SunStalker

NinerBikes wrote:
A solar panel is more like a shot gun, you point it. If it was more like a rifle, you'd need to aim it, like that gizmo does.

Ideally, it should be like a gun turret, tracking the sun automatically. 20 years ago when panels cost $15 per watt, such tracking mechanisms existed. Now, at $0.60/W - get more panels and forget about it.
Aiming THAT precise - like the gizmo in the link - won't make sense if you don't re-adjust it very often.

A solar panel is more like a shot gun, you point it. If it was more like a rifle, you'd need to aim it, like that gizmo does.

I personally don't need it because got plenty of panel wattage, and they collect enough when mounted flat on the roof.

People with portables might find it useful, but in practice you don't aim like this. You simply turn it to True South roughly at Latitude angle to the ground, and go about other things. Then turn it again if sun shifted too much and you still want more charging than you're getting.

It would be of no value to me.

only the shadow knows

I doubt you would need the device to consistently hit the 'good' zone just by guessing.

I suppose it works, but so would a roll of paper towels, or something similar to a sun dial. It's plastic, sooner or later, will it crack or break, or the clamps fail?

Easier to just look at the shadow your solar panel is casting and call it good.

I use a staggered block out of 2x8" that I'd back my trailer up on if getting a flat tire, to roughly adjust my solar panel. It provides plenty rough enough adjustments for up and down of the sun in the winter time in the desert. In the summer, the panel gets only slightly elevated on the green astroturf scrap.



The price of that is $10, probably plus shipping, call it close to $20. Spend the $20 on more watts on your solar panel instead. Much better return on the $20 spent, more amps, makes aiming less critical. For you, a good 140 watt Poly crystalline solar panel should cover your basic recharging needs quite handily, if you are running LED lights inside, and being only a little bit conservative in your electricity usage daily.

I had a 120 watt monocrystalline portable... it's fine from spring, summer and almost fall recharging, but was coming up short camping in the short days of winter in the desert southwest. So I went to a 150 watt Poly crystalline solar panel, shown in the picture. Difference at all times, in terms of output in amps, low light, high sirrus clouds, etc, is superior with the poly crystalline panel, for my needs.

I wonder who would buy it. Pointing panels toward the sun is just not that hard. I just look at the shade behind the panel(s) and lead the sun a little so I don't have to adjust every 5 minutes.

A cute product. For something smaller that would work, get a toy arrow with a suction cup. Stick it on the panel and adjust for zero shade.