Wall v roof mounting?

higgins
higgins Solar Expert Posts: 56 ✭✭✭✭
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
Does anyone mount there panels on the wall instead of their roof,or is it better efficiency being on the roof?Or is it purely because they are unsightly for the wall,so most are installed on the roof,just trying to find the best position as my back wall is south facing and don't want to go up on the roof yet,would it be okay to mount on the wall?Thanks,
Higgins:D
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  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Wall v roof mounting?

    The biggest issue is you get less than 180 degrees of view ( roof over hang ) best case

    In the Summer months the arc of the sun from dawn to dusk can be close to 270 degrees, thats alot of harvest lost
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  • audredger
    audredger Solar Expert Posts: 272 ✭✭
    #3
    Re: Wall v roof mounting?

    A top of pole mount would be best.. you can change the angle through the seasons. From winter to summer I adjust my panel over 45 degrees. Best harvest is when the panels are square to the sun.
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  • higgins
    higgins Solar Expert Posts: 56 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: Wall v roof mounting?
    audredger wrote: »
    A top of pole mount would be best.. you can change the angle through the seasons. From winter to summer I adjust my panel over 45 degrees. Best harvest is when the panels are square to the sun.
    I like the pole idea probably for a single panel maybe,is it a scafold pole with a frame on top and do you only need to rotate the pole?I'm thinking of mounting on the wall temporarily but the pole is worth a try,thanks,
    Higgins.:D
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  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: Wall v roof mounting?

    I mount some panels on the wall, primarily to shed snow in when unattended. I have much better solar exposure on the wall as opposed to the roof. The reality is that there is usually much more surface area available on the roof as opposed to the wall. Personally if you have a wall that has good exposure, with lots of area, and you can mount the panels in such a way to either adjust the tilt trough out the year or at the least mount them with the ideal average tilt, wall have certain advantages. Wall panels will likely run somewhat cooler that roof panels in a similar location. Another advantage of wall mount is that you CAN tilt them on the ideal angle, unlike roofs where your are (for the most part) restricted to the roof angle.

    Tony
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  • higgins
    higgins Solar Expert Posts: 56 ✭✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: Wall v roof mounting?
    icarus wrote: »
    I mount some panels on the wall, primarily to shed snow in when unattended. I have much better solar exposure on the wall as opposed to the roof. The reality is that there is usually much more surface area available on the roof as opposed to the wall. Personally if you have a wall that has good exposure, with lots of area, and you can mount the panels in such a way to either adjust the tilt trough out the year or at the least mount them with the ideal average tilt, wall have certain advantages. Wall panels will likely run somewhat cooler that roof panels in a similar location. Another advantage of wall mount is that you CAN tilt them on the ideal angle, unlike roofs where your are (for the most part) restricted to the roof angle.

    Tony
    Thank you Tony,as these are only going to be mounted temporarily(i probably will be getting larger panels as and when i can afford them)it's lookin wall or pole mount for now,but whichever method i choose i will incorporate a tilting/turning mechanism to capture the most hours from the sun,i realise that eventually they will have to be on the roof,incidentally i suppose it has already been done,may i ask why are roof tiles not made from pv materials in a larger size,this could do away with addingpanels to a roof?
    Higgins.
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  • audredger
    audredger Solar Expert Posts: 272 ✭✭
    #7
    Re: Wall v roof mounting?

    Not sure this will work? here is my pole mounts http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v468/audredger/Solar/?action=view&current=DSCN0015.jpg
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  • higgins
    higgins Solar Expert Posts: 56 ✭✭✭✭
    #8
    Re: Wall v roof mounting?

    Audredger,i'm getting links to my picture town,but not sure what to click on?
    Higgins
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  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    #9
    Re: Wall v roof mounting?

    There are roof tiles and roof shingles that are made into PV modules. It seems that they are quite expensive, and not terribly efficient converters of sun to power relative to other PV systems.

    http://www.oksolar.com/roof/

    http://www.altersystems.com/catalog/unisolar-17-watt-solar-roof-shingle-p-287.html

    Tony
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  • higgins
    higgins Solar Expert Posts: 56 ✭✭✭✭
    #10
    Re: Wall v roof mounting?
    icarus wrote: »
    There are roof tiles and roof shingles that are made into PV modules. It seems that they are quite expensive, and not terribly efficient converters of sun to power relative to other PV systems.

    http://www.oksolar.com/roof/

    http://www.altersystems.com/catalog/unisolar-17-watt-solar-roof-shingle-p-287.html

    Tony
    why are they wasting their time making small tiles,surely larger tiles made with PV
    properties is the only way to go?
    Higgins
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  • audredger
    audredger Solar Expert Posts: 272 ✭✭
    #11
    Re: Wall v roof mounting?

    Try again, different host
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  • higgins
    higgins Solar Expert Posts: 56 ✭✭✭✭
    #12
    Re: Wall v roof mounting?
    audredger wrote: »
    Not sure this will work? here is my pole mounts http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v468/audredger/Solar/?action=view&current=DSCN0015.jpg
    nice setup,are those individual panels joined togther on a custom made frame?I would need minbe higher up as i only have a small garden,surrounded by tall hedges which will need trimming down:D
    Higgins
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  • audredger
    audredger Solar Expert Posts: 272 ✭✭
    #13
    Re: Wall v roof mounting?

    There are 6 175watt panels supported by 4 unistruts per array.
    added a few more http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v468/audredger/Solar/
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