How to determine the optimal Solar installing angle

zoijames

What is the optimal angle for installing solar panels to maximize energy production in my region? is there any universal formula to get the maximum electricity and my fesco bill online

littleharbor2

True solar south, (in the northern hemisphere) and vertical angle set at your latitude.
Look up th phone app called Solar Tilt. It's really cool and amazingly helpful.
Solar Tilt - Apps on Google Play

DanS26

This is how I found true solar south.....
1. Go to the NOAA site and find solar noon by time and date by using your latitude and longitude
https://gml.noaa.gov/grad/solcalc/
2.  Using a plum bob and a step ladder at exactly solar noon at the correct time and date find the shadow line created by the plum bob.
3. Drive a stake or marker at the bottom and top of the shadow line at your construction site.
4.  Walla.....true solar south.

littleharbor2

In my location true solar south is about 12 degrees off of magnetic south

Miller_Ranch

This is what I use to set mine four times a year.

https://www.solarpaneltilt.com/

BB.

It does also depend on other issues... If you have morning or evening shading, morning Marine layer, or afternoon thunderstorms, etc...

In the end, it is probably "better" to spend for a 10-20% or larger array, than to worry too much about optimizing exact installation. For example, just changing to heavier AWG cable can change wiring losses from 3% (or greater) to 1% (typically the max $$$ cost effective copper cabling costs vs losses).

Add that array will have losses to to aging, hot weather, dust on panels, any shading from trees or other shading sources--Just going with a larger array than you "need" is not a bad way to go.

PVWatts has a lot of options regarding detailed solar harvesting:

https://pvwatts.nrel.gov/pvwatts.php

-Bill