2
SITE ANALYSIS AND COLLECTOR PLACEMENT
The SolarS
heat
air heater requires maximum sun exposure for optimal
performance, be sure to find an un-shaded mounting location for your solar
collector. A careful shading analysis should be performed using professional
tools such as the
Sun Pathfinder
or
Solar Eye
to locate your collector
properly. The SolarS
heat
can be mounted flush with an exterior wall or on any
sloped or flat roof. Generally speaking if the installation location is in the northern
hemisphere, the collector should face due south and if located in the southern
Hemisphere, the collector should face due north.
When mounting the collector on a flat or pitched roof, you will want to ensure that
the collector has been mounted at the optimal angle to receive maximum solar
energy during the winter season. Table 2.1 recommends a number of collector
tilt angles for various latitudes.
Latitude
(Degrees)
Recommended Collector Tilt for
Winter Season
– From
Horizontal
(Degrees)
Recommended Collector Tilt for Year
Round Performance
– From
Horizontal *
(Degrees)
30
45
30
40
55
40
50
65
50
60
75
60
70
85
70
80
90
80
* Collectors should be tilted at a minimum of 45 deg to promote snow shedding during winter months
Table 2.1: Recommended Collector Tilt for Various Latitudes
For sloped roofs, it is necessary to measure the angle of the roof in order to
calculate the angle between roof and collector. Refer to Table 2.2 for some
common roof pitches and their corresponding angles.
Table 2.2: Roof Pitch vs. Roof Angle
Roof Pitch
(Rise:Run)
Equivalent Roof Angle
(Degrees)
3:12
14
4:12
18
5:12
23
6:12
27
8:12
34
10:12
40
12:12
45
14:12
49
16:12
53
18:12
56
20:12
59
