Creating a solar tracking system using a Raspberry Pi and four light-dependent resistors (LDRs) involves several steps: setting up the hardware, writing the software to read the LDRs, and controlling the motors to adjust the solar panel's position. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you get started.
Hardware Components Raspberry Pi (any model with GPIO pins) 4 Light Dependent Resistors (LDRs) 4 Resistors (10kΩ each) 2 Servo Motors (for dual-axis tracking) Breadboard and Jumper Wires Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) like MCP3008
Wiring the Components Connect the LDRs to the ADC:
Each LDR forms a voltage divider with a 10kΩ resistor. Connect one end of the LDR to 3.3V and the other end to an ADC input channel. Connect the junction between the LDR and the resistor to the ADC input. The other end of the resistor goes to ground. Repeat for all four LDRs, connecting them to different channels on the ADC (e.g., CH0 to CH3). Connect the ADC to the Raspberry Pi:
Connect the ADC's VDD to 3.3V, VSS to ground, and CLK, DIN, DOUT, and CS to the appropriate GPIO pins on the Raspberry Pi (e.g., CLK to GPIO 11, DIN to GPIO 10, DOUT to GPIO 9, CS to GPIO 8). Connect the Servos:
Connect the control wires of the servos to GPIO pins on the Raspberry Pi (e.g., GPIO 17 and GPIO 18). Provide power to the servos from an external power source, ensuring the grounds are connected to the Raspberry Pi's ground. Software Setup Install Required Libraries:
sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install python3-pip sudo pip3 install RPi.GPIO spidev