Earlier fixed panels had trackers on them to optimise the angle during the day and from month to month.
These days, it is cheaper to simply add additional panels and suffer some inefficiencies.
This tracker on a Pilbara cattle station was broken. I fixed the panel position to face north at the best angle.


The first panels I fitted to the OKA had hinges that allowed adjustment. It was too hard and it was easier to simply add another panel.

The effective collection of a panel at the wrong angle is equivalent to the effective area presented to the sun.
Flat is typically undesirable because they collect more crap and don't self clean as well when it rains. In Norway we noticed many panels standing vertically facing south. This also stopped the build up of snow.

Cheers,

Peter

At old Halls Creek, automatic tracking back in the 1970s. A tank on each side painted black, the sun would heat up the tank & make that side lighter & the panel would track the sun.

 

The cost of panels back then tracking the sun would be worth every watt you gained.

 

 

I saw a bloke in a camp with a panel and he had a piece of 3/8 bar fitted on the top of the panel frame.

From memory it extended a few inches above the edge of the panel at right angles and he used to adjust his panel about every hour to ensure that the shadow cast by the rod was just disappearing into the shadow of the panel and frame. He would orient the panel ESE to WNW. We were in North Queensland.
I guess it worked for him otherwise why would he bother.

My experience with solar is what I have had bolted to the roof of the last two vans I have owned. They worked as they should but I dont know of their exact efficiency.

Although my experience with solar is not limited most of it is old, back when I built my house (off grid) I put my panels on the roof facing north at the recommended angle and just left them at that. I also had a diesel home lighting plant which was demand start and used mainly for washing (2 babies using lots of nappies) so this was run a few days a week also connected to a 50A battery charger so the efficiency of the solar output was not a lot of concern, I guess what I'm saying or trying to say is that the efficiency of your panels is not really the issue until you depend on their output.

If my 2 x 145W panels produce enough power to run my system then do I need to adjust the angles? No. But if it's overcast, raining or cloudy for a few days, what then? do I adjust them or do I just setup more panels? I think to adjust the panels might just use more energy than the return I get from doing so, which would require me to eat and drink more ok that was a joke!

I guess it comes down to do you have the room to store more panels in/on your unit and are you bothered to adjust them several times a day, if you are struggling to get enough charge into your batteries then I guess it then becomes a must do rather than might do. When I was thinking about my off grid setup it was all about generating more power than required so if/when the cloudy days arrive I would have minimal issues, currently I have 2x145W, 1x100W and a 200W blanket (only as backup) I am tempted to buy 2 more of those 145W panels and give the 100W away but at the moment I just don't know that they are needed and hey I can buy more anytime.

Mike Harding wrote:

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peatop wrote:

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 used mainly for washing (2 babies using lots of nappies)

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I wonder how many of today's "Save the Planet" generation know how to wash a nappy...?

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 They just buy disposables no washing needed, but if they do Hmmm I wonder if they use biodegradable soap? lol My spouse asked me if she could buy disposables for when we went shopping my response was why you asking me? which she replied well you want me to use cloth nappies no I want you to be aware of what you use and how the disposal of the waste affects us, as much as I hated disposable (anything) it was ultimately the choice of the user to determine what best suits them and the situation we had to store our rubbish for however long before we did a tip run and I would hate to think what things would look like if disposable nappies were included in that but I did say that it was a good idea to use disposables while out for extended periods as using reusables was not car friendly when away from home upto 12 hrs shopping lol we always tried to find ways to repurpose everything and a trip to the tip was always a retreaval rather than a dump. I built all my machinery from repurposed equipment whenever possible.

But yeah your right, one greenie (and this is what I call them) would collect waxed milk cartons but let them blow around in the wind. another used to use disposables, and let there waste flow down a water course, Im not the best and probably shouldn't pock sticks but it was just funny that they called themselves green when they were red'r than me lol

I have a mini version :)
Works when down too.....

Cheers,

Peter