Calculating the optimal solar panel angle as a rule of thumb solar panels should be more vertical during winter to gain most of the low winter sun and more tilted during summer to maximize the output.
Perfect round solar panel placement.
True north is not the same as magnetic north.
Tilt the panels to your latitude plus 15.
While the angle of your solar panels is important a more important factor in your energy production is going to be the direction your panels face.
The answer depends at least in large part on where you mount your photovoltaic panel array.
Choosing the right placement can greatly improve panel efficiency and maximize the return on your investment.
Tilt the panels to your latitude.
Tilt the panels to your latitude minus 15.
An additional 3 5 though can be gained by evaluating this more carefully.
At different times of the year the optimal angle may be slightly or even significantly different.
For the best results solar panels should be oriented towards the south.
In general there s one big rule.
For starters there is no single ideal angle for solar panels.
Solar panels should always face true south in the northern hemisphere north in the southern hemisphere tilted from the hoizontal at a degree equal to your latitude plus 15 degrees in winter or minus 15 degrees in summer.
This positioning has the best chance of collecting solar rays for the most part of the day as the sun tracks across the sky.
If you re in the u s.
However if you live in an urban area in the united states you might just be able to find the best angle for the photovoltaic panels with your zip code.
This is because the sun is always in the southern half of the sky in the northern hemisphere.
Since solar panels are more productive when the sun s rays are perpendicular to their surfaces the certainly best orientation is the one directly true south azimuth angle 180.
If you are able to adjust the angle of your solar panels a few times per year here is the adjustment schedule we recommend.
If you are using a compass to orient your panels you need to correct for the difference which varies from place to place.
In the northern hemisphere solar panels should be positioned due south for best performance and in the southern hemisphere they should be positioned due north.
Here two simple methods for calculating approximate solar panel angle according to your latitude.
Solar panels should always face true south if you are in the northern hemisphere or true north if you are in the southern hemisphere.
The more sunlight reaches your solar panels the more electricity you can generate and the more money you ll be able to save on your electric bill.