The facts about tilting solar panels

[757driver]

Arrived in Quartzsite a few days ago about noon on a bright sunny day. Decided to see what the difference was with the panels flat and then tilted in terms of output. With the panels flat I was seeing an output of 640 watts out of a potential of 1100W.

Once all 4 panels were tilted I again checked the output and it increased to 925 watts, a 44.5% increase. I knew there would be an increase but was surprised it was that much. This increase will only get better as the days go by since we are still 1.5 months away from the winter solstice.

The old “rule of thumb” of adding one more panel to make up for leaving the panels flat in the winter is false. In my case it would involve adding two more large residential panels which I do not have the room for.

Your mileage may vary. Tilting solar panels on an RV roof will not be for everyone but if you do at the proper angle and face them south the results can be amazing.

[1bigmess]

And there are simple apps to help you figure out and tilt the panels to a good angle.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...rtilt&hl=en_US

[Chuck Q]

As you get older. Going on the roof is a major challenge . So it's flat panel time, with a grounded 120 watt portable to aim at the sun. Works.

[757driver]

Originally Posted by Chuck Q

As you get older. Going on the roof is a major challenge . So it's flat panel time, with a grounded 120 watt portable to aim at the sun. Works.

Agreed. For now it works fine for me. Including getting the ladder out it takes 10 minutes to tilt the panels. The side awning boxes makes it feel a little more secure while moving around up there.

[PbdBlue]

Originally Posted by 757driver

Agreed. For now it works fine for me. Including getting the ladder out it takes 10 minutes to tilt the panels. The side awning boxes makes it feel a little more secure while moving around up there.

The other concern I guess is wind. They get some hellatious winds in Q in the winter. 50 - 60 mph gusts are not uncommon and they typically come from the North\Northwest.

[Ivylog]

Originally Posted by 757driver

Agreed. For now it works fine for me. Including getting the ladder out it takes 10 minutes to tilt the panels. The side awning boxes makes it feel a little more secure while moving around up there.

I store the bottom half of my ladder by hanging it on the top half and strapping it at the bottom. I used the raised rail on the driver side as the pivot for my 7 tilting panels. I can make them flat/level too.

OP, even a cloud that you can barely see can decrease my amps from 60 to 40. Unless your test was on a perfectly clear day, not just “bright sunny”, I question your results as I have not seen that big a difference.

[757driver]

Originally Posted by Ivylog

I store the bottom half of my ladder by hanging it on the top half and strapping it at the bottom. I used the raised rail on the driver side as the pivot for my 7 tilting panels. I can make them flat/level too.

OP, even a cloud that you can barely see can decrease my amps from 60 to 40. Unless your test was on a perfectly clear day, not just “bright sunny”, I question your results as I have not seen that big a difference.

Those are my results. Readout was monitored for several minutes before and after tilting on a cloudless day. Judging from your pictures IF you are in the Southwest then that tilt is not sufficient to take full advantage of the sun.

[creativepart]

There are electric panel motor kits available to let you tilt your solar panels from inside your RV. That seems like a good idea if you are depending on the Sun to power your day.

I've seen a couple of systems being discussed. But nothing commercially available yet.

Here's a YouTube vid from Europe in 2017 of a company that's developing such a thing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGNElgvtQ2c

[vito.a]

Don, what degree of tilt from vertical did you use?
For AZ, optimum solar panel tilt in winter requires almost 50 degrees more than mid summer. In mid summer, we only use a few degrees (if any) of tilt.

[757driver]

Originally Posted by vito.a

Don, what degree of tilt from vertical did you use?
For AZ, optimum solar panel tilt in winter requires almost 50 degrees more than mid summer. In mid summer, we only use a few degrees (if any) of tilt.

I use two settings for the year, one for summer and one for winter. Where I am in Arizona I use 47 degrees which is measured from the horizontal.

[Harrysait]

This company was selling wireless tilting frames last year at Q in the tent.

https://www.solarvector.net/