Angle of panels

Chris11
Chris11 Registered Users Posts: 130 ✭✭
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
Hi, I'm now putting the panels into place....ground mount, for mainly lights for my Western town.

Can someone smarter than me, kinda includes everyone else, inform me which angle to put the panels from the ground?. Here's the kicker...I only need lights for the summer...I plan on covering the panels for the winter. So please use spring equinox to fall equinox at 49 40 north. (Just north of Spokane, WA.)


Thanks to those who undertake to answer this difficult to me problem.

Chris
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Comments

  • littleharbor2
    littleharbor2 Solar Expert Posts: 2,113 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
    According to my solar tilt app on my phone todays angle would at your latitude would be 33.4 degrees. Spring/fall equinox 49.7 degrees.. If you're only interested in Summer production 33.4 would probably be best.

    2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old  but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric,  460 Ah. 24 volt LiFePo4 battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.

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  • Chris11
    Chris11 Registered Users Posts: 130 ✭✭
    #3
    Thanks littleharbor2. And as a bonus from your reply, I looked up "Solar Tilt" app on Playstore. Found one, dunno if it's the same as yours, but it's cool. So thanks for the app lead also.

    Oh, one more thing. I dunno where I came up with 49 40. Reality, thanks to your app is 48 03....just south of Springdale, Wa.

    Chris
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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,917 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Chris11 wrote: »
    Thanks littleharbor2. And as a bonus from your reply, I looked up "Solar Tilt" app on Playstore. Found one, dunno if it's the same as yours, but it's cool. So thanks for the app lead also.

    Oh, one more thing. I dunno where I came up with 49 40. Reality, thanks to your app is 48 03....just south of Springdale, Wa.

    Chris
    Do you have snow? If so you may want a steeper angle for winter to shed the snow and not damage the panel.
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • SolarPowered
    SolarPowered Solar Expert Posts: 626 ✭✭✭
    #5
    PVwatts?
    http://pvwatts.nrel.gov/
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,642 admin
    #6
    Another "simple" fixed array calculator is:

    http://solarelectricityhandbook.com/solar-irradiance.html

    Has fairly good world wide coverage.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Chris11
    Chris11 Registered Users Posts: 130 ✭✭
    #7
    Dave Angelini wrote: »
    Do you have snow? If so you may want a steeper angle for winter to shed the snow and not damage the panel.

    Yessir. I'll be able to drop the lower end of the array close to the ground...and with black plastic covering the whole thing, the snow should just slide off.

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  • Chris11
    Chris11 Registered Users Posts: 130 ✭✭
    #8
    SolarPowered wrote: »
    PVwatts?
    http://pvwatts.nrel.gov/


    I looked at that page...entered my address and it came back with "Can't find the webpage."
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  • Chris11
    Chris11 Registered Users Posts: 130 ✭✭
    #9
    BB. wrote: »
    Another "simple" fixed array calculator is:

    http://solarelectricityhandbook.com/solar-irradiance.html

    Has fairly good world wide coverage.

    -Bill

    Thanks Bill. Nice site....except for their lack of cities from which to choose on the Eastern side of WA. I had to put in Richland which is 200 miles away in the middle of what I refer to as the Washington desert....hahahaha.
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  • SolarPowered
    SolarPowered Solar Expert Posts: 626 ✭✭✭
    #10
    Chris11 wrote: »


    I looked at that page...entered my address and it came back with "Can't find the webpage."

    It works you just need the most current versions of google chrome/ Internet explorer.

    I prefer chrome
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  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    #11
    Try putting in a zip code, that should be close enough.
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