Printable Solar Assessment Tool: Part 2

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With the Printable Sun Finder assembled, it is now time to learn how to use it. We’ll start out by learning how to correctly orient it. This is an important step. If the Sun Finder isn’t set up correctly, it is effectively useless.

To do this, you will need:

The Magnetic Declination for your area
A Map Compass
A Short Level

Magnetic Declination

Your magnetic declination can be found at the following link… http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/geomagmodels/Declination.jsp

According to the above site, the magnetic declination where I live is  9° 52′ W. If you don’t already know, 9° 52′ is read as 9 degrees 52 arc minutes. This is not the same 9.52 degrees like you might have thought. The magnetic declination at the above site is written in degrees, minutes, and seconds.

To switch to decimal degrees, which is what your compass probably uses, you can use the calculator on this site. (Scroll Down at the link to see where the calculator is.) http://id.mind.net/~zona/mmts/trigonometryRealms/degMinSec/degMinSec.htm

Map Compass and Short Level

You will also need a map compass and a level.

Orienting the Sun Finder

Now that you have everything, it is time to orient the Sun Finder.

First, Find a Level Surface

In order for the Sun Finder to be accurate, it must be set on a level surface. This can be tricky if you’re setting it up outside on uneven ground. You may want to make a small table of sorts, and set it up so that it is as level as possible. Then, just set the Sun Pointer on top, and everything should be good.

Aligning the Sun Pointer with Geographic North/South

The next thing that you will need to do is align the Sun Finder so that it runs parallel with true north and south.

To do this, hold the edge of the compass against the Sun Finder’s base like you see in the picture below. Notice how I removed the protractor portion of the Sun Finder. I did this to keep the metal bolt and nut far away from the magnetic needle.

Next, turn both the compass and the Sun Pointer’s base until the compass needle points toward your magnetic declination. For example, the magnetic declination for my area is about 10 degrees west. All I have to do is rotate everything until the compass needle points at 10 degrees west like you see in the picture below.

The Sun Pointer is now correctly oriented. To help hold it in place, you can push a push pin into the block of wood to keep it from turning.

The next step is to finally start using the Sun Finder to predict the location of the sun. Click “Next” to continue.

Home >> Solar Projects >> Printable Solar Assessment Tool >> Part 2 >> Part 3

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