How should the collectors be installed to ensure optimum performance?
Solar hot water collectors should be oriented geographically to maximize the amount of daily and seasonal solar energy that they receive. In general, the optimum orientation for a solar collector in the northern hemisphere is true south. However, recent studies have shown that, depending on your location and collector tilt, your collector can face up to 90o east or west of true south without significantly decreasing its performance. You’ll also want to consider factors such as roof orientation, local landscape features that could potentially shade the collectors, and local weather conditions as these factors may affect your collector’s optimal orientation. In most areas, the collectors will be mounted on the roof at a predetermined angle in order to maximize the system’s output.
