Tools for correct angle / tilt and direction for Solar Panel

[digimart]

hi
once i have calculated the direction, and tilt best for my site location, then what tools I need to install the solar panels on a flat roof top as per the correct direction and tilt ?

Omar

[TnAndy]

For direction, you need a compass, and a map of magnetic declination for your piece of the earth so you can find TRUE south.

For tilt angle:

A level, a tape measure and a book of, or a calculator that will do, trig functions.

OR you could make yourself a big protractor out of a string, pencil and a half sheet hunk of plywood, then use a level to make sure the base is horizontal.

Those are the cheapest ways I know.

If you have access to a surveyor's transit, it would be quite easy.

[Naptown]

I just use an Iphone

[digimart]

TnAndy :

Whats your opinion about device name " Panel Angel Finder " . I see it on a UK website < http://www.solarpvtools.co.uk/solar-...le-finder.html > costing GBP 31 .

And then another similar product on : http://www.toptool.org/p/johnson-lev...tor/B00004T807 for USD 6.77

and on http://www.harborfreight.com/digital...uge-95998.html for USD 28.00


Pls let me have your opinion.

The compass will give me the direction I wish to take, and now I want to have something to have the correct tilt angle of my panels being placed on a horizontal roof or on ground.

For direction, you need a compass, and a map of magnetic declination for your piece of the earth so you can find TRUE south.

For tilt angle:

A level, a tape measure and a book of, or a calculator that will do, trig functions.

OR you could make yourself a big protractor out of a string, pencil and a half sheet hunk of plywood, then use a level to make sure the base is horizontal.

Those are the cheapest ways I know.

If you have access to a surveyor's transit, it would be quite easy.

[digimart]

Naptown :

Pls me know the application name of your I-Phone.

Further, will this application assist me in correcting the tilt angles of my panels on a horizontal surface ?

have a look at http://www.harborfreight.com/digital...uge-95998.html so does the I-Phone application has this function inbuilt ?

I just use an Iphone

[TnAndy]

The Johnson one looks fine.....the cheapest, and no batteries required. Basically a protractor with a magnetic stick on base....that's all you need.

[Naptown]

Naptown :

Pls me know the application name of your I-Phone.

Further, will this application assist me in correcting the tilt angles of my panels on a horizontal surface ?

have a look at http://www.harborfreight.com/digital...uge-95998.html so does the I-Phone application has this function inbuilt ?

the compass is built in.
The level is a free app from stanley bostich

[AEP]

i just use the solmetric sun eye, it gives me all the angles and tilt for what ever location i am at on the planet. it can even do a pv design for you.

[digimart]

hi
can u email me some scanned hand sketch of what u mean by plywood, pencil and magnetic stick on base ?

Thanks

Omar

The Johnson one looks fine.....the cheapest, and no batteries required. Basically a protractor with a magnetic stick on base....that's all you need.

[DanS26]

Omar,

All good advice so far but not the best. If you want to find the DEAD true north/south line follow this advice.


1. Find the latitude and longitude of the center of your array. Use Google Earth. This site: http://www.google.com/earth/download/ge/agree.html


2. Now find solar noon for any day of the year by going to this site: http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/grad/solcalc/

3. On the appointed day and the appointed solar noon (as opposed to clock noon). Hold a plumb bob on the point of earth then at exactly solar noon on that particular day, find the shadow created by the string of the plumb bob. This shadow is EXACTLY due north and south.

4. Orient your array based on this shadow line.

Dan

[digimart]

Dan,

Thanks for your comprehensive guidance with respect to North-South direction.

Please also guide me a good / low-cost way to set the Tilt angle of the pannel. As I like to change these tilt angles twice a year with respect to summers and winters sun.

Furthermore, Dan, if you have some picture of a good design of mounting structure, whereby I could manually adjust the Tilt angle, pls send me the same, so I could replicate it here in Pakistan.

Thanks

Omar

Omar,

All good advice so far but not the best. If you want to find the DEAD true north/south line follow this advice.


1. Find the latitude and longitude of the center of your array. Use Google Earth. This site: http://www.google.com/earth/download/ge/agree.html


2. Now find solar noon for any day of the year by going to this site: http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/grad/solcalc/

3. On the appointed day and the appointed solar noon (as opposed to clock noon). Hold a plumb bob on the point of earth then at exactly solar noon on that particular day, find the shadow created by the string of the plumb bob. This shadow is EXACTLY due north and south.

4. Orient your array based on this shadow line.

Dan

[DanS26]

Dan,

Thanks for your comprehensive guidance with respect to North-South direction.

Please also guide me a good / low-cost way to set the Tilt angle of the pannel. As I like to change these tilt angles twice a year with respect to summers and winters sun.

Furthermore, Dan, if you have some picture of a good design of mounting structure, whereby I could manually adjust the Tilt angle, pls send me the same, so I could replicate it here in Pakistan.

Thanks

Omar

I built a fixed tilt array based on the advice here:

http://www.macslab.com/optsolar.html

This site is referenced many times on this and other solar forums.

Personally, I don't think it makes a lot of sense to build an adjustable tilt on a roof top. I'm of the opinion that you should stay off a roof as much as possible to prolong its life. Going up there twice a year or more to fiddle with things will just require a sooner than necessary roof replacement.

[digimart]

Dan

I live in city Lahore of Pakistan. We do not have snowfall, so there are no tilt roofs here.
Walls as well as roofs are made of concrete and cement, so it does not matters how many times one goes to the roof.
I have attached herewith a few pics of my existing pannels setup.
As the roof is horizontal, so we have to have tilt angle on the mounting structure.
24012012084.jpg14012012060.jpg

Omar

[Naptown]

Dan

I live in city Lahore of Pakistan. We do not have snowfall, so there are no tilt roofs here.
Walls as well as roofs are made of concrete and cement, so it does not matters how many times one goes to the roof.
I have attached herewith a few pics of my existing pannels setup.
As the roof is horizontal, so we have to have tilt angle on the mounting structure.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]1857[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]1858[/ATTACH]

Omar

you don't get much wind either

[digimart]

Not much wind

you don't get much wind either