I’m thinking about tilting my panels more toward the sun for winter. Has anyone here done that and seen real gains? I’ve been reading that even a few degrees can make a difference.
There’s a basic calculator here: https://www.solarscalculator.com — lets you enter your location and gives angle suggestions. Seems like a helpful tweak if you’re looking to optimize without spending on a tracking system.
I am located in New Zealand at about 41deg South, totally off the grid. I have 4.2kW of panels in two rows on tilt legs. I did all the calcs when I designed the system and am absolutely convinced that tilting the panels, (particularly at my low latitude location), is earning me a lot more energy that if I’d gone with a fixed angle. Winter is the crucial time for keeping me frig and chest freezer running because the sun is so low in the sky.
I tilt them at 30deg for 5 months over summer, 45deg for 2 months in Autumn and 2 months in Spring, and then 60deg for 3 months in winter. So I go along the panels, undo all the grub screws, and swing the panels to the new position, four times a year. That’s mid March, mid May, mid Aug, and mid October. I have no problems with insufficient energy during winter with this setup. Of course whatever your latitude is, will alter those angle settings, but I think the times of the year would still be the same. By the way, this method only really works if you are located above the Tropic of Cancer, or below the Tropic of Capricorn, ie; 23.5 degrees either side of the equator. Also it goes without saying that the direction that your panels are pointing should be to True North, or close to it.
