About the Trac-Stat SL1

The Trac-Stat SL1 is the first commercially available diagnostic instru-
ment for measuring tracker performance. The SL1 is a high-resolution
datalogging sensor that mounts on a solar tracker. It records the angle
of error between the sun and the tracker for use in the development of
tracking, concentrating photovoltaics (CPV) and solar thermal systems.

There are many possible sources of error in a solar tracking system,
from tracker installation to wind loading to thermal expansion to subtle
algorithm errors. Identifying and mitigating these issues is key to maxi-
mizing system performance and driving the cost-competitiveness of
technologies like CPV that rely on accurate tracking.

When mounted on a solar tracker, the Trac-Stat SL1 provides data on
azimuth and elevation pointing error. Users can interface with the SL1
via USB (allowing easy connection to a laptop or customized end-user
integration), or via a set of analog voltages (for integration with existing
dataloggers.) It can also log data internally for later download.

Features

0.02° accuracy over 5° field of view
0.5° accuracy over 60 ° field of view
Designed for extended outdoor operation
Datalogging to internal memory with USB interface
Analog voltage output proportional to error
Units individually calibrated for improved performance
Functions under a range of irradiance conditions