#PATHFINDER WEATHER CALCULATOR PROFESSIONAL#

It will give you facts regarding temperature, solar power supply, and current light intensity. Put the meter in direct sunlight and wait for a reading. If you want to calculate the exact amount of insolation that your solar panels will receive, you can purchase an insolation meter or make your own. Several charts and lists have compiled more specific data for North America, including monthly and seasonal averages, that you can use to determine the average number of peak sun-hours your panels are likely to receive. Knowing the yearly and seasonal average peak sun-hours in your area is a helpful tool for deciding whether or not solar panels are a worthwhile investment for your home or business.Īn insolation map can show you the amount of solar energy your location receives on an average day during the worst month of the year. Most of the United States averages between 3 and 5 peak sun-hours, though many areas may experience less during the winter and more during the summer. States like California or Florida can expect more clear and sunny days.

While your panels may receive an average 7 hours of daylight per day, the average peak sun-hours may actually be closer to 3 or 4. Geography: Solar energy increases near the equator, as it is closer to the sun.Season: Sun-hours increase during the summer due to the sun’s higher position in the sky.The low angle of the sun at sunrise and sunset means that the atmosphere filters the sunlight more and results in less energy being delivered to the earth’s surface. Time of Day: Peak solar radiation occurs at solar noon, when the sun is highest in the sky.The amount of solar radiation, or insolation, delivered by the sun varies throughout the day, based on the sun’s position in the sky, clouds, and other atmospheric conditions. A peak sun-hour, specifically, is an hour during which the intensity of sunlight is 1,000 watts per square meter. It is important, first of all, to note that “peak sun-hours” are not the same as “hours of daylight.” Peak sun-hours refers specifically to how much sun exposure is usable for efficient energy production in an area during a typical day. While the amount of sunlight your panels receive is important, a more accurate representation of the amount of energy your panels can produce is peak sun-hours.

#PATHFINDER WEATHER CALCULATOR PROFESSIONAL#

While a solar professional can help you determine the best placement for your panels, you can plot a sun chart or buy or rent a solar pathfinder to determine how much sun your solar panels are likely to receive on a typical day. To maximize the amount of sunlight your panels receive, they should face south and be installed in an area where they will not be shaded by trees or other nearby buildings during the majority of daylight hours. Even in cloudy weather, however, solar panels can absorb solar energy to produce power, though it will be at a significantly reduced rate compared to sunny days - usually between 25 and 40%. Solar panels need direct sunlight in order to produce the maximum solar output. Solar panels - which are typically made of crystalline silicon and use a system of lenses or mirrors to maximize the light that reaches them - create an electric current when exposed to sunlight, which is then used to produce electricity. Solar power is created through the harnessing of energy from the sun. Step 1 of 4 How Much Sun Do Solar Panels Need?

Pathfinder weather calculator