Tilting Solar panels makes a big difference!

MrWizard wrote:
i run the generator for breakfast and morning charge routine
i figure 200w will maintain charge status and power my laptop,
so the batteries are still charged come evening
just run genny for supper

Tilting is important, but the real money is in being able to twirl the tilted panels during the day to be more aimed at the sun. This is really easy to do. As you go about your business back and forth during the day, passing by the solar set, you just give it a little twirl.

It varies a lot, but the figures I got from my 130w panel in May at 49N when I tested for daily AH haul:
Flat- 56AH
Tilted pointing South all day- 70AH
Tilted and Twirled three times a day- 90AH

You can scale up from 130 to 200 to get the figures for 200.

(Those figures were for solar on batteries with a load on them to keep their voltage from rising so the test would be consistent. For actual battery charging, you would get a lower daily haul. More AH in the morning and less in the afternoon if it is sunny all day)

You can get a few more AH by twirling it more often. I twirled back to SE in the evening so it would be already aimed for the next morning, then South for mid-day, then SW mid afternoon.

I eventually made a contraption to hold the panel(s) but some guys just prop it against a folding chair. You can stake one end and use a bungee or whatever and rotate from the stake. You can use a swivel chair with the panel in the chair. Anything that works. It is really worth it as you can see from the above figures.

It is especially useful when it is say, overcast in the morning and it clears by lunchtime. Being aimed in the afternoon gets you full advantage of what sun there is that day.