Electrical · Renewable energy · Final year project
Solar Panel With Sun Position Tracking
A solar tracker that keeps the panel facing the sun. An 8051 microcontroller sends step pulses to a stepper motor to rotate the panel through the day.
What is the Solar Panel With Sun Position Tracking project?
A solar tracker that keeps the panel facing the sun. An 8051 microcontroller sends step pulses to a stepper motor to rotate the panel through the day.
Key facts
- Branch
- Electrical Engineering (EE / EEE); also suits E&TC / ECE
- Type
- Final year project · Intermediate
- Suitable for
- Diploma capstone and B.E / B.Tech final year
- Build time
- 4 to 6 weeks
- Estimated component cost
- ₹4,300 – ₹6,300
- Guidance from
- ₹9,999 (Hardware / IoT Final Year)
How the Solar Panel With Sun Position Tracking works
- 12 V power adapter / step-down transformer and Solar panel supply the circuit; a regulator gives the controller and sensors a steady 5 V.
- The Push buttons and switches provide manual inputs and the power switch.
- The 8051 microcontroller with board runs the embedded C program that scans inputs and controls the outputs through its four I/O ports.
- The Stepper motor with driver moves in precise steps for accurate positioning.
- The LEDs indicate status.
Block diagram
Inputs
Push buttons and switchesController
8051 microcontroller with boardOutputs
Stepper motor with driverLEDsComponents list and cost
Typical prices from Indian online stores and electronics markets (Lamington Road, Budhwar Peth, SP Road). Buy from one store where you can to save on shipping.
| Component | Qty | What it does | Approx. cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8051 (AT89S52) microcontroller with board | 1 | Runs the embedded C program that scans inputs and controls the outputs through its four I/O ports. | ₹300 |
| Push buttons and switches | 2 | Provide manual inputs and the power switch. | ₹80 |
| Stepper motor with driver (NEMA17 + A4988) | 1 | Moves in precise steps for accurate positioning. | ₹900 |
| LEDs (assorted) | 1 | Indicate status. | ₹20 |
| 12 V power adapter / step-down transformer | 1 | Supplies stable low-voltage power from the mains. | ₹250 |
| Solar panel (10–20 W) | 1 | Converts sunlight into electricity to power or charge the system. | ₹900 |
| Charge controller module | 1 | Charges the battery safely and stops overcharging. | ₹250 |
| Rechargeable battery (12 V 1.3–7 Ah) | 1 | Stores energy and supplies power when mains is absent. | ₹650 |
| Passive components, PCB and wiring kit | 1 | Crystal oscillator, resistors (assorted), capacitors (assorted), transistors / MOSFETs, cables, connectors and jumper wires, diodes, PCB / breadboard and ICs and IC sockets. | ₹445 |
| Wiring, PCB, soldering and enclosure | 1 | Project overhead | ₹450 |
| Demo model base / mounting board | 1 | Project overhead | ₹500 |
| Testing spares and replacements | 1 | Project overhead | ₹300 |
| Estimated total | Varies with brand, quality and city | ₹4,300 – ₹6,300 |
Prices are estimates for budgeting. We confirm the bill of materials when your design is frozen, and components are charged at actual cost with bills.
How much does this project cost?
| Option | What you get | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Components only | You buy the parts and build it yourself | ₹4,300 – ₹6,300 |
| Hardware / IoT Final Year | Working model or guided build, Circuit diagram and bill of materials, Firmware / code with explanation | from ₹9,999 + components |
| Capstone Project (CPE) | Working project or model, Black book in MSBTE format, Step-by-step explanation | ₹9,999 + components |
| Diploma ITR | 100% working source code, Project report PDF, PPT | ₹1,999 + components |
No GST and no hidden charges. Use the cost calculator for a quote with your deadline and add-ons, or see all plans.
Download the project brief (PDF)
Summary, working, components and cost and viva questions on one branded PDF to show your guide or team. To get it developed, contact us on WhatsApp.
What you submit with this project
- Working model with circuit diagram and program code
- Project report or black book in your university's chapter order (block diagram, circuit, calculations, results)
- Presentation for the review and final viva
- Synopsis for topic approval, if your college asks for one
Electrical viva questions on this project
What is the aim of the Solar Panel With Sun Position Tracking project?
A solar tracker that keeps the panel facing the sun. An 8051 microcontroller sends step pulses to a stepper motor to rotate the panel through the day.
Explain the working of your project in short.
12 V power adapter / step-down transformer and Solar panel supply the circuit; a regulator gives the controller and sensors a steady 5 V. The Push buttons and switches provide manual inputs and the power switch. The 8051 microcontroller with board runs the embedded C program that scans inputs and controls the outputs through its four I/O ports. The Stepper motor with driver moves in precise steps for accurate positioning.
What is the architecture of the 8051 microcontroller?
The 8051 is an 8-bit Harvard-architecture microcontroller with 4 KB ROM (8 KB in AT89S52), 128 bytes RAM, four 8-bit I/O ports, two 16-bit timers, a UART and five interrupt sources.
Why is a pull-up resistor needed with a push button?
Without it the input pin floats and reads random values. The pull-up keeps it HIGH until the button connects it to ground.
Why is a stepper motor used for positioning?
It moves a fixed angle per pulse (1.8° for NEMA17), so the controller knows the position by counting steps without a feedback sensor.
Why is a resistor connected in series with an LED?
It limits the current to a safe value (about 10–20 mA). Without it, the LED would draw too much current and burn out. R = (supply voltage − LED voltage) ÷ current.
How is 230 V AC converted to 5 V DC for the circuit?
A transformer steps down the voltage, a bridge rectifier converts AC to pulsating DC, a capacitor smooths it and a 7805 regulator gives a steady 5 V.
How did you calculate the power rating of your system?
Using P = V × I for each load, adding a margin of 20 to 25%. The solar panel is sized from the daily energy need divided by about 5 peak sun hours in India. Battery capacity is the energy needed per day divided by the battery voltage and allowable depth of discharge.
What protection have you provided in the circuit?
A fuse against short circuit, relays or optocouplers to isolate the control side from the power side, flyback diodes across inductive loads such as relays and motors, and software limits that cut off on over-current or over-voltage.
What is the efficiency of your system and how did you measure it?
Efficiency = output power ÷ input power × 100. We measured input and output voltage and current with a multimeter at different loads and tabulated the results in the report.
Explain the block diagram of your project.
The input section senses the real-world quantity, the 8051 microcontroller with board processes it according to the program, and the output section displays the result and drives the actuators. The power supply section feeds every block.
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