Looking for something like a window stay - but not quite

[cl]

I'm after some adjustable stays for varying the slope (manually on an as needed basis, on a boat) of some solar panels.

I imagine them as two pieces of metal bar about 1ft long each with a friction joint of some sort in the middle (wing nut to tighten maybe) and some sort of rotating joint at each end.

Is there anything ready made that would remotely resemble this? For example a window stay might possibly provide the two bars if not the rotating ends.

Any/all ideas welcome, even if it's to say I need to make them myself. It shouldn't be too difficult with some aluminium bar or similar but if I can get something to take me some of the way that would be good.

[Huge]

The extensible pole thingies they sell in DIY sheds for paint brushes?

[Dave Liquorice]

Foot long? or are you suggesting just taking the bits of the pole and twist lock mechanisum?

adjustable stay and google produced:

ay.htm

Solid brass (good for boat/exterior) might have to think about how the stay can pass the panel. Pivoted end of bar attached to roof, the adjuster/lock on a bracket of some sort projecting from back edge of panel or on a bit of angle at the side?

[harryagain]

It will need to be able to resist wind forces so something foolproof and substantial is needed. How about a rooflight (window) opening device?

Or a standard casement window stay modified with pins with a saftey pin in

Or something like this.

Or maybe something out of an old office chair?

[Huge]

Damn, didn't notice the 1ft bit. I suppose you could cut down one of the pole thingies.

[The Other Mike]

Tweaking them for summer / winter makes some difference but not as much as you might think and as panels are now dirt cheap why not simply oversize them say

1.5x and keep them fixed and flat?

See

and plug in a few variables

Fixed slope and azimuth for example in London, a 1kW panel produces 982 kWh per annum

2 axis tracker 1260 kWh Flat (0 deg) 832 kWh Vertical (90 deg) 703 kWh

The database is reasonably accurate, certainly within +/- 10% and most of that can be seen in the variations in Met Office reported regional sunshine figures.

On a standalone PV system in service for about 10 years now the output figures have been logged and checked against the predictions and the met office sunshine figures. The panels were originally adjustable for angle but have been fixed now for at least five years, they were adjusted for maximum output around solar noon on a sunny day sometime in iirc April, just because that was a day when I had a spanner to hand So too steep for summer, too shallow for winter, output is perfectly acceptable.

Since then a few Chinese produced panels bought off Ebay have been fitted totally flat in another installation. Apart from problems with the extended snow cover this past winter / spring they work just fine. Just size them correctly for the midwinter load and irradiation

[cl]

Yes, that's getting to the right sort of place, thanks. I can dig arouns 'adjustable stay' and things like that.

[cl]

Yes, I know, but the boat points in different directions according to where it's moored so the panels need to be pointed accordingly. I'm not aiming for optimum power, just a bit better than horizontal. In addition they will get rinsed better with a slope on them.