Bad days for Solar Production.

[nc73]

But first I need to remove at least 10 x 60+ ft tall trees.

You are obsessed lol. I am happy to pay the man when it's cloudy out or the trees are in the way. I would have to buy all my neighbors property to clear all the trees.

 

[B-Mod]

You are obsessed lol. I am happy to pay the man when it's cloudy out or the trees are in the way. I would have to buy all my neighbors property to clear all the trees.

One can only dream of no trees in the way of the array........

 

[timselectric]

You are obsessed lol. I am happy to pay the man when it's cloudy out or the trees are in the way. I would have to buy all my neighbors property to clear all the trees.

I have to clear my trees. In order to place panels where the sun isn't blocked by trees that aren't mine.
And yes, I am obsessed with being completely self reliant for my electrical needs. As far as obsessions go, I don't think that it is a bad one.
I've been this way my entire life. Once I lock on to an idea. I have no choice but to see it through.

 

[B-Mod]

I have to clear my trees. In order to place panels where the sun isn't blocked by trees that aren't mine.
And yes, I am obsessed with being completely self reliant for my electrical needs. As far as obsessions go, I don't think that it is a bad one.
I've been this way my entire life. Once I lock on to an idea. I have no choice but to see it through.

Question...... How many half finished projects, or finished just enough projects do you have? That is my problem.

 

[timselectric]

Question...... How many half finished projects, or finished just enough projects do you have? That is my problem.

Several
They tend to lose momentum if I don't push myself through.

 

[42OhmsPA]

Question...... How many half finished projects, or finished just enough projects do you have? That is my problem.

The story of my life. Days just aren't long enough..

 

[Oldphile]

Trees. 70' trees blocking my solar production for 4 months. I'm down to 1/3 production on the best day.

 

[JRH]

UPDATE.. Only 7 more days and the days get longer…@ 2-3 mins each day..
I need it ..the trees are slowly devouring my sunlight to nothing…

 

[Zwy]

One last sunny day, made 208kw. House and shop are heated to 80 degrees, lol.

Ran the house up to 78F today, it's like a sauna. Had heat pump and 2 electric resistance heaters going all day. Couldn't use it all, only went thru 46Kwh, previous days have been around 55Kwh but finally hit full charge early today.

Need more battery plus thermal storage for a dump load. Plus, I'll be adding another 4.44Kw of panels next summer by the house and tap into the LV6548 MPPT's that aren't doing anything.

 

[Zwy]

But first I need to remove at least 10 x 60+ ft tall trees.

I took down 23 ash so far, have 3 more big ash left plus another 6 medium sized ash back in the grove. Bought a Stihl 426 saw with a 25 inch bar to handle these big bastards. I ran out of room to pile all the wood so the next 3 will come down next year after I get some of this split and stacked.

Cut 8 ash down at my son's recently purchased acreage early November on one weekend. Had to cable and pull each one as they were close to the house. I spent all weekend on the saws, only stopping for gas, bar oil and changing chains. I was one sore SOB at the end of that. Biggest was about 4.5 feet in diameter.

It's a wood cutter's paradise with all the emerald ash borer trees out here. You see piles of logs everywhere in fields waiting to get lit.

 

[Nobodybusiness]

I took down 23 ash so far, have 3 more big ash left plus another 6 medium sized ash back in the grove. Bought a Stihl 426 saw with a 25 inch bar to handle these big bastards. I ran out of room to pile all the wood so the next 3 will come down next year after I get some of this split and stacked.

Cut 8 ash down at my son's recently purchased acreage early November on one weekend. Had to cable and pull each one as they were close to the house. I spent all weekend on the saws, only stopping for gas, bar oil and changing chains. I was one sore SOB at the end of that. Biggest was about 4.5 feet in diameter.

It's a wood cutter's paradise with all the emerald ash borer trees out here. You see piles of logs everywhere in fields waiting to get lit.

We got these big old loblolly pines. 80ft tall no branches.

Great for lumber.

Pain in the ass for solar production.

 

[JRH]

Ran the house up to 78F today, it's like a sauna. Had heat pump and 2 electric resistance heaters going all day. Couldn't use it all, only went thru 46Kwh, previous days have been around 55Kwh but finally hit full charge early today.

Need more battery plus thermal storage for a dump load. Plus, I'll be adding another 4.44Kw of panels next summer by the house and tap into the LV6548 MPPT's that aren't doing anything.

Daa-amn…..!!

 

[Eber]

I have to clear my trees. In order to place panels where the sun isn't blocked by trees that aren't mine.
And yes, I am obsessed with being completely self reliant for my electrical needs. As far as obsessions go, I don't think that it is a bad one.
I've been this way my entire life. Once I lock on to an idea. I have no choice but to see it through.

Self reliant electrical is my goal too. I have looked at other options for power.

Heat is my big power consumer.I do have wood and coal backup. I dont like that plan.
I dont think coal would be available in a big grid outage and while i do have an electric chain saw, I do not have an electric tractor to pull the wood off the mountain.

If there were ever a big grid failure, I get the funny feeling it would not be in an March to October time frame.

I recently looked at steam, but it seems pointless because my only problem is heat, so why not heat the house with the wood instead of making steam.
I am getting a bit old for doing wood. Which is why I switched to the heat pump.
Micro hydro is a possibility. The stream by my home runs best in winter. Micro hydro has it own set of problems I learned.

I think we have had up to 3 weeks with crappy sun here in PA last year. That kind of makes it hard for me to justify a lot of batteries. 3 weeks of crappy sun make it hard to charge all those batteries.
The only other option would be to put in enough panels to charge and run everything on cloudy days.
In other words, more than double my array. Time to play the lottery.

 

[timselectric]

The good thing is that panels are the cheapest part of a system.
As long as you have the space to put them up.

 

[schmism]

and this is why it doesnt matter how much battery/solar you have if your off grid. your going to need a generator

 

[SparkyJJO]

It is cloudy and spitting snow today.

Not going to get much.

 

[Zwy]

and this is why it doesnt matter how much battery/solar you have if your off grid. your going to need a generator

Had that last few days, I had 0Kwh charging Sat and Sunday. Friday was 2.2Kwh. Heat pump has been off since Friday morning.

Hit 11% this morning and expected to see switch to grid power but the sun came up and by 8 am I was already charging batteries. Wife is doing laundry and running dishwasher after lunch, I turned on the heat pump. Battery is at 63% and tomorrow looks to be more clouds but I'm sure we will hit 100% or above 90% tomorrow. I could get SOC higher today but then if tomorrow is a good day, it hits full charge and I don't have enough loads to use it.

I need about one more battery and I'll cover about 98% or more for what we use with good management. Already close to 35Kwh generated today. With the extra 4.4Kw of panels coming online next year, I'll need another battery to help use that power.

You are dealing with that dang low pressure system we had since Friday. One thing that would work last 2 days has been wind. I sometimes wonder if one had just 300W charging on times like this for 24 hours if it would help out. Then lock it down until one hits bad days of sun. Would last longer, less trouble.

 

[JRH]

UPDATE :… only 3 more days ..and the ENTIRE EARTH will start tilting back again ..

in the mean time , it’s 14F ….6” snow tonite..wind is about 20 to 40, heavy clouds and im really raking in the watts..( see pic)

 

[SparkyJJO]

I just wandered downstairs and saw that the I have managed to pull in a bit over 9kWh today. I guess when the sun came out a few times it came out with some good intensity.

 

[Oldtimmer69]

I took down 23 ash so far, have 3 more big ash left plus another 6 medium sized ash back in the grove. Bought a Stihl 426 saw with a 25 inch bar to handle these big bastards. I ran out of room to pile all the wood so the next 3 will come down next year after I get some of this split and stacked.

Cut 8 ash down at my son's recently purchased acreage early November on one weekend. Had to cable and pull each one as they were close to the house. I spent all weekend on the saws, only stopping for gas, bar oil and changing chains. I was one sore SOB at the end of that. Biggest was about 4.5 feet in diameter.

It's a wood cutter's paradise with all the emerald ash borer trees out here. You see piles of logs everywhere in fields waiting to get lit.

I've been burning ash here for about 3 years now abs still have a couple large trees left to cut down. The bettles have killed so many of them

 

[OffGridForGood]

Not too bad today, we got 22kWh, made me think: only a few more sleeps, and the days start to get longer again (YEAH!)
Last year, by 2nd week of January the solar was good - clear and cold days are awesome for solar.
Looking like above freezing and chance of rain again - what the heck is going on ?
Rain in December is not normal where I live I can tell ya, I normally put away the rain boots in October ya know.

 

[timselectric]

Not too bad today, we got 22kWh, made me think: only a few more sleeps, and the days start to get longer again (YEAH!)
Last year, by 2nd week of January the solar was good - clear and cold days are awesome for solar.
Looking like above freezing and chance of rain again - what the heck is going on ?
Rain in December is not normal where I live I can tell ya, I normally put away the rain boots in October ya know.

Don't try to understand it.
We're just along for the ride.

 

[42OhmsPA]

Not too bad today, we got 22kWh, made me think: only a few more sleeps, and the days start to get longer again (YEAH!)
Last year, by 2nd week of January the solar was good - clear and cold days are awesome for solar.

Indeed they will. I can't freaking wait!
27.3kwh Sat, 1.0 yesterday and 8.8 today.

Looking like above freezing and chance of rain again - what the heck is going on ?
Rain in December is not normal where I live I can tell ya, I normally put away the rain boots in October ya know.

I said the same thing last night as a friend was leaving. It was ~50F and raining, El Niño?

 

[timselectric]

El nunya

 

[OffGridForGood]

I'm not sad about having no snow to plow/shovel but it seems strange to be a few days before Christmas and it is still green outside. not a normal situation here. A positive is the solar panels are always nice and clean! LOL.