Max power * cosine of the angle between panel normal and sun is what you actually get under all conditions. I used to set the panel normal to the sun elevation angle at noon on Dec 21 on the critical off grid sites that took a helicoper to access in the winter. Still would accumulate snow at that angle though.
This is a clever tool: https://www.suncalc.org/#/40.6077,-112.3024,13/2022.11.12/09:44/1/3 Even animates the sun. That link is close to my home. At noon today my sun angle was 31.57 above the horizon, so I would have needed almost 60 degree panel tilt to make max power at noon today. From: Forrest Christian (List Account) Sent: Saturday, November 12, 2022 2:19 PM To: AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Solar panel ice/snow buildup Yeah, don't let an installer set them for max energy over a year like they would for grid tie. Optimize them for the worst winter day. On Sat, Nov 12, 2022, 1:17 PM Bill Prince <[email protected]> wrote: That is close to what we used at the 37th parallel. We set our panels at 60 degrees. That gave us close to maximum sun at the winter solstice, and we still had excess energy during the summer months. The summer sun is long enough and strong enough that you don't need the panels pointed straight at the sun. In the winter time you need all the help you can get. bp <part15sbs{at}gmail{dot}com>On 11/12/2022 12:43 PM, Sean Heskett wrote: In addition to froth-pak, be sure to tilt them at [latitude] + 23.5. We are at 40 north so we tilt the panels at about 65* 40 + 23.5 = 63.5* At that angle when there’s any amount of direct sunlight it slides pretty quick. But we also have a propane generator on-site because the stars don’t always align just right :-/ -Sean On Fri, Nov 11, 2022 at 3:02 PM James Howard <[email protected]> wrote: I have a vague memory of a thread in bygone years about testing different kinds of coatings to help with buildup of snow/ice but I can’t find the thread and don’t remember if it was about solar panels or dish antennas. The only thing I can find when I search my archive is about using froth-pak on the back of the panels. Are there any other options that work? -- AF mailing list [email protected] http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com -- Sean Heskett ZIRKEL Internet • WiFi • Phone • TV 970-871-8500 x100 - Office -- AF mailing list [email protected] http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- AF mailing list [email protected] http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com
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