ngue s—6, ‘The Solar Card ts an eapy-to-cse, low-cost solar evaltation fol. ean also be used ta determine how much sun strikes a pote garden spot or where o plant to let summer Slade and winter sum fall on the house, tor solar esting your bone.) ‘This x heeauar the amount of suming during ‘winter in ly a vtall portion ofthe year-round potenial suusine. AFynu are uncertain about the amourt of shading on your collector or wanta snore enael signing ofthe 2un’s path, you can construct» colar aitng mast. This device les yu see the winter, fll, ard wpring sum paths. Because the summer at fase high in the sky, altiastoverhead, thissiing mask cannot project the sun's pat in summer. You wil have approximate de summer sun's path in order 1 determine ary enmamer shading. Inernetinne fr eaneirnting.a solar sting ma fre giver at ie end oF Is certon, Commercally coustructed siCig Device are availabe fous Solur Gard, Design Wovke, Ins, WO, Box 483, North Ares MA. 058 (6 esteld Solar Site Selector, 105 Rorkwiond Drive, Grass Valley, CA 25048 ($68.50 — $4 shiggings Solar Pathtenys In. SPW Highway 2, Glemwned Springs, CO HIG ($144.00). “The aunuul of slenling varies ex pow mune arcwed your site. Shay fica aeuthy obstructions such as bushes, a chimney, a roof overhang, ora protruding partaf you~ house changerconsidecabi fyou mnave several Feetwideways,or up or dows, SOLAR STCING MASK Construction UTE ANALYSIS. In pew construction, shading from yuur neighbor's house or ees can cause ‘you to position your Luildiog #0 the north side of your site. Wher: (here ison space lett1o go north, raising the collector a Yew feet is sometimes as good as moving the building nom by twice the distance. In metofitting, where you usually have a lor less flexibility, pruning and tree cating have often Leen solutions. Bur, please de aot cul down 4 100-year-ald tee (o deceoare yur shading by 9 few percentage points, “There is always some frustration afler you bave decided ta yp solar—anel are Sacer with the sometimes unvalling site. When buildiagon a compromised solar site, you can sometimes overcome obstacles by using relectors, or ou may simply have tn rely on ather renewable energy sourors and sirnng water conservation ‘__ Sites without any shading on the eulleciur area wud oplinuan ovientation re rare. Since there are few pertect salar sites, yan mus! work fa:integrale the callecto= swith the best qualities of your site, Assolorriting ash is an excellent tool fer performing a thorough shading analysis ‘and is especially helpful for evaluating questionable solar sites. The mask can be ‘onstrucied in several hows with material costs of about $5. When youre finished ‘with yon site analynis, the suask Is a great gitt for a frend. Materials 414/27 fog, 17°28" (actus measurement 3/4" 07 4/4") pine board 2.12" long, 1/2" dianeter wood dowel "x16"; 008 ram (or thicker) clear acctatc o- 1/16'" plexiglass sheet 4.twelve 1/27" pan bead] wood screws with 1/2" washers 6.29" x2" piece of cardboard Tools adil and 1/46", 1/4", ane 1/2" de bits ‘2eaahye asw oF keyhole saw 3. black searking pen A.serewdriver 5. ruler G-string (lor deawing 14 1/2 dismeter cb 7s glue 8. Sin 4/2" x11 shoes of 1/8" graph paper 8. Sim Path Charl (page 77) aud Magnetic Variation Map (page 63) “Pine booed Sate Boxer ole Plgure 4-6, We Dowsl Soler aising mowk he and ance Tanda Constructing the Base andl Handle 4. Tring a penil Hed to string, draw a 14 1/2!" diameter semi 1B x14 1/2" board. 2. Mark the point 3 1/2” fom the edge andl eqpridistant fom the sides. 3, Cut the board to form a semicircle. 4 Drill a 1/2" hole at the center point of the boas, and glise the end of the 1/2"” dowel ito this hole to make the handle. 5, Dell 1/16" holes every 2°" alony the curved edge of the semicirete as shawn, a the Drawing the Sun Paths . 4. Join six 8-1/2" x 11” sheets of graph paper to make one 22" x24" sheet, The ‘24 side should be held horizontally. 2, Find Une Sun Path Chart for the Latitude nearest your. You can determine your atiude from the Maynelle Variation Map. 3. Using a ruler, draw dhe Solar Altihute/Solar Azimuth Graph according to the dimensions in [gure 4—7. Sole alnitwde is the height of the son above the uiivon. Salar azismuth isthe cast-to-weut postion of weer. Note thatthe solar dltirude spacing varles for cach 10° interval. This is because when the sun's fdreular and overheat! paths are projected and erawaonlo a fat surface, such as the shaling mask, va¢ paths are distorted. 44. Draw the Sun Path Chart for your latitude onto the 22" x24” graph paper, The easiest way to do this is usask a doton the graph paper ou each solar azimuth etguee 3-7. Solar Aleneda/Solar ‘Aaicash Graph Hogiiog lon: Slot Aude iia Ie WP wn Se a st i ae 2 2 a s a We ca line where the curve of the sn patha eross that azinarth. Then, simply connect the dots fo fain the correct curves. Newt, add the time of day Fines. Only the portions of the sun's piths between 40° rast ani 80° went, and up lo 60" sodas altitude, can be drawa on this shading nuask. The sections atthe sun’s paths not tn the task, raostly thise in suramer, can easily be imagined to determine if shading is « problem. 5. Find your tocation on the unagnerc Variation Map, Keud fle nuunber of degrees, varlation and the dimverian—east or wert. Kenneniber that if you are east of the zero variation line, your magnetic soulh line is Zt ofthe solar south Tine; ifyou. are west ofthe zero variagion Tne, your magtete south line isright of the solar south line. Tiraw a datied vertical line crossing Whe horizon line representing, smaygaetie south for your lowalior. ‘trace the sun's paths, solar and maguolic soutl kines, time of day Tines, and horizon fine on tr the amstate from the prepared graph paper. Leave 2 1/4" between the Lonom of the acclale sheet and the horizon line. Label enc’ of the sun's pulls by snoath, salar and magaetie south, time of day Fne, horkzon Fine, and eust and wes. igures 4—8 Garg), st patha for monbens lates ASinude sogies oH " i ESS ae Bee Gy ae ay ae ZS oe ae set = BOND gay Tel (4) 28" north Jotiude Neon 0 Fos, (8) 32° north Lagde Alitade angles va Tae 9 Fr (6) 46 north latitude 1. OW OS ee egos gles Bowing 0 7 low % arden (4) 40° north Lie Alltade angles & Rem ad sual Ue Gy TS a as a urgles OE (ed 4° north fatinde 5 agen. : aN 2 rs \ . : ; iB INAS 1} ‘4 poy po Av Avi GAs > zA9 ape ee BE acs VD ate AR (0.4 poh latiude a act —| — A mal et PT orf LI. 4 4 vopeedey a Eso t at } ban Ave mH = fot ae | i mea edecan : sol Sherr Gen ‘, ye 4 a (am sal ~ ‘ / zs A Oe NYY PS Mee ht NRG, OF East Brovieg OF South, angles a Weet (62 north Inttade Weing the Solar Siting Maxk yure 4-9, Looking through sola sting rao, 7. Use the sere, washers, and cardboard to attach the finished acetate sheet to the bage. Drill 1/4" holes through the aeciate or Plexiylas sheet, that tbe enews do not erack it Place the cardhard uniler the warhers to aad rigiaity i he acetate, ‘The horizon line shoald be 1 4/2 above the top of the bare A Cut away excess acetate about 1/2" above the highest sun path io acd sins. ‘Te determine the amount of shading, sland with your back in Hine with the potential rllecter installation. Use a compass to locate magnetic south. Hold the siting snagk ea that your mye is at fhe enter of dhe semnicircle and level with te Jhnrizon line om the mask. Cle the other eye. Nowy aim the magnetic ravi Ene on the rma foward waynetie sul, Make certain yuu are holding dhe base of the mask level. Kemmernber that even small amounts of metal aear a compass can dstuth its reading, so be sure to check the cirvetion of magnetie south from several esitions, ‘View the sun's path for each morh and see when the stn will be shaded, Move to screral potential collector sites andl compare the amovat af shading [Remember that shading of up to 20% of the sun between S:00 AM. and 3:00 Fo. is ‘comin and acceptable, For farther study, sketch the view through ther nate on yyone sun path chart aud think about ir Jater.