[lvoc]

Originally Posted by C_A_Braun

The biggest payoff anywhere that does net metering in the Northern Hemisphere is facing panels to the South. Especially in Vegas where the sun seems to dip behind the Spring Mountains around 4 or 4:30 during the shorter winter months seriously limiting exposure to West facing panel for a substantial part of the day.

It is an interesting problem. I would think that some compromise that does a limited tilt to the west. In fact the most valuable joules are those late in the afternoon. Batteries solve it but some sort of simple afternoon tilt might well pay. Some sort of mass produced lever scheme. Or maybe a thermal solenoid that flattens the array at high noon and lets it pop up as the sun moves.

[NLVgal]

Originally Posted by C_A_Braun

The biggest payoff anywhere that does net metering in the Northern Hemisphere is facing panels to the South. Especially in Vegas where the sun seems to dip behind the Spring Mountains around 4 or 4:30 during the shorter winter months seriously limiting exposure to West facing panel for a substantial part of the day.

I don't think the net metering was his biggest concern. Also, once the sun dips, it ain't hitting the south panels either. He's got some on his east to catch the morning rays which last until about 11, some on the south with access to the AC unit if needed for maintenance, and what appears to be heavy coverage on the west side of the house. I could be wrong, but that's what the photos show.

[C_A_Braun]

Originally Posted by NLVgal

I don't think the net metering was his biggest concern. Also, once the sun dips, it ain't hitting the south panels either. He's got some on his east to catch the morning rays which last until about 11, some on the south with access to the AC unit if needed for maintenance, and what appears to be heavy coverage on the west side of the house. I could be wrong, but that's what the photos show.

I understand that you are more familiar with his pad than I am, but from what I see of the videos that have been posted, the back of the house faces almost due South while the front faces almost due North and there are no East or West facing slopes. Therefore none of the panels are facing East or West. They are all facing either South (The absolute best and preferred direction) but 20% of the panels are facing North which is the absolute worst possible direction to be facing. Yes, they will get some sun on the North side but without those panels being raised and pointed Southward, as BBMW has also suggested, they will not be nearly as effiecent at gathering the rays that the 80% on the South side will be.

The idea of solar and net metering is to have as many south facing panels as possible so that they capture the majority of the sunshine throughout the entire day, peaking during the late spring-early fall between 9AM-4PM and early fall-late spring between 10AM-2PM and then because those are the hours that most people are not at home, those kWh's get banked for use later thanks to net metering.

Don't get me wrong here, I am a huge fan of solar and would love nothing more than to see PV arrays on every rooftop in the USA, so I am not bashing. I was just curious why anyone would put panels on the North facing part of any building. Yes there will be some energy captured but not nearly the amount (probably less than half in the summer and about a quarter in the winter) as would be if the panels were directed to the South.

[C_A_Braun]

Oh and I understand his concern about what would be required to point them Southward, but he could (with relatively low risk) raise them on the sides to point either East or West rather than pointing North. Even just a little bit of an angle would be preferred over pointing North. Depending on his proximity to the mountain range as to whether East or West would be best. Normally West would be better vs East but I would let the terrain determine which is better in this circumstance.

[NLVgal]

Originally Posted by C_A_Braun

I understand that you are more familiar with his pad than I am, but from what I see of the videos that have been posted, the back of the house faces almost due South while the front faces almost due North and there are no East or West facing slopes. Therefore none of the panels are facing East or West. They are all facing either South (The absolute best and preferred direction) but 20% of the panels are facing North which is the absolute worst possible direction to be facing. Yes, they will get some sun on the North side but without those panels being raised and pointed Southward, as BBMW has also suggested, they will not be nearly as effiecent at gathering the rays that the 80% on the South side will be.

The idea of solar and net metering is to have as many south facing panels as possible so that they capture the majority of the sunshine throughout the entire day, peaking during the late spring-early fall between 9AM-4PM and early fall-late spring between 10AM-2PM and then because those are the hours that most people are not at home, those kWh's get banked for use later thanks to net metering.

Don't get me wrong here, I am a huge fan of solar and would love nothing more than to see PV arrays on every rooftop in the USA, so I am not bashing. I was just curious why anyone would put panels on the North facing part of any building. Yes there will be some energy captured but not nearly the amount (probably less than half in the summer and about a quarter in the winter) as would be if the panels were directed to the South.

I see what you're saying. He's got more panels on the west side of the roof, but they are in fact facing south. That's correct. It was actually MY old house where the solar faced west. ( I had passive solar for the pool )

[macgeek]

I had a front garden, it got better light then the back area, i have panels facing both ways, with 30 panels facing south.
And seven panels facing north, ONCE everything is up and running I will have hard data to work with, till then its moot.

Jonathan

[lvoc]

Originally Posted by macgeek

I had a front garden, it got better light then the back area, i have panels facing both ways, with 30 panels facing south.
And seven panels facing north, ONCE everything is up and running I will have hard data to work with, till then its moot.

Jonathan

Less than half the output from the north facing panels. It is completely modelable if desired. And the geometry is straight forward.

[macgeek]

I agree, ON PAPER -- but life has a way of dictating its own rules...

I can't WAIT for the system to go live.... right now I have a 40+k roof decoration.

Jonathan

[lvoc]

Originally Posted by macgeek

I agree, ON PAPER -- but life has a way of dictating its own rules...

I can't WAIT for the system to go live.... right now I have a 40+k roof decoration.

Jonathan

Prototype systems often have behavior differing from the model. These should be dead nuts. If not someone did not know what they are doing. I would expect variance of no more than 2 or 3%.