Sun Sensor

The Sun Switch sensor uses green GaP LED's to sense the position of the sun. When a
GaP LED is pointed directly at the sun it will produce around 1.7 volts across the leads.
By simply placing two or three of the LEDs in series you can provide enough potential to
drive TTL logic inputs on a bridge driver.

The bridge driver circuit itself is simple and very easy to build. You can use any bridge
driver chip that has TTL (digital input control) and is suitable for the size of DC motor to
be driven. Parts to build a Sun Switch, motors, bridge drivers and LEDs, can be found in
scrap electronics or computer hardware. This page describes a motor drive built with a
L6202 chip and a sensor built with 5mm GaP LEDs.

Cut a 2" length of 1.5" ABS pipe which will be used as the sensor housing. Use the tool
shown below to mark 3 lines spaced at 10mm around the circumference of the pipe. The
tool allows you to easily mark lines perfectly perpendicular to the pipes axis by adjusting
the pipe in the tool then rotating it with a drill while marking it. Also mark a cut line as
shown which will be used to trim the pipe housing before attaching it to the drive unit.
The tool is required because it is rather difficult to cut pipe at a perfect 90deg angle with
a hand saw.

Layout the position of all the LED holes on the sensor housing as per the diagram below.
There will be eight rows with three LEDs in each. Four rows of LEDs are connected in
parallel and connect to either the east motor drive circuit or the west motor drive circuit.
Center punch and drill the 24 LED holes in the sensor housing making sure that each hole
is drilled perpendicular to the sensor housing axis and that each set of three holes are
aligned parallel to the sensor housing axis. Each row is spaced 43 deg. apart and each
LED is spaced .375" apart in each row. The east and west LEDs are separated by 23 deg.
Use a proper size drill bit which will allow each lead to be firmly pressed into place. You
can simply drill some test holes in a scrap piece of ABS to find the proper drill bit
diameter.

Build two LED sets consisting of 4 rows of 3 LEDs. You can build a simple tool by
cutting in half a short piece of 1.5" pipe and using it as a jig to solder the LEDs. Lay out
and drill an identical set of LED holes on the tool before you cut it. Place the LEDs
making sure of correct polarity then solder the leads using light strand wire.

Insert both sets of LEDs in the housing then insulate the leads with tubing or tape. Make
sure you know the positive and negative leads of both sets of LEDs. Cut and cement a
shadow plate between the east and west LED sets. Chamfer the edge of the plate and
mount it parallel to the last row of the west LEDs.

Trim off the bottom .5" of the sensor housing. The cut should be as close to 90 degrees to
the pipe axis as possible as the sensor must align properly with the bearing in the drive
housing.
The SunSwitch sensor is basically an array of LEDs arranged on a curved surface. The
sensor array is divided into an east and west array and separated by a vane which cast a
shadow. When LEDs are exposed to direct sunlight within their focus angle they produce
a small current (micro-amps) and associated voltage which is compatible with TTL
inputs.

Tracking - the shadow vane and first row of west LEDs are used for tracking. The
shadow alternately covers then exposes the first row of west LEDs. When the first row is
exposed to the sun it outputs a small voltage... which turns on a DC motor via a TTL
circuit which drives the tracker and sensor in a west direction casting a shadow over the
first row of west LEDs causing the voltage to drop and turning off the DC motor. This
process repeats about every 60 seconds.

Searching - when resetting in the morning or updating after a cloudy period all the rows
of LEDs are used and the end result is a tracking condition as above. If the tracker ended
the previous day facing west the rising sun will strike the east most row of LEDs and
cause the east DC motor to turn on which will drive the tracker in a east direction ... the
first row of east LEDs will drive the tracker about 45 degrees then hand off to the next
row of east LEDs which will continue to the next then the final row of east LEDs which
is next to the shadow vane... as the tracker continues to move east the vane cast a shadow
over the last row of east LEDs causing the east DC motor to stop. The sun then creeps
westward and after a few degrees of arc will expose the first row of west LEDs and
tracking will begin. A interruption in tracking (cloudy period) will result in the same
process as a morning reset but the west LEDs are involved rather than the east LEDs.