Build A Heliostat For Solar Heating & Lighting

Want to see your message here? Why not Sponsor This Article

“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…”

More Details Here

 


Self Sufficient Backyard

In all that time an electric wire has never been connected to our house. We haven’t gotten or paid an electricity bill in over 40 years, but we have all the electricity we want. We grow everything we need, here, in our small backyard. We also have a small medicinal garden for tough times. Read More Here...


You Might Also Like...

How To Make A Galvanized Stock Tank Vegetable Garden
10 Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint and Protect Nature
9 Plants & Recipes for Homemade Healing Salves
How To Keep Birds Out of Your Garden
Growing and Using Valerian as a Natural Sleep Aid
Using Flowers To Repel Pests & Nourish Your Garden Plants
Understanding The Soil Food Web
The Ultimate Survival Crops for Your Garden
How to Start a Thriving Small Farm
The Power of Permaculture Ponds
Bamboo: The Ultimate Homestead Plant
Transforming Spain’s Deserts Into Thriving Farmland