Solar Panel Tilt Angle Calculator
Calculate a solar panel tilt angle from your installation latitude and longitude. Find a practical fixed-panel mounting angle and direction for winter-focused solar charging at remote IoT and telemetry sites.
Choosing a Solar Panel Mounting Angle
A fixed panel performs differently as the sun moves through the seasons. For off-grid sensor systems, a winter-biased setting can help improve charging exposure during the low-sun period, when battery reserves may be most important.
This tool was developed primarily for the Telemetry2U 20 W pole-mount solar kit. It can also provide an initial reference for other fixed solar-powered sensors, including Dragino products, provided the manufacturer's mounting requirements are followed.
Know the installation latitude and longitude, or use a location option below.
Have a compass and an inclinometer, angle finder or suitable phone app available.
1. Enter the Installation Coordinates
Enter coordinates in decimal degrees. Southern latitudes and western longitudes are negative. The calculator accepts latitudes from -60° to +60° and longitudes from -180° to +180°.
Location permission: Use current location requests access to the location of your device. For a remote site, enter its actual coordinates rather than the location of your phone or computer.
2. Calculate the Solar Panel Tilt Angle
Select Calculate panel angle to find a winter-biased starting position. The main result is the panel's tilt from horizontal, not the elevation angle of the sun.
No angle calculated yet. Enter the latitude and longitude in Step 1 and select Calculate panel angle. Your recommended tilt, direction and an illustration of the actual mounting angle will appear here.
Check the measurement reference. Most solar tilt specifications use degrees from horizontal. Some brackets or phone apps show degrees from vertical, and the numerical values are different. Confirm the reference before setting the bracket.
Hobart, Tasmania: Solar Panel Tilt Example
For a fixed solar panel in Hobart, Tasmania (latitude 42.877° south, longitude 147.3153° east), the calculator recommends approximately 65° from horizontal, facing true north. This is equivalent to about 25° from vertical. The setting is intended to favour winter solar exposure, not to maximise total annual energy production.
The Telemetry2U solar kit assembly guide also mentions approximately 43° as a latitude-based starting angle for southern Tasmania. These are different approaches: 43° is a general initial setting based on latitude, whereas 65° deliberately aims the panel more towards the lower winter sun. The appropriate final angle depends on the site's charging requirements and seasonal conditions.
3. Set the Panel and Check the Installation
- Make sure the panel and mounting post are securely supported and the panel adjustment bolts can be safely loosened.
- Point the face of the panel toward true north in the southern hemisphere, or true south in the northern hemisphere. A magnetic compass may require a local declination correction.
- Measure the tilt from a horizontal reference using an inclinometer, angle finder or calibrated phone app. Set the recommended angle.
- Tighten the adjustment bolts, then check wind resistance, cable clearance, connectors and mounting security against the hardware manufacturer's instructions.
- Inspect for morning, midday and afternoon shading, and consider how trees and nearby vegetation will change over time.
For the Telemetry2U pole-mount kit, follow the pole-mount solar sensor kit assembly guide for the correct fasteners, battery connections and final commissioning checks.
Solar charging is not guaranteed by tilt alone. Check the panel rating, battery capacity and condition, sensor current draw, transmission schedule, shading and local weather. Complete a power budget and test the finished installation before unattended deployment.
How the Winter Estimate Is Calculated
The calculator models the sun's position at one-minute intervals on an approximate winter-solstice date (21 June south of the equator or 21 December north of the equator), and again 30 days earlier. It uses the solar elevations returned in degrees, averages the two maximum elevations, then subtracts that average from 90° to obtain the fixed-panel tilt measured from horizontal.
Latitude determines the sun's seasonal height; longitude is used to establish the time of solar noon in UTC. This is a geometry-based, winter-focused starting estimate, not a simulation of all-day irradiance or an annually optimised PV energy yield. The result may need adjusting for the site and the electrical load.