Mirrors, Misc

Home Up Heliostats Control System Mirrors, misc

 

  8 mirrors per Heliostat Heliostat mounted on pole with cap
  Eight 12"x12" mirrors per Heliostat  Heliostat mounted on pole with cap 
     
 

 

 

  

MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS

A few items are not included with the Practical Solar Heliostat System because they are common products that can be purchased locally at stores like Home Depot or Lowes Home Improvement - some for significantly less money than the shipping alone would cost if ordered through Practical Solar. If customers have trouble finding any of these items, they should contact Practical Solar. Please note that the prices included are approximate.

  • 12 In. x 12 In. plain edge mirror tiles (8) ≈ $10 per pack of 6

  • AWG 2-conductor cable with overall jacket (length determined by customer; see chart below for help with wire gauges) ≈ $0.15 - $0.50 per foot. Note: stranded (not solid) cable must be used where the cable attaches to the Heliostat.

  • General purpose RTV silicone sealant & caulking gun (Practical Solar recommends a thick translucent sealant, such as Momentive RTV108 [10.1 oz], GE Silicone II Window & Door Sealant clear [“GE-5000” 10.1 oz] or Dow Corning 733 clear [300ml]) ≈ $6 -$13 for sealant; $8-$15 for caulk gun

If Installing on a Pole

  • 2-3/8" x 6 ft. galvanized steel pole (also called a “terminal” or “end” post for chain link fence) ≈ $14. Note: This is a standard pole in the U.S. Elsewhere, it would measure approx. 60 mm diameter, with variable length.

  • 2-3/8 In. aluminum post cap (domed) ≈ $1.50

  • 60-80 lb. bag concrete mix ≈ $2.50-$5

Maximum recommended cable lengths (in feet) between Driver Box and Heliostat array 
# of Heliostats  24 AWG  22 AWG  20 AWG 18 AWG 16 AWG 14 AWG 12 AWG
1  125 200 300 500 -- -- --
2 75 100 150 250 400 -- --
4  40 50 80 130 200 300 500
8 -- 30 40 60 100 150 250
16 -- -- 20 30 50 80 130
32 -- -- -- 20 30 40 60

Note: For an array of Heliostats in which the mean distance between the individual Heliostats is small compared to the distance to the Driver Box, it is recommended that a relatively heavy cable be used to bring power to the Heliostat array and modestly sized cables be used to interconnect the individual Heliostats.

 
 
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