Tip RE: running appliances on solar

anon_ymous

The "Zuhr prayer time" is a prayer done when the sun is at it's highest. Whilst this in itself isn't what we necessarily need for solar. It often is roughly the time when the panels really start producing energy

If you've got batteries, I reckon you could get away with using the Zuhr prayer time, and run an appliance maybe an hour before 

If not, I reckon it's a decent indicator of when it's the best time to use that energy. It's obviously not perfect but it's helped me work out when I should put my dishwasher on, a couple of days ahead. 

It wouldn't be useful in a country with days that stay mostly the same too like in my parent's country , as you'd always just "know" but in the UK, our days get longer and shorter days depending on the time of year

Noon isn't necessarily truly "noon" when you consider the time difference between sunrise and sunset for instance.

Also fwiw, my panels face "west" 

tacpot12

If it works for you, it might well work for other Muslims. 

anon_ymous

tacpot12 said:

If it works for you, it might well work for other Muslims. 

I don't think you have to be Muslim to know that time = the highest point of the sun

Useful information RE: solar PV generation 

ispookie666

Nicr idea.  
There are variables that you would have to consider, the bug one being the orientation of panels unless it's split array. Weather forecast etc. 

Ectophile

My panels are slightly east of south.  So if I leave it until the sun is highest in the sky to turn on a heavy usage appliance, I have probably missed my chance.

But midday on the clock is probably about right, since all our clocks are now an hour fast, thanks to BST.

anon_ymous

Ectophile said:

My panels are slightly east of south.  So if I leave it until the sun is highest in the sky to turn on a heavy usage appliance, I have probably missed my chance.

But midday on the clock is probably about right, since all our clocks are now an hour fast, thanks to BST.

This is fair. I think my tip only works for panels facing the same orientation

The six additional that I'm getting will forcibly face south however. So my own tip won't work fully for me but it does mean that if I get an air to air heat pump, I can run AC