# Do Solar Panels Have a Specific Orientation?



## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

Let's say the solar panel is 2' by 4'.

Does it make any difference whether it is oriented as 2' h vs 4' h?

I am going to have a temp setup and having a wide base would be more stable.


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

Makes no difference whether you do portrait or landscape (tall vs. wide). What is more important is true south, and the angle of tilt.


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## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

TnAndy said:


> Makes no difference whether you do portrait or landscape (tall vs. wide). What is more important is true south, and the angle of tilt.


That's what I thought, but it seems I usually see them portrait when's there's just one.


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## Alaska (Jun 16, 2012)

all around.......... tilt them at the same angle as your latitude ( in TX WE use 30 deg) In The N hemisphere face due south. 
We had a temp panel set up with 2 panels made out of scrap wood and a steel pipe. The panels could be manually moved east to west. We would have them face east in the am straight up at noon and west in the late afternoon


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

How ever you mount them make the "rack" very heavy otherwise a gust of wind will take those big panels over and could easily shatter the front glass....game over then.


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## Gray Wolf (Jan 25, 2013)

Which way you mount them is VERY important! Don't screw it up! You will get ZERO power if you mount them wrong. ALWAYS mount them with the crystals facing the sun and the blank side in the shade. Duh........ But other than that, it doesn't matter.


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## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

Jim-mi said:


> How ever you mount them make the "rack" very heavy otherwise a gust of wind will take those big panels over and could easily shatter the front glass....game over then.


That's why I was asking. Mounting a 2' x 4' panel in landscape will have a lower center of gravity and will be a little more stable.


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

No. . .You will have the same amount of "sail" area either way......

A frame work of 2 x 4 lumber just sitting on the ground is totally insufficient

anchor then good


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## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

Jim-mi said:


> No. . .You will have the same amount of "sail" area either way......
> 
> A frame work of 2 x 4 lumber just sitting on the ground is totally insufficient
> 
> anchor then good


I've got 1 frame made from 2 x 4's. I ran a piece of pvc pipe down each side, then I sunk 2 pieces of 18" rebar in the ground and slid the pipe down over the rebar. It's held up great for over 2 years.


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## perennial (Aug 23, 2004)

My Hubby is very happy he put ours on a frame on steel posts in the yard -- especially when we had trouble with one of the inverters! There was a lot to consider in their placement including shadow created by each set/post. We have 18 panels in three groups of six


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## JohnP (Sep 1, 2010)

The biggest issue would probably be the electrical box and connections on the back of the panel. They are designed to be watertight when mounted a certain way. They would probably be watertight in other orientations but maybe not quite as.


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