Hi all,

 

Need some help with this please. I suspect I am not getting the output from my 12x 340W solar panels that I am supposed to get. How can I check/test this?

Is it correct in assuming when sun is direct on the panels I should get anything in the range of 12x340w = 4080w output? If this is the case I am NOT getting this as it is rarely over 2.5kw. 

So, how can i test my panels? Is there an interface somewhere on the inverter where it says "yes I am getting input from 12 panels" or DO I have to get up there and use a meter to test them?

They are not dirty, but tbh I've not gone up there and wiped them down in the last 6 months.

 

Thanks!

The panel output will match your load, ie. the panels will not provide more than what you're drawing from the inverter. If you can see that you're for example drawing from battery or grid during this time, then yes, your panels are not providing what they should.

Tanks Pi,

I'm not sure I understand that? I have attached screenshot of WatchPower app. In screenshot I'm drawing from panels. Which value am I looking for in the screenshot to compare?

 

 

Watch_power_2023_02.jfif

Based on the image, it appears you're drawing nothing from the grid (first 2 lines). You're using 322W from PV1 and 2A from your battery to provide 390W of usage. The 322W from PV1 seems low to me, but maybe the sun is not directly on your panels in that image, or shadows are interfering? Also drawing 2A from your battery at that time of day would mean that your battery won't be fully charged by the evening. But then again it could be a horrible solar day there with clouds and rain? What hardware (inverter, battery) do you have? Are the 12 panels in one string?

On 2023/02/27 at 4:00 PM, p_i said:

Based on the image, it appears you're drawing nothing from the grid (first 2 lines). You're using 322W from PV1 and 2A from your battery to provide 390W of usage. The 322W from PV1 seems low to me, but maybe the sun is not directly on your panels in that image, or shadows are interfering? Also drawing 2A from your battery at that time of day would mean that your battery won't be fully charged by the evening. But then again it could be a horrible solar day there with clouds and rain? What hardware (inverter, battery) do you have? Are the 12 panels in one string?

Thanks @p_i your breakdown really helped. I suspect I am not getting enough from PV as batteries are never charged enough at the end of the day.

I just took another screenshot, full sun on panels: PV1 input power is 1727 Watt, Battery Discharge current was 0. And Output active power was  252.3 V.

I have a 5KW inverter and 12x340W panels, with 2x 2.4kw and 1x 4.8kw battery. 

What PV1 Input should I expect to get with this setup?

Thanks

Francois

I think you need to tell us what inverter and batteries you have, and be prepared for questions about settings on the inverter.

In general, the inverter will not draw more PV than it needs. My system only maxes out the panels when it is charging the batteries, and then if PV > (loads + allowable charge power + self consumption) then it will still derate the panels. So if (stupid example) I have set my charge current to 1A, the inverter will not chuck more than 50W at the batteries and so will start derating at (loads + selfconsumption + 50W)

What's also important is how your solar panels are wired. Do you have one string of 12 panels, or 2 strings of 6 panels each? Which panels (brand, model) do you have, since that will tell us what the operating parameters of the panels are. But as Bobster as mentioned already, we need to know how everything is configured.

Thanks @Bobster. and @p_iI have a dump of settings, lemme grab that and the panel details.

Ok please see details:

-12 x 340W Solar Panels placed in 3 rows of 4 panels each row.
- Kodak 5KW OG-Plus 5.48
- 2 x 2.4kw shoto SDA10-4850 Lithium-ion battery
- 1 x 4.8KW Im struggling to see more details. Looks like it was bought from https://lithiumbatteriessa.co.za/

MyCurrentSetup:
- Setting 01 ////SBU
- Setting 02//// 40 A.
- Setting 05 ////USE
- Setting 09 //// 50hz
- setting 10 ////230v
- Setting 11 ////10 A.
- Settings 12 //// 47v
- Setting 13 //// 50v (back to utility and back to battery)
- Setting 16:///// CSO
- Setting 26 //// 56.0 V.
- Setting 27 (float voltage)//// 53.2 V
- Setting 29 /// 46v

 

Once again thanks for helping out! I am learning a lot!

Edited March 1, 20233 yr by TheFran42

1 hour ago, TheFran42 said:

-12 x 340W Solar Panels placed in 3 rows of 4 panels each row.
- Kodak 5KW OG-Plus 5.48

I think you need to review your panel layout. If it's the high volt 450V 18A MPPT version, then 2 strings of 6 in series, placed in parallel should be better. Less clipping of current probably.

On 2023/03/01 at 2:11 PM, GreenFields said:

I think you need to review your panel layout. If it's the high volt 450V 18A MPPT version, then 2 strings of 6 in series, placed in parallel should be better. Less clipping of current probably.

 

Edited March 17, 20233 yr by Scorp007