Renewables: "talking 'bout my generation"

John_Pierpoint

That is interesting , you and I have the "same" inverter but my one has the full contingent of panels stuffed onto the roof:

717088 is its serial number &
C.0.2.2. is its firmware release.

Having just rested my hand on its top and fins - I think I will be the first to explain the symptoms when it burns out.:eek:

Kernel_Sanders

EricMears wrote: »

11 deg will always be 'sub-optimal'. Optimal on Summer Solstice day would be approx. 30 deg

As you know, my system usually yields slightly more than yours most of the year despite the similar latitude/weather and 80Wp lower capacity. If my 23° pitch is still the nearer to the optimum in June, then I was wondering why your system is beating mine this month. Is it simply that the pitch advantage at this time of year is so slight that it is insufficient to offset my lower capacity?

legoman62 wrote: »

Great until 15.30 generating 3kWh+ then cold with low cloud and dropped to 1kWh for the rest of the day.

Usually people have to be pulled up for using kW when they mean kWh; this is the first example I have seen where the reverse is true!
Legoman, if you mean that you were producing 3kWh per hour, then that is not incorrect; however, it is the same as averaging 3kW (for any length of time).

EricMears

Kernel_Sanders wrote: »

As you know, my system usually yields slightly more than yours most of the year despite the similar latitude/weather and 80Wp lower capacity. If my 23° pitch is still the nearer to the optimum in June, then I was wondering why your system is beating mine this month. Is it simply that the pitch advantage at this time of year is so slight that it is insufficient to offset my lower capacity?

I'm sure it will be far simpler than that. Suspect we'll have had a couple of days which were very clear directly overhead but with a small patch of cloud off to the East of me.

Will rethink when same thing has happened three years in a row,

Martyn1981

KevinG wrote: »

Wow. I don't think I'll ever get 7 now, have only got over 6.5 once. I'd probably do it if I didn't have a not very good slightly under-rated inverter.

Hiya Kevin, hope I'm not being too rude, or intrusive, but this post (and a later one) sent me off on some research.

I see what you mean about the inverter, that's a sneaky title '2000' when it's max DC is 1670 and max AC 1575 (as you said). Efficiency isn't bad at 94.4% but not great.

Have you thought about upgrading? I looked up SMA2100TL and Aurora PowerOne Uno 2.0 but both expensive. Then looked up the Samil range, that I've heard a few good comments about. Found the Solar River 2300TL which can cope with 2300W (AC/DC) and has an Euro efficiency of 96.2%. Price I found retail was £455 +VAT (but I don't know what rate applies).

Anyways, trying to estimate losses gave me a headache, so simply assumed loss of approx 200W (2000@90% v's 1575) for 10 hours a day, 6 better months of the year, then halved for bad days, clouds etc. No idea if this is even sensible, but that gives 180kWh's pa, also add on another 30 units for extra 1.8% efficiency (times 1,800???) = 210 units pa, so over £100.

Plus you'd probably get a few quid on E-bay for the old inverter.

Is it worth thinking about? Or maybe just wait till the XS dies of natural causes!

Mart.

Kernel_Sanders

Martyn1981 wrote: »

No idea if this is even sensible, but that gives 180kWh's pa, also add on another 30 units for extra 1.8% efficiency (times 1,800???) = 210 units pa, so over £100.

Plus you'd probably get a few quid on E-bay for the old inverter.

Is it worth thinking about? Or maybe just wait till the XS dies of natural causes!

Probably the last suggestion would be best after factoring in what a Part P electrician would charge for replacing said unit.

KevinG

Martyn1981 wrote: »

Is it worth thinking about? Or maybe just wait till the XS dies of natural causes!

Hi Mart,

Worth thinking about, yes, but the payback would be pretty dodgy and I was thinking I would probably wait until the current one died (if it ever does!). Despite the output limitation, I do pretty much hit my SAF PVGIS estimate for a 2kWp system so there's probably not much in it. Watching my monitor downstairs there are probably about 3 or 4 hours a day when the output is actually being clipped, rather than 10.

There are so many different things I would have done differently with my installation if I could turn the clock back!

EricMears

Big drop today; only 9.2 kWh (eeh we used to dream of 9kWh in December !)

If Metfolk are to be believed tomorrow may be better (if not tomorrow may be worse).

jimjames

Over 20 kWh again today.

As an update to previously , in 2012 we only had 4 days above 20kWh. In 2013 we have already had 8 days above that and still nearly 3 weeks till longest day.

shafeeq

5.72 kwh or 1.90 O's today. .. was a big drop

Oscargrouch

EricMears wrote: »

Big drop today; only 9.2 kWh (eeh we used to dream of 9kWh in December !)

If Metfolk are to be believed tomorrow may be better (if not tomorrow may be worse).

Tomorrow will be a really good day, have faith Eric in the forecast; you never know, you may surpass my result in O's.

shafeeq wrote: »

5.72 kwh or 1.90 O's today. .. was a big drop

I think I would edit the 'big' to a 'life changing LARGE'....;)

Average for June for me in the last 5 days was 5.06 O's.......thanks due to todays sad....3.52 O's. But the Morrow is a new day....