I stay in Cape Town and want to position the 6 panels each on my 2 strings to get optimal performance. They are on a flat roof
I which direction should they be facing and at what pitch installed?

Edited June 5, 20251 yr by AndreGreyling

Install 6 panels in direction 45 degrees, pitch 30 degrees. Install the other 6 panels in direction 315 degrees also at pitch 30 degrees.

If you decide to install 6 panels NE and 6 panels NW as suggested by @frivan ensure that each string of 6 panels is connected to separate Mppt's to avoid mismatch losses.

Also on a flat roof at 30 degree tilt i will use Bifacial solar panels to capture reflected light from the roof,clouds and walls which can help in morning, late afternoon, or overcast days.

22 hours ago, TaliaB said:

If you decide to install 6 panels NE and 6 panels NW as suggested by @frivan ensure that each string of 6 panels is connected to separate Mppt's to avoid mismatch losses.

Also on a flat roof at 30 degree tilt i will use Bifacial solar panels to capture reflected light from the roof,clouds and walls which can help in morning, late afternoon, or overcast days.

Thanks
If I pitch the panels north on a flat roof what degrees is best for winter in Cape Town?

41 minutes ago, AndreGreyling said:

Thanks
If I pitch the panels north on a flat roof what degrees is best for winter in Cape Town?

Cape Town Latitude: Approximately 34 deg South. Best Tilt Angle for Winter (North-facing panels in Cape Town) Winter-optimal tilt = latitude + 10 deg to 15 deg So: 34 deg + 10 deg to 15 deg = 44 deg to 49 deg.

Use a PV calculator, such as https://pvgis.com/en

You can then play "what if" scenarios in terms of pitch angle AND azimuth, and see the difference of these for summer or winter optimisation (quite large differences...).

Good luck with your design and PV system 🙂

14 minutes ago, TaliaB said:

Cape Town Latitude: Approximately 34 deg South. Best Tilt Angle for Winter (North-facing panels in Cape Town) Winter-optimal tilt = latitude + 10 deg to 15 deg So: 34 deg + 10 deg to 15 deg = 44 deg to 49 deg.

Thanks for info!

1 minute ago, HennieL said:

Use a PV calculator, such as https://pvgis.com/en

You can then play "what if" scenarios in terms of pitch angle AND azimuth, and see the difference of these for summer or winter optimisation (quite large differences...).

Good luck with your design and PV system 🙂

Thanks Hennie!

Of course, it's not just pitch angle and azimuth - even more important is to ensure the panels are never exposed to shadows from surrounding trees, buildings, etc.

1 minute ago, AndreGreyling said:

Thanks Hennie!

Plesier Andre.

23 minutes ago, AndreGreyling said:

Thanks for info!

24 minutes ago, HennieL said:

You can then play "what if" scenarios in terms of pitch angle AND azimuth, and see the difference of these for summer or winter optimisation (quite large differences...).

30 deg year-round average

34 deg Latitude (annual optimum) Balanced yearly performance

45–50 deg winter-focused maximizes winter yield, reduces summer peak slightly

15–20 deg summer-focused more energy in summer, less in winter