MiniTrakII Solar Tracker Applications Solar renewable resource assessment Climate research Material testing /weathering studies Note: Above applications are inclusive of, but not limited to the MiniTrak II's entire application range.
Download PDF Brochure

The MiniTrak II™ solar tracker is the most cost effective autonomous two-axis radiometer tracking platform on the market bar none. With mounting accommodation for up 10 normal incidence pyrheliometers and/or multiple normal incidence mounted pyranometers and one global horizontal diffuse (shaded) pyranometer, the MiniTrak II™ is ideally suited to meet virtually any solar monitoring application requirement.

The MiniTrak II™ was developed by Precision Solar Technologies Corp. (PST) in cooperation with engineers at Sandia National Laboratories, to provide an accurate, durable and cost effective autonomous solar tracking solution for the solar renewable and climate monitoring research communities. Costing thousands less than competing radiometer tracker models, the MiniTrak II™ offers the greatest DNI pyrheliometer mounting capacity in the industry; up to 10 Hukseflux DR01 model pyrheliometers can be mounted 'standard'. In addition to pyrheliometer mounting, the MiniTrak II™ can also accommodate the mounting of any Hukseflux model pyranometer in either the global horizontal or POA (plane of array) mode. When properly equipped the MiniTrak II™ is suitable for:

• Normal incidence direct solar irradiance measurement
• Global solar irradiance measurement (horizontal)
• Global diffuse irradiance measurement (horizontal)
• Global solar irradiance measurement (POA)
• Global diffuse irradiance measurement (POA)

Features

• Precision reflective optical alignment pointer
• Integrated 20 Watt PV rechargeable battery system
• Embedded system controller (no host PC required)
• Shading options for horizontal and/or POA mounted pyranometers (diffuse)

"Due to its extraordinary value, application flexibility and reliability, the MiniTrak II™ has been sold to universities, government laboratories and industry Worldwide."

Scalability
Depending on the application requirement, the MiniTrak II™ can be optioned with a single pyrheliometer, or fully equipped to measure all constituent global solar irradiance components in the horizontal and/or POA modes. Such system scalability offers maximum application potential, particularly for the solar renewable resource assessment community, where technology and mounting orientation with respect to the Sun are often quite varied. A 'PV Rack' option is also available for the MiniTrak II™, permitting the mounting and real-world efficiency testing of user supplied PV panels (to one square meter) in the standard two-axis tracking mode (normal incidence), single axis mode (azimuth tracking only), or fixed angle stationary mode.

Performance
When properly installed and maintained, the MiniTrak II™ will accurately point and consistently maintain any DNI mounted radiometer to within ± 0.25° of the Sun; this represents an order of magnitude 2 times greater than is actually required for a 'First Class' pyrheliometer. The key to the MiniTrak's positioning accuracy is the PST embedded SolarTrak® control electronics, which calculates the bearing of the Sun to within ± 0.01°. The MiniTrak II™ system clock maintains an outstanding accuracy to within ± 15 seconds per year, thus greatly reducing the need for regular routine maintenance.

Reliability
Unlike grid connected tracking systems, which are subject to AC line transient effects, brownouts and blackouts, the MiniTrak II™ draws power from its own integrated solar PV rechargeable DC battery system. So reliable is the MiniTrak II™, PST offers an unprecedented 5-year warranty 'standard' on parts and labor. The MiniTrak's internal system power can also be used to power a data logger, or active sensors requiring DC power.

Figure 1: PST Prospector™ system with MiniTrak II ™ and fully integrated turnkey weather monitoring station	Figure 2: SolarTrak® electronics controller and battery box enclosures	Figure 3: Precision reflective optical alignment pointer

Figure 4: MiniTrak II ™ optioned with Hukseflux DR01 model 'First Class' pyrheliometer and three SR11 model 'First Class' pyranometers, ideal for solar PV and thermal energy systems performance testing and high accuracy solar resource assessment.