Automatic Power Factor Correction
Continuous power factor measurement with automatic capacitor bank switching and before-and-after readings.
- Suitable for
- Diploma
- Technology
- Zero-crossing detection
Advanced8–10 days
Electrical · Solar & Renewable Energy
Solar Tracking System
A panel that follows the sun on a servo-driven axis and logs the energy gain against a fixed reference panel.
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Typical time
- 6–8 days
- Suitable for
- Higher Secondary
Price
Contact for price
Cost depends on components, complexity and which deliverables you need, so we quote after understanding your requirement.
Technologies
- Arduino Uno
- LDR differential sensing
- Servo positioning
- Voltage and current measurement
Project overview
Light-dependent resistors on either side of the panel are compared continuously. When one reads brighter than the other by more than a set margin, the servo rotates the panel towards it until the readings balance. The result is a panel that stays roughly perpendicular to the light through the day.
The feature that makes this a strong electrical final-year project is the reference panel. A second, fixed panel of the same rating sits alongside, and both outputs are measured, so you can present an actual comparison — tracked versus fixed — rather than asserting that tracking helps.
A deadband around the balance point stops the servo hunting back and forth, which would waste more energy than the tracking gains. That trade-off is exactly the kind of point that turns a demonstration into an engineering argument.
Features
- Continuous single-axis tracking from differential light sensing
- Fixed reference panel for a genuine tracked-versus-fixed comparison
- Live voltage, current and power readout on the LCD
- Deadband to prevent servo hunting near the balance point
- End-stop limits so the frame cannot over-rotate
How it works
- 1LDR pairs on the east and west edges of the panel are read and compared.
- 2A difference larger than the deadband tells the controller which way the light is stronger.
- 3The servo steps the panel towards the brighter side until the two readings balance.
- 4The INA219 measures the tracked panel's output voltage and current, and the fixed panel is measured the same way.
- 5Both power figures are shown on the LCD so the difference can be recorded through the day.
Components used
- Two small solar panels (tracked and fixed reference)
- Arduino Uno
- Four LDRs with dividers
- High-torque servo and tracking frame
- INA219 voltage/current sensor
- 16x2 LCD
Questions about this project
Single axis or dual axis?
The standard build is single axis, which captures most of the available gain and is far more robust to carry. A dual-axis version is possible — ask before the build starts.
Can it be demonstrated indoors?
Yes, using a lamp as a moving light source. Move the lamp and the panel follows, which demonstrates the tracking clearly without waiting for the sun.
Similar work
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Need the Solar Tracking System in Surat?
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