ZaOracle

I have two strings of 5 x 550w JA Solar panels . My question is this, can I add two more panels to the one string or do the strings have to be equal, meaning six in each ? Also does the orientation need to be the same ? Both strings face 15 deg N (my prev post I said NW but I subsequently installed compass app on phone) , so could I add the additional two panels mounted against a close by parapet wall which faces 62 deg N (more direct facing to the early morning sun) ? Finally what should be used to clean the panels and how often ? I noticed quite of dust caking the surface.

I have Sunsynk 5 Kw inverter with 10 x 550w JA Solar panels (2 strings of 5) and 5.5 kwh Hubble AM2 producing power for 4 days. 1. I had read when I was considering systems that the best you can expect from your panels is 80% of their rating. I have not seen close to that. 5500w at 80% = 4400w . The most I have seen is =-3200w during "mid-day hours". I understand the Sunsynk only takes from the panels what is needed and therefore have created load of between 4500w and 5000w but still only 3200w from panels. It has been clear sky's. Both strings mounted at 26% inclination facing north west so get good sun. This week (mid winter) the panels 'work" between 10h00 and 16h00. Out of these hours just a couple of hundred watts. The question is, is there something that needs to be tweaked ? I asked the installer as he was demonstrating the system working (before I had noticed the above point) what he would suggest to optimise the system, considering from a return on investment perspective, adding more panels or increasing the battery capacity. He said "maybe another 3 or 4 panels". From a cash outlay point the panels would be 4 X R 2500 - R 10 000 vs another AM2 - R 25 000 2. My next question is why cant you mix battery brands ? I would have thought if the battery's are both type Lithium or LifePO4 the brand should not matter . 3. The pricing of battery's seems to suggest a price fixing environment. Considering like with like I would have thought battery's from the east would have a lower entry price point than the local equivalent. Sunsynk or Dye vs Hubble ?? pricing is the same. Also considering a bigger battery doesnt lower the price of 1 Kw storage capacity. My analogy, If i go to Checkers and I compare 2.5kg Hueletts sugar to the 1 kg Hueletts , the 2.5 Kg pack works out some 13% cheaper per kg. So why not for battery's ? Point 3 is not really a question but just an opinion so I dont really expect an answer.