I'll add that the GPS chip I mentioned previously has a sleep mode, wherein it goes to a low-power state and wakes up and takes a reading every 2 hours. Toggling a pin spits out one reading, then goes back to sleep. Additionally, it has a hibernate mode that just keeps the static RAM alive, and claims around 20 uA consumption. Generally the receiver can "warm start" or "hot start" if it has enough stored state that it knows which satellites to look at (and probably their code phase info) so that taking a reading doesn't take much time at all. Even if this is overkill for your application, it may be of use in the future for others reading this thread. I see opinions that solar tracking doesn't need that much accuracy, and also that they do. If anyone could throw out some numbers, that might help us put it in perspective. I guess if optics to "focus" the sunlight are in use, the problem is then magnified. I've also read comments that the power you gain slewing the panels around can be spent away running the motors to do it. Seems most RTC chips could come close to the needed accuracy, with only the occasional hint required. Then again, some ingenious person might come up with a way to tell the time from the....sun! I mean, after all, you're pointing sensors at it :) --=20 http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist .