Systems for damping a solar photovoltaic array tracker

A method of assembling a solar tracker system comprising:

• connecting a solar panel assembly to a support tube;
• connecting a drive to the support tube, the drive being operable to rotate the solar panel assembly;
• providing a row controller for controlling operation of the drive;
• and
• connecting an active lock to the support tube, wherein the active lock includes a housing defining a chamber, a seal preventing a flow of fluid through the chamber when the active lock is in a sealed state and allowing the flow of fluid through the chamber when the active lock is in an unsealed state, the active lock further including a locking system motor connected to the seal to transition the active lock between the sealed state and the unsealed state, a battery providing power to the locking system motor, an antenna for receiving, from the row controller, instructions controlling the locking system motor, and an active lock controller connected to the housing, the active lock controller being powered by the battery and in communication with the antenna, wherein the active lock controller is configured to receive the instructions from the antenna and automatically control the locking system motor based on the instructions.

An active lock for use in a solar tracker system, the active lock comprising:

• a housing defining a chamber;
• a seal preventing a flow of fluid through the chamber when the active lock is in a sealed state and allowing the flow of fluid through the chamber when the active lock is in an unsealed state;
• a locking system motor connected to the seal to transition the active lock between the sealed state and the unsealed state;
• a battery providing power to the locking system motor;
• an antenna for receiving instructions controlling the locking system motor from a row controller of the solar tracker system, the row controller controlling operation of a drive that rotates a solar panel assembly of the solar tracker system;
• and
• an active lock controller connected to the housing, the active lock controller being powered by the battery and in communication with the antenna, wherein the active lock controller is configured to receive the instructions from the antenna and automatically control the locking system motor based on the instructions.