[Greenbuilding] Gear Motor, (to move, your Solar Collectors)

[Carroll Hampleman]

FOR PUBLICATION
Subject:  Gear Motor, (to move, your Solar Collectors).   NOTE:  Mention of a company, or product, does NOT, necessarily, constitute endorcement.

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You will need these two "Gear Motors", to move your (either MIRROR Reflector, or TROUGH).
The Trough is easier to make, and operate.  I made a trough in Kansas City  (early 81 or so). (E-Mail for photo).   It would BOIL water. (But I had Natural Gas, then, so I tore it down).  I just "wanted" to use mirrors).      "I should have kept it". 
 
If you are on the Internet:    go to:  (www.herbach.com)
                        Look at Item No.:  TM97MTR3076.
                        This is a Gear Motor:  60 RPM. Reversible, 20 in-lb Torque, 4 Pounds,  
                         Cost:  $12.95.  110 V,  Amps   0.38   Watts - 41.8.     
                        I pay 13.8 cents / KWhr.    (1,000 Watts ON for ONE HOUR) or 5  ea 
                        200  Watt  bulbs   running for ONE hour !    I can operate for all day, for about 10             minutes                      of time of the motor running.     (Less than a penny per hour, or day)
 
Go to Hardware Store, and obtain a 30 inch steel Dowell Rod, (1/2 inch or 3/8 inch)  with a NUT, and have the rod SPOT WELDED directly ON the end of the shaft, of the motor.   Have the ("Non-Rotating")  NUT Spot Welded  on one side of a 4 inch HINGE.   (Drill a hole through the Hinge,  for  the Dowel Rod).
 
You now just "thread" the dowel Rod through the "Non-Rotating NUT" and you now have an operating 
110 VAC "Actuator Motor".   The Motor has 3 wires:  (Clockwise), (Counter Clockwise), and a  (minus, -).
If you attach the other side of the HINGE - to a section of your moving Collector:   If you put
110 V on one wire, your Collector will move one way, and if you energize the other wire, your collector
will move the OTHER way.   Use "Hand Switches", until you finalize the SUN-POINTING Circuit.  (later).    Be sure to "GROUND" the entire FRAME, for safety reasons.  You WILL need it !
 
/s/ Carroll H.   trackthesun at yahoo.com       I am now building  another TROUGH, I see that the lumber yard has 1/8th inch 4 Ft. by 8 Ft.  "HARD BOARD".   (I would use these, to make my shaped Parabolic Curves), to REFLECT the solar heat.  I got it started, now.  End Posts are set in concrete.  I learned in High School (thumb-tack and a piece of string, with a "loop" on one end , how to draw a PARABOLIC CURVE. 
 
Look up:    www.Solar Parabolic       www.Solar Concentrator    www.Solar Cooking.org        

AND, It is a lot of fun !      Sincere inquiries answered.