EcoSolar Energy Conscious Design Limited
29
Solar collector location
NOTE The solar collector is to be installed with the vent holes at the bottom or with the new slot
vents on the side. The vents shall not be orientated to allow moisture ingress.
Orientation
The solar collector should be orientated to geographic north for optimum solar gain.
Geographic north is between 17 and 24degrees west of magnetic north as shown by a compass.
See table below.
Shadows
The location for the solar collector should be carefully chosen to ensure that the surroundings
do not cast shadows on to the collector for excessive periods during the day. Remember that
shadows are considerably longer in winter than summer and that vegetation may grow to cast
shadows therefore, the vegetation may have to be pruned to prevent shadows.
Inclination
The ideal inclination of the solar collector is at an angle equal to the latitude of the site.
Deviations greater than 20
O
will have a significant effect on the annual solar gain. An inclination
less than the latitude will result in increased summer performance and inclinations greater than
the latitude of the site will increase solar gain during winter. The inclination of the collector is
often dependent upon the surface it is being mounted on to and aesthetics. However, if the
collector is being mounted on a frame the inclination can often be optimised based upon winter
and summer hot water loads and whether a wet back or other winter heat recovery system is
installed. The latitudes for New Zealand are shown below;
The collector shall be installed with a slight (10mm) slope upwards to the air vent. This will allow the
air to automatically vent rather than airlock.