Solar Panel Angles - Does it Make a Difference?

[beartoothweb]

I've been running my panels on the ground for the last several seasons, and they seem to do just fine. However, I'm now getting my new system ready, which will be "permanent." I'm wondering if I need to worry about the angle that the panel is installed?

Is it okay to just leave them on the ground, or should I frame them up so they sit at a certain angle? Does it make a big enough difference to worry about it? I have free materials (left over trusses) to get them to 40-50 degrees (relative to the ground,) so that's not a big deal, but if I put them on the ground, it would be easier to mount them with racks around them and with plastic covers (limit wind).

ALSO - is there an "optimum" facing direction? I mean, are these things like setting up DSS satellite systems where I can maximize the exposure? I've seen a "follow the sun" system, but that seems like overkill. Or, is Southwest Adequate enough? It stays light here until 10:30pm (of course, low solar heating that late), but we get full (burn your face off) Western sun even as late as 7pm.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Bama Rambler]

The angle and orientation makes a difference but don't worry too much about getting it perfect. Aiming them toward the noon sun is the preferred set up if you don't have a tracking rack system.

 

[JasonLion]

On the ground has some advantages, simplicity being a big one, and works fairly well. Making a rack to aim the panels more towards the sun will get you more heat, but it isn't a huge difference.

 

[beartoothweb]

Great thanks! I will stick with the ground mount, but I'll probably work on framing them out to see if I can raise the ambient temp.

 

[geekgranny]

It depends on what time of the year you want the greatest collection. In my case, in Dallas Texas area, I would go for the greatest collection in mid April to mid May and mid Sept to mid Oct to extend the season. My angle would be roughly 35 to 40 degrees. (I'm eyeballing this) The mid day sun from southwest would hit the flat surface of the collectors at about a 90 degree angle. If I wanted it in summer flat on the ground would work best, but in this part of country virtually no heat is needed if the pool gets sun most of the day. Unless the pool gets a lot of shade, solar panels, in summer, here, are best used for night time cooling.

We just cut down a tree that shaded part of the pool for many hours a day. My pool temp is now what it normally takes well into June or by end of June to achieve. It is currently 84 and will be 86 by the end of this sunny day. There will be about 2 degrees loss, over night, with air temps in 70's, without a solar cover.

There are all kinds of charts for aiming PV (electric generating panels) panels, for any location, all over the Internet, that would give a good idea.

gg=alice