Panels

Basics

A Panel is a controller object that represents a solar panel, or surface of some kind, typically on a specific kind of mounting. Panels are primarily concerned with managing their is-aligned status, which informs any attached axis Drivers when any alignment adjustment is needed. Panels act as a central parent object for many other object attachments, including an axis-specified attachment utilizing an axisIndex parameter (allowing Panels to have an arbitrary number of axis driving motors/servos/etc).

The Scheduler, throughout the day, will typically manage a Panel's operation, moving it from tracking day state into a home position when the sun isn't calculated as being out, or when storming is detected. The Scheduler may also occasionally choose to clean panels on daily schedule.

Panels come in a variety of types: intensity-balancing (e.g. opposing LDR based), solar-tracking (e.g. standard solar panels), and solar-reflecting (e.g. mirrored to solar collector/static solar panel).

Supported Panels

• Horizontal: semi-stationary panel that typically is able to align up/down horizontally, uses only elevation.
• Vertical: semi-stationary panel that typically is able to align left/right vertically, uses only azimuth.
• Gimballed: semi-freely rotating panel that has two control axis to orient a panel with, uses azimuth and elevation.
• Equatorial: A special kind of gimballed mount that is polar-aligned with the stars, uses right-ascension and declination.