Powered solar panel tilt?

I can tilt either way with these. I face E or W. Pay no attention to that big shadow.

Naio, fewer and fewer people use any tilt at all, these days. It's easier to get more flat panel wattage instead.

Don't recall any powered solutions here.

Westend has 4-way tilting - not powered.

Most all tiltable panels will tilt either way, depending which side the bars are placed. 4 way tilt requires more hardware.
Power tilt has been available for a long time. But will cost a lot more than adding the panels that will make up for it.

Almot wrote:
Naio, fewer and fewer people use any tilt at all, these days.

..because we're getting older and older.

The Q always has a power-tilt vendor on Kuehn St.

When the electric tilt is half the price of the panel I will have some interest.

smkettner wrote:
When the electric tilt is half the price of the panel I will have some interest.

Hmmm... I see what you mean by prices.

Looking, I found these fascinating little items. Actuators that operate by expanding when warm, and you can adjust at what temperature they move how far. Lift up to 33lbs and 18 inches. And cheap!

Maybe not applicable to an RV that moves a lot -- you'd have to adjust them each time you camped at a new altitude or closer to water or whatever. But maybe useful if one were staying in the same place for a while. I just figured I'd post them and maybe someone will find a use :B.

The issue with those greenhouse actuators is that you may wish to travel when it's above the actuator's threshold opening temperature.

I had thought about electrical actuators for tilting. I have some around here and I thought enough into the future to pull a pair of 14 Ga. wires up to the combiner box. I abandoned the idea as I only tilt when at home during storage (or if I would ever park at another location--long term) and have the ability to climb a ladder. With today's pricing, there is little need to tilt because an additional panel is easier and cheaper. I also store in snow country so that is another reason to tilt. I like charging my batteries continuously.

the Problem is Naio is in a Van
and prepping a new Van
and roof space is NOT large
replying about adding another panel is might not be fesible

i did see something somewhere on the web, where a fellow got a $60 roof rack from amazon and covered it with plywood and mounted his panels to that
i think he got 400watts maybe more on that van roof

I am all for using a stick to prop them up when needed.
I have a hard time spending a bunch to be motorized or automatic.

I don't think I will be able to lift them. Especially at a funny angle, from a ladder. I am little.

I am not worrying overmuch about tilting, just looking at options.

Thanks for remembering the details of my projects, MrWizard :).