be waiting a while for an update

Yes so I see

 

[MisterB]

My friends in Spain have a German made system that uses a chuffing big dish mounted in the garden that tracks the sun, very effective and only have a small generator as back up. Free electricity all year.

its quite a common setup for the eco warriors around the world, very impressive and very productive. for those permanently off grid (remote cabons/homes) it prob makes financial sense.

ive also seen a couple of them in France when touring around, mainly on farms in remote areas.

if i could do it myself for a reasonable cost and had a remote location i could use, its something i would def consider, BUT they are bloody massive, so its never going to happen. i suppose a lot of farmers in the uk just put panels on the existing roofs of barns, outbuildings etc and due to the amount of panels they can get on, the additional cost of a tracking system prob just isnt worth it to them.

i did see a you tube video a while back on a portable one for a single panel (for camping) that someone had made, very heath robinson, but i suspect it was more about making it than its efficiency etc

i do love a good heath robinson project though !!! i enjoy watching you tube videos of how people around the world are able to turn junk into useable items with a bit of hard work and ingenuity ..