Solar site survey/analysis of shadows using elevation/azimuth

Find where shadows will be year round shading your solar/photovoltaic panels, solar array, solar air heater, solar pool heater, permanent solar cooker or other solar system. This video demonstrates a DIY/homemade tool that measures azimuth and elevation which you can then plot on a sun chart.

For more info and for links to download a sun chart and azimuth/elevation gage:
http://rimstar.org/renewnrg/elevation_azimuth_shadow_site_survey_tool.htm

For other ways to find year round shading:
http://rimstar.org/renewnrg/solar_site_survey_shading_location.htm

Photos of the photovoltaic system and the solar domestic hot water system are of systems I helped install while working for Ottawa Solar Power (http://ottawasolarpower.com).

- http://rimstar.org/renewnrg

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• solar
• site
• survey
• analysis
• Elevation
• Azimuth
• sun chart
• how-to-find
• true south
• magnetic declination
• photovoltaic
• solar panel
• solar air heater
• solar pool heater

[wizardangel]

I can trim my trees and this can help me to see where to trim back and regain my garden sun needs !!

[RimstarOrg]

@wizardangel Oh, good idea! I'm glad to hear this will be of use to someone. Thanks.

[shazizz]

Would it not be easier to build a solar tracker?

[RimstarOrg]

@shazizz A solar tracker wouldn't help. The problem is that there are trees (or other objects) that come between the solar panels and the sun. So even if a tracker pointed the solar panels directly at the sun, they'd still be pointing at the trees that are blocking the sun. Unless the tracker had legs and moved the solar panels around! Now that would be cool! :-) Failing that, the method in this video tells you whether or not you need to put your solar panel somewhere else.

[shazizz]

@RimstarOrg I see your point, chop down the trees and move the junk! LOL No really don't do that I guess placement is going to be the best route after all. Maybe you could build a rotating tower! Thats why Im working on other things to use in conjunction with solar. Peace!

[RimstarOrg]

@shazizz Chopping down the trees or trimming is often done as a solution. Unfortunately these are city owned trees and it takes a lot of struggle for permission to cut one down. I would love to though. A change of mindset is needed re trees when the reason is to facilitate solar. A tall tower is also an option that the company I sometimes do solar contracting for has had to do. Those are good suggestions.