LEMA Off-Grid User Manual (DM-003-A)
© 2021 LEMA - lema.io
Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
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90
The Controller then waits in idle until the user tells it to track the sun. This can be done with a single press of the
Automation Button.
Once commanded to track the sun, the LEMA Off-Grid system will begin its homing routine. If the device is already
homed this step will be skipped. Each time the system powers on, a home procedure is required.
The home routine makes the Controller aware of its coordinate systems. Specifically, it drives the Linear Motors in a
known direction until limit switches are tripped. This direction is toward zenith on the Season Axis and toward the
evening on the Day axis. Once the limit switches are tripped by the motion, the Controller’s coordinate system is
determined.
WARNING -
Do not press a limit switch prematurely during a Homing Sequence as this gives the Controller an incorrect
motor coordinate system which can lead to damaging the Linear Drives.
Homing takes about 15 minutes.
Once the homing routine is complete, LEMA Solar Tracker will begin jogging to the location of the sun. In the event the
sun is below the horizon or out of reach of LEMA Solar Tracker system, the device will stay in idle until the sun comes up
again and can be “reached” (ie, pointed at with the tracking when the sun is overhead during the day).
If the sun is within the tracking range of LEMA Solar Tracker, it will jog to the location of the sun and begin tracking the
sun. It will continue to do this until the sun falls out the tracking rage.
When the sun falls out of range, LEMA Solar Tracker will jog itself to the Sleep position. This neutral position is located
where the Season Axis points to the end of its travel, toward zenith, and the Day Axis jogs to 90 degrees. The Sleep
position is the hardware’s center of gravity – pointing straight up to the sky.
The Solar Tracker Controller’s software will go to sleep for the night and consume very little energy. In the morning,
when the sun is back within the tracking system’s reach, an alarm will go off in the Controller, causing it to wake up and
get back to work tracking the sun.
The system can be stopped, jogged manually, or put back to sleep via the control software described below.
7.2.1
Solar Tracker Automation Button Commands
To starting the automation on the Solar Tracker Controller, a use issues command to the tracker by pressing the
Automation Button a number of times. The number of button presses defines which command is issued. Once the
button is pressed once, the user has 4 seconds to press the button the desired number of times to issue the appropriate
command.
A user can issue the follow commands to the Solar Tracker via the Automation Button.
1 Press in 4 seconds
–
Automate System
– this will cause the Solar Tracker to Home the motors and then begin
tracking the sun. At night the system moves to its Sleep position. If you issue the Automate System command
immediately after power up, the system will not physically move right away – once in the Automation mode, the
software first has to wait for a GPS fix to occur. This can take 2 to 10 minutes in general.
2 Presses in 4 seconds – Stop System
– The system will immediately stop. It will remain parked in this position
until a different command is issued. This command stops automation.
3 Presses in 4 seconds – Move to Sleep Position
– The sleep position for the tracker is a neutral position which
points directly up into the sky toward zenith. The sleep position is where the tracker parks over night. Issuing
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