It is really helpful to have a quantified demonstration of this effect. Many thanks for posting.

Even now this helped, i couldn't understand why my panel wasn't efficient at all. I didn't think angle made that big of a difference. Thanks 👍

That was a simple demonstration that explained fundamentals in a helpful visual way. Thanks!

not too many people understand the value of good video. you do. so so many people try to talk their explanation instead of showing it on vid. a picture is worth a thousand words, but most people just can't "get it". short easy to understand. good job.

Perfectly answered my head scratcher about why my 310w panel on my flat roof is hardly doing anything!! 🙏🏽

Thank you Amy, Does not matter whether you call it Winter solstice or equinox, it is a simple, informative video on Panel Angle effects that explains a lot. Thanks madam.

Thank You for the video. It was very informative concerning angle of panel to the sun. I had not seen it done this way where there is cause and effect registered instantaneously. Very good. I will be watching more of your videos.

What a great info delivery. Thanks Ma'am

great video Amy thanks I think I'll look into one that tracks,and tilts,will try to make one my self.

Awesome demonstration,you are the best

another A+ video from Amy

Very informative. I learned some.

so that is why.. thanks for this information... very helpful..

I would have started the test with an angle which is even higher than 50 degrees. the ideal angle would be 42 + two thirds of the earth tilting angle (42+2/3*23.5= 58 degrees), since on the 20th of nov, we are one month before the shortest day and 2 months after the equinox. Thanks for showing us the effect in real time!

I have a piece of PVC pipe mounted to the side Every other week at high noon I tilt my panels until I get no shadow from the pipe

121020/0535h PST. That was a fantastic practical presentation on how the angle plays a very major role in enhancing maximum power ( Amps) from PV Cells array; (corresponding to the Sun rays falling on the Array). I have 2 AstroPower AP-100 (US manufactured ) PV panels rated 16.1V @6.2 Amps each in parallel configuration. Before mounting them on the garage roof, the same were placed temporarily; slanted, on the lower deck. My OP was 13.80V* @ 9.2A* reading from VICTRON MPPT Charge Controller; charging 4S LiFePo4 cells @ 50 Ah each. The cells Bulk charge level was ok, Absorption was ok and soon reached Float level. Later I relocated the PV Panel FLAT on top of the Garrage on a N~S location. To my surprise the Current dropped down to 6A and further down to 4.3 A as the winter set in. Now I understood how much the ANGLE plays a major role in enhancing generation of current from the Sunshine. Thanks, once again to your presentation, that taught me about the importance of Angle. I will tilt the PV cells @45 degrees N/S on Saturday 121220. FYI there were several YT presentation on Solar Panels etc etc. But none spoke about the important factor of Angle and its role to generate maximum power. You have done it, Ma’am. Take care and be safe. 73s...

Thanks your efforts Ma'am ,very useful video .keep going

Thanks God i found your so analytically videos.I was ready for tomorrow to by the so expensive deep cycle batteries and pure inverter for the safety of desktop.Now i will see very carefully all your very professionally videos . You mast bee a teacher. thank you God bless you..

Thanks for the video. I've been wondering about how much angles affect solar energy production.

thank you.... really informative...

Thanks, great video, regards from Poland

Hello from Texas

Very well explained

and there comes motorised systems handy, you can use those motors from satelite disks, the bigger ones are pretty strong for several tons to lift.

When the angle of the sun is steep, the panels get cooler, which enhances the output. This demo won't show panels cooling down. However, the glass becomes more reflective. I believe the output is pretty close to the cosine of the incident angle: 0 degrees = 1 10 degrees = 0.985 20 degrees = 0.94 30 degrees = 0.866 40 degrees = 0.766 45 degrees = 0.7 50 degrees = 0.64 60 degrees = 0.5

Great video.

Thank you , that explains a lot

Muito bom! Bem explicativo! Thanks!

Very interesting! Thanks!

Thanks for information

We live in Northern Wisconsin and the panel angle makes a BIG difference. We have to change the angle twice a year. Roof mounted panels up here are VERY ineffective.

Very good info

Thanks Amy :)

Interesting demonstration, but typical house roof mounted panels inevitably tend to have the same level as the roof it's mounted on (unless they are being mounted on flat roofs with suitable framework). It's now 4 years since I had a system installed on my house, and one of the factors that isn't mentioned here is the effect of panel temperature. They all suffer from reduced efficiency as the temperature rises, unfortunately, so around the Summer solstice, the temp is often the limiting factor, even though the sunshine hours are around the maximum. At my place, the daily max is around 3 kWh at Winter solstice, and around 12 kWh in the Summer if it's a clear blue sky day.

"I'm pretty much flat" 67 year old me telling 13 year old me to STFU...

Great video =] thank you.

great-very helpful/thanks much

Thumbs up for Massachusetts!

Yep have duel axis works a treat 👌🇦🇺

+altE Store It is a 2500 watt rated Kaco Blue Planet Inverter. With it being a 2500 watt system it is maxed out with the inverter.

My understanding is that for ground mounted solar panels it's more cost effective to simply add additional panels to make up for the lost power due to not having the panels at the exact angle. With tracking motors there's maintenance, repair and replacement costs not to mention the large upfront cost. Also, fixed panels can withstand strong winds better because they're more secure. For a backyard with 2 or 3 large arrays on poles I'd definitely get dual trackers. 10 or more arrays and if space allows I'd pass on tracking systems, not worth it.

"November 20 very near winter equinox" or is it solstice? Love your videos. Most informative and welcomed.

Hi Ammy. I'm looking for a diy single axis sun tracking circuit which can controll linea actuator, simple circuit which I can make my own. Thanks Amy for the informative videos.

you're very awesome

check out the solar time tracker its nice

Great video. By the way, I never understood what's the point of solar trackers that increase the output 30% but cost 30% of the price of the panel ? Why not put more panels and save yourself the extra complexity ?

thanks

Can you please give us the insulation, amp's & volts for summer time along with your longitude?

thank you mam

If you are on Time Of Day rates, a summer inclination might be better.

If you have limited roof area, you will get more total energy over the course of the year by laying them flat on the roof. The setback that you need to avoid shadowing will negate any additional energy you get by tilting the panels.

when you said Equinox instead of Solstice ...credibility. The Equinox's are March 21 & Sept 21 (approx) this is when the daylight hours match the night time hours at 12 each. the winter solstice is the shortest daylight hours day of the year, near Dec 21st while the summer solstice is near June 21st and is the longest daylight hours-day of the year in the northern hemisphere and opposite in the southern,

Winter solstice, not winter equinox (spring and autumn). You need to use an MPPT to extract maximum power, and see how that changes with angle. I would expect roughly a cosine(error_angle) where error_angle is the extent in which the panel is NOT perpendicular to the sun's rays at solar midday.

Great video. I have a question that I’m having an issue to figure out. So I’m supposed to be able to input 1600 watts to my solar generator but only gets up to 1100. I have 8-200 watt panels wired in 2 arrays in series. Then both arrays are wired in parallel to the solar generator. The input values of the generator are 150 volt max and 15 amp max. Would the watts throttle down if I’m putting more that 15 amps in? I’m putting in just under 20 amps currently.

Hi I have a growatt 3kw all in one inverter, what bms will best suit my home built 2800wh lifepo4 8 cell battery to communicate with the inverter

Thx. Now we have to buy solar panels that can receive sun rays in wider angle.

I have a question. I am completely new. I have a solar panel system in place. Solar charge controller is charging batteries, everything is perfect. Now, I also have my inverter hooked up to the batteries. I need to know if I can turn the inverter on? Can I leave the system charging AND turn on the inverter and use the batteries at the same time? I'm told the solar charge controller takes care of all that charge/discharge stuff. I just don't want to destroy my system the first time I try to actually use the batteries.

This comment section is probably dead but, How do I calculate the change of efficiency of a panel based on the irradiance? Like, in the video, she moves the panel down, and the irradiance value plummets. Is there an equation to determine how that number effects the power output?

can someone give me the link to the watt/m² reader she has?

Good

Very nice video. At (0:55) you mean winter solstice not winter equinox.

Short answer: 1. If connected to grid, angle does not matter as much. 2. If off grid, angle control is what you want. 3. If you want to squeeze it all amd have time to install and maintain PV's on a flat area then go for it.

The correct terms are Voltage and Current. (measured in Volts and Amps)

Insolation? Haven't heard that correctly spoken in years.

what device did you use to measure the Watts per squared meters?

Hi: i am at 42ºN and 8º W (-8º) Porto,Portugal -----What are the best angles: N-S and E-W -----Do the optimum angles vary throughout the year? Thanks.

had no idea angles mattered so much.

Those two small panels produce 900 watts?

Lat + / - say 10 degrees ? 3dB angles ? 1/2 power a quick plot would be of value, angle versus power out so we can decide how fussy to be

Amy, I've got a 2500 watt system with 11 panels. 6 are at a correct 30 degree angle and 5 panels are at about a 10 degree angle. They are all in series. Would it be worth changing the 5 solar panels to match the other 6? We live in Central Florida. Thanks!

Video Request: Hi, Thanks for all of the great videos! I have three 300 watt Solar World panels on my RV that I recently purchased from you on my RV. RV use is obviously a off grid configuration, but this RV spends most of it's time parked behind my house. How could I use this to keep my battery's charged, but send the excess power into the house to give me some free watts off my electric bill? Thanks

What is the correct angle must be panels mounted

Can you help me how to wire 10 batteries in parallel for good even charge and discharge?

My question not connected to this video,....can I connect my car(RV) generator(altarnator) to my solar charge controller ¿?

Like your angles IV been watching mynes as early daylight and is very shaded I've two off grid one is ok and a bigger is showing signs from portable set up , what inverter, so the mppt is slack and battery amp slack do one of these doesn't set to charge battery as I liked but crashes alot , I've the amp wires to track if batteries r alright it is slow but will test it this way and did consult angle solar panel ,, to remove sun's rays going alot over where roof is and been 30 minutes just when it's windy days etc there's alot change so when it's hot full on it can also but most sun rays are in the aim of angles , as natural lightness be solar DC , and couple more things to look at inverter and charge controller as panel is supposed to be set in angle therefore it is one problem the inverter has is it beeps alot so no way of telling what's not or is doing the continued power in turn the system was shut down I turn on and it either dead or runs till nothing suppose to know something I knew nothing till almost a year ago frustrates the high thing we all try free power just didn't know it works out so trying angle it works out 60 amp and at times you get 6 minutes or 6 seconds

What was your initial inclination (that at 892 Watts)?

🙏🏼 #VOLTINU

I would take these results with a pinch of salt. I believed them until I got my own panels to test. Canadian Solar 595w - huge panel, 2.17 x 1.3 metres. Laying flat on the ground, today, 1st August 2022 in the U.K., full sun, I get 510 watts. The sun azimuth is 52 degrees, or thereabouts. Moving the panel up off the ground so that it's perpendicular to the sun, I get 630 watts, more than the panel is supposed to be able to give out - but not that big of a difference. Here are my readings from one day last month: 8th July 2022. Using an inclinometer, 2pm, full sun: All angles from the horizontal 90 degrees: 367w 80 degrees: 436w 70 degrees: 468w 60 degrees: 602w 50 degrees: 560w 40 degrees: 639w 30 degrees: 645w 20 degrees: 607w 0 degrees: 472w The 50 degrees measurement looks off, maybe there was a tiny bit of cloud over the sun at that point, it makes a big difference. But as you can see, with a normal sized panel that you would have on your roof, made this year, although there is an obvious difference due to the angle, all those angles are still giving out a decent amount of energy, compared to the cost of the panel. When I tested my panel in the morning a month or so ago, with the sun literally just coming round the side of the panel (i.e. the panel at the worst angle possible), I still got 200 watts! When I cover my panel with a white bed sheet, I still get 110 watts! (In full sun). When it's very overcast and no sun is visible at all, and raining, I get 60 watts. In other words, try to get the best angle you can, but bear in mind that, unless you have a tracker system, (which will cost more than it's worth), your panel is only going to be perpendicular to the sun ONCE a day - all the rest of the time, it's at varying degrees from the best position. If you had a tracker that could track the sun, you would then have to space out all of your panels so that they don't shade each other, unless your entire array moves at the same time. It's cheaper (nowadays) just to buy more static panels. I'm posting this because I watched this video before I actually had solar panels to test in the real world, and spent lots of time trying to work out the best angle for my panels, throughout the year, but I instead opted just to buy more panels and saved money on the mounting system, because it was a simpler set up than I had previously envisaged.

No diagram?

Great hair!

Winter equinox ????? Never heard of it

Had watched videos about Solar farms, and most had a fixed tilt angle. I guess its not worth the effort, or newer panels are not as effected. hmm

*I lived in equator, the sun is mostly above our head. No necessary doing these.*

it will be better to make copmarison for each angle for 24 hours cycle

45 seems to work good in Ohio.

Now panels ar cheap, angle doesnt matter, just put up more panels, cheaper than tracking system.'

I trust that Amy is showing us the real numbers. However, here I am 5 years later reading many articles that make strong arguments that angle doesn't matter much - like 2% (instead of 20% or more). Have panels become that much more adept at capturing photons from atmospheric scattering? Sample article: www.thesolarnerd.com/blog/optimal-solar-panel-tilt-most-calculators-are-wrong/ and the link to the US Department of Energy calculator: pvwatts.nrel.gov/pvwatts.php Maybe the trees around Amy are blocking the scattered light? Help!

Solar tracking was worth it when pv was 10+ bucks a watt. Not tho with pv 1 or so bucks a watt it's not worth all the trouble.

God I love a Woman Who knows her I2R

Video starts at 2:00. You're welcome.

terrible

When it comes to tech stuff like this, I just can't take it as seriously, coming from a woman.....