PV panels at different azimuth angles

[thooker]

I have a system that I inherited when I purchased the site, and there are multiple panels in two groups, 'mostly' facing south (they may be a few degrees east of south).  I have about 2kw of PV.  I get good charging when the sun comes up through about 1PM, but is mostly done by 3PM.  There is still a lot of light after 3 PM.  (I also inherited some shading effects, which I can not change at this time). 

I am considering taking a group of panels (that are physically by themselves,~750 watts worth) and rotating them so they are pointing west of south.  These panels  would not have any shading on them after about 2PM, and would have light on them until the sun went down past the horizon.

I am curious, has anybody done anything like this?  I would like to know about things like:  do the panels which do not have direct light pose much of a load on the panels which are providing power?  Will steering diodes between the two groups of panels be required?  Even though there is plenty of light from 3PM to sunset, is the intensity still ~1000 w/m2, or does that decrease rapidly as sunset approaches?

I am having trouble analyzing the effects of this proposed change.

Tracy

[mike90045]

I believe most of the MPPT controllers do pretty well with this idea.  Some call it Virtual Tracking.    no extra anything needed, no steering diodes.

Just insure that each "array" is complete, all panels in a series string, must be at the same orientation.  Shade on even a small portion of a string will likely knock that entire string off, till the shade clears.

(I also inherited some shading effects, which I can not change at this time). 

That's tough.