Placing a stake in the ground to face a certain direction

When deploying solar panels, it is important to ensure that one of the flat faces of the stake that will support the solar panel is facing due south (opposite of true north) in the northern hemisphere or due north (true north) in the southern hemisphere. To check the orientation of the stake is due south in the northern hemisphere, hold a compass clinometer horizontal along the flat face of the stake and check that the face is pointing true south, i.e. not necessarily the direction that the south compass needle points, but the opposite of true north. The same principle can be applied in the southern hemisphere to ensure the stake is facing true north.

Step 1

Place compass clinometer horizontal along a flat face of the stake:

Step 2

Check that the stake is facing true south. Note that this view will be different depending on which method you use to set the declination on the compass (see finding true north with a compass). In this example below, the declination is 20° west, or -20°:

Declination set by using the adjusting screw

Rotate the compass ring so that the magnetic needle and the orienting arrow line up. The positions on the ring show the true directions. True north is pointing into the stake, so this face of the stake is facing true south, which is what we want in the northern hemisphere. If this is not the case, adjust the stake slightly by rotating it and try again.

Declination NOT set using the adjusting screw

Start by rotating the compass ring so that the magnetic needle and orienting arrow are lined up when your compass is held on the face of the stake.

Rotate the compass ring 20 degrees clockwise (for a 20° west, or -20° declination) so that the so that the south needle is pointing towards 20° west declination. The orienting arrow is now pointing towards true north. True North is pointing into the stake, meaning that the stake is facing south. If this is not the case, adjust the stake slightly by rotating it and try again.

Using a GPS

See Using a GPS for information on finding north with a GPS. Position the GPS to point in the direction that the stake is facing, the GPS compass will tell you which direction the stake is facing.