So now I have a solar PV system how do I make the most of it???

sly_dog_jonah

John_Pierpoint wrote: »

E – tot..........15kWh [Probably the two and a half day’s generation so far]

Correct

P/N...............- 3G97 – [Presumably Part Number ?]

Seems reasonable

Ppk ...............3468 W [Could this be the highest throughput rate to date?]

Indeed, you must have had some good sun at the optimal time of day for your orientation.

Ppk.day..........2525.W [Could this be the highest throughput rate today so far?]

Yep pk is abbreviate for peak.

Vgrid Avg......249 [An average figure over some period of time ?]

Vgrid Avg = Yep, Average output grid AC voltage.

I grid...............1.5A [Is that an output figure?]

I grid = Current Output to the grid. (Multiply it by 240V to get Power output to the grid in Watts: Pout)

Otherwise your answers all look reasonable. The manual probably explains all this if we're both wrong.

EricMears

sly_dog_jonah wrote: »

The peak power would be proportional to the size of each array, and would max out at under 50% of the total capacity as a rough rule of thumb on a perfectly clear sunny day (because the sun can only shine directly on one orientation of panels at a time).

Also of course, light path from Sun to your roof is more absorbant early & late in day when it's effectively going through more air than it does at noon when sun is nearest to being perpendicular. That's a very similar argument to why sun's rays are stronger in June (when Sun overhead at 23 deg N) than they are in Dec (when Sun overhead at 23 deg S).

John_Pierpoint

Martyn1981 wrote: »

Might be useful to get (if you don't already) a monitor that relays the TGM input, so you have a real time idea of what you are generating, which will help you decide whether to run a heavy load or not.

Mart.

I have arranged to have my white post card sized meters one above the other. They are the modern electronic ones with a red light that flashes every time a watt goes through them in the correct direction. and they are in my hall.

If I am exporting electricity the company meter is on permanent red

If my inverter has given up the struggle with the UK gloom then the red light on my generation meter will be constant.
If I am using a mixture of home grown and company electricity, then both meters will flash.
If they both flash at the same rate presumably I am using half DIY and half bought in.

I am trying to get to the stage of matching wattage to the speed of flashing, like in the old days trains had no speedometers, but the drivers knew the speed from the rhythm of the clatter as the wheels went over the joins in the railway track.

How nerdy is that?:D

I think it will soon be time for bed it has taken 50 seconds for the inverter to flash a watt on my generation meter;)

Martyn1981

gary_e wrote: »

I am being offered free panels but my roof faces west and east. What benefit would I get? I have heard that the panels need to face south, is someone just getting trying to get me to say yes just to hit his targets?

Please advise

Gary, interesting scenario this one. You are right that South is best, but East and West are nearly 80% as good. So a RentaRoof (RaR) company would normally go South first.

However, if they are aiming to get the higher FITs rate before it is halved, then they should, I suppose, grab any install that is 50% or more of South!

If you are interested and can raise the money yourself, then have a think. If not, and you are happy to have a third party with leasing rights on your roof for 25 years, then also have a think about a 'free' system.

E&W install will give you a nice long generation, so makes it easier for you to make use of it. However, as pointed out by others, you'll not see as big a peak during the day. E.g. a 4kWp system on due south could hit 3kW to 3.5kW for many hours on a good day. A 4kWp system, spread 2E and 2W, will only hit, at best, around / just over 2kW when strong sun on one side, and the other benefiting from daylight (not direct light).

So longer but lower generation, which may not cover the whole demand from a large appliance, but would contribute to consumption for most of the day.

Summary, nothing wrong with the system. But think about whether you're happy to go down the RaR road. Lots of people will be able to advise on that.

Last question, are you staying put for 5 / 10 years or more? If not think how a RaR install may effect the sale.

Mart.

Martyn1981

Brian99 wrote: »

Sorry.... this really confused me so I googled MPPT and it seems to be MAXIMUM power point tracking, for one string.

So an E-W roof will need a DUAL MPPT inverter.

Does this make sense ?

Brian, total sense. Hands up you got me. Does the defence, I was rushing and not proof reading properly count!

Glad somebody is checking what I say.

Mart.

John_Pierpoint

sly_dog_jonah wrote: »

Correct

The manual probably explains all this if we're both wrong.

No it doesn't, unless it is hidden in the 95% of the pages that are written in a language other than English.:whistle:

Tomorrow's task is to try to understand what the desk top monitor thing is capable of telling me.:think:

grahamc2003

What struck me John is that we both must have got commissioned on the same day Tues this week?

Interesting info - you can see the efficiency of your inverter, assuming all the values relate to the same instant (which of course they don't, but maybe close enough). Looks like you have two lots of 233v at 1.4A dc, making 652W DC into the inverter, and 556W AC out, which is 85% efficient, and leaving about 100W heating to combat your mould.

My total so far atm is 4.7kWh (4 days!), with .71kWh today, and currently 32W. I'm thinking of moving to Essex!.

kidsathart

This is just Simple
Look at your Meter (The EB one not your Solar one) if it is at a standstill then you are not using all your solar power, get it as slow as possible (one thing Here Some older meters actually go backwards) they should not do this but if they do then it makes no difference when you use your solar just dont report it going backwards as this is a great advantage. One day it will get changed by Power Networks or your suppier but for now
Make Hay while the Sun Shines...

One Last Point Here
If you are thinking of PV and not done so Pay The Extra for good quality panels. They will give you more backin the long run.
I have Sanyo HIT and have developed 360,000 wats in just Two Winter Months 11th Dec - 11 Feb

Martyn1981

John_Pierpoint wrote: »

I have arranged to have my white post card sized meters one above the other. They are the modern electronic ones with a red light that flashes every time a watt goes through them in the correct direction. and they are in my hall.

If I am exporting electricity the company meter is on permanent red

If my inverter has given up the struggle with the UK gloom then the red light on my generation meter will be constant.
If I am using a mixture of home grown and company electricity, then both meters will flash.
If they both flash at the same rate presumably I am using half DIY and half bought in.

I am trying to get to the stage of matching wattage to the speed of flashing, like in the old days trains had no speedometers, but the drivers knew the speed from the rhythm of the clatter as the wheels went over the joins in the railway track.

How nerdy is that?:D

I think it will soon be time for bed it has taken 50 seconds for the inverter to flash a watt on my generation meter;)

John, thanks, finally someone worse than me!

Regarding flashing, I'm a big fan, oh er missus. I've got an Optismart (by CurrentCost) which sits over the TGM flasher (don't worry, you can still see the flashes). Other makes are available.

This counts the gap between flashes (I think) and relays it to an appropriate energy monitor. This gives you a real time readout of what the TGM is recording, therefore what you are generating. Not an estimate, what the TGM is recording. Very useful.

Slight downside, you have to check their web-site to see if your meter is suitable. Won't work (probably won't work) on the import meter, as the solid red (exporting) confuses it.

Several people have mentioned, like you, that their TGM has solid RED when not generating, so this might be a no no too!

Mart.

PS, it just flashed while you were reading this, concentrate man, concentrate!

grahamc2003

John_Pierpoint wrote: »

I think it will soon be time for bed it has taken 50 seconds for the inverter to flash a watt on my generation meter;)

If yours takes 50s to generate 1wh, the average power over that time is 60x60/50, which is 72W. I take it you're not in Essex then?