Installing Solar Panel Facing North

It s not a good idea to install your panels to face a suboptimal direction even if it means the best tilt possible.

Installing solar panel facing north. For houston the ideal tilt for solar panels on a south facing roof is about 25 7. Which direction should my solar panels face in australia. The above examples are for a house facing perfectly north south. Does it matter if my solar panels face south or true south.

That optimal tilt will make you an estimated 7 732 kwh in a year from 5 5 kw of solar panels. Put up the solar panel. They produce slightly more electricity during the afternoon and slightly less in the morning. If you d like to adjust the angle of the solar panel for better sun coverage loosen the adjustment screw on the mounting arm set your desired angle then re tighten the screw.

Make sure it s seated securely. Their electricity production through the day will be between that of north and facing panels and that of west facing panels. For most of the usa it s between 25 and 38 south to north. In boston a solar array at 30 degrees south is still going to produce more electricity than tilted at 42 degrees and facing north.

However the economics of installing solar panels on a roof that does not face the south still usually stack up for the homeowner. If the roof were steeper say 4 12 then the north facing array would be 29 worse. Panels mounted on a standard pitch roof facing east or west will produce approximately 15 less output than panels mounted on a south facing roof of a standard pitch. On a north facing roof at 25 7 that would be 5 362.

According to a new study from pecan street research institute west facing rooftop solar panels produced 49 percent more electricity during peak demand compared to south facing panels. The orientation of the house also matters. But if the house is facing south southwest 30 off of perfectly south then the equator facing roof is only 14 better. Pop out the weatherproofing plug.

While it is technically possible to install solar panels on the north side of your roof they need to be mounted so that they oppose the roof s slant in order to generate electricity. Slide the solar panel onto the mounting arm. This research was conducted and data was collected from fifty homes in austin texas which had solar panels installed in different directions. Don t let them install solar panels on a north facing roof.

This means that they won t sit flush with your roof and will still produce relatively little electricity.