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“My solar tracking mirror array or “death ray” as it is affectionately referred to by my friends is actually a heliostat.
A heliostat is technically any device that tracks the movement of the sun, but most often the term refers to a device that orients a mirror to reflect sunlight continuously onto a specific target.
My heliostat consists of an array of 7 mirrors, each 1?x4? in size mounted to a 4?x8? plywood backing reinforced by a 2×3 frame to prevent warping.
The frame is supported by a welded steel gimbal mount allowing rotation about both horizontal and vertical axes. Each axis is equipped with a stepper motor and leadscrew to adjust the position. In spite of the size of the heliostat, relatively small motors can be used because the system is well balanced. Using two stepper motor controllers wired to a laptop inside my home, I can control the orientation of the mirror array to reflect sunlight continuously onto a specific target on the north side of my home…”
