Bad days for Solar Production.

[B-Mod]

Yup

I looked at that option. But we do multiple loads. And it would take forever, unless I had two of them.

True, it is just me and the wife now. Great part for us is load up the washer, remote start later when the sun is up, come home to one load of laundry done. The wife will do multiple loads on the weekend if needed, but otherwise one every few days is enough.

 

[OffGridForGood]

Santa is delivering more panels today but the fog is so thick, I can't see the houses across the street.

Tomorrow is the only day we expect to see any sun. So I am running from the grid to keep batteries as close to full as possible.

Close to full as possible?
if you have sun in the forecast for tomorrow, don't you let the battery SOC drop today to make room for that sun to fill the batteries again?
Otherwise the sun comes out tomorrow, fills the battery in a short time, and the rest is wasted? no where to go?

 

[SparkyJJO]

Ok which one of you jerks blew that fog my way!

Fog and rain is like the solar addict's version of coal in a stocking.

 

[Nobodybusiness]

Your usage sounds like mine. I have been doing ok for the month but we have been supercharging our Tesla's more than half of the month. Good thing is all my Tesla's have free supercharging for life, so no costs, but the time wasted at the supercharger sucks.

Yea. We keep house at 73-74 in winter so that takes a bit of juice.

Holidays, visitors, showers, extra lights, extra laundry, especially for grandchildren, all take its toll.

I’m hoping by end of January just to turn the Grid off and work with just solar.

If not, I can always add more panels.
I’ve got 2 extra parallel ports on all 5 combiners (4-1 combiners)

 

[mactech]

Close to full as possible?
if you have sun in the forecast for tomorrow, don't you let the battery SOC drop today to make room for that sun to fill the batteries again?
Otherwise the sun comes out tomorrow, fills the battery in a short time, and the rest is wasted? no where to go?

Well, that's a big IF the sun comes out.

I try to keep the batteries full, in case the grid goes down or my business is toast and food is spoiled. There are not enough panels (yet) to charge them to full in the winter months. Typical power outage here is 8hrs, if we are lucky.

 

[OffGridForGood]

Well, that's a big IF the sun comes out.

I try to keep the batteries full, in case the grid goes down or my business is toast and food is spoiled. There are not enough panels (yet) to charge them to full in the winter months. Typical power outage here is 8hrs, if we are lucky.

I Hear ya, same.
For about 100 days from last week of October to the first or second week of January, solar is not very reliable, and winter storms can take out the utility like you say for long periods. Never know if an outage will be several minutes or several days, depends on the cause. One April we got a huge dump of heavy wet snow, stuck to all the tree branches and when these broke, they took out the power lines in hundreds of locations in the area. If we have a storm in the forecast I just charge to 100% SOC too. In regular weather from November to January, we charge each night to top-up the difference between what we got from solar, and what we need per day.
My solar runs my home and business (next door) too, I know what your feeling.

 

[mactech]

I Hear ya, same.
For about 100 days from last week of October to the first or second week of January, solar is not very reliable, and winter storms can take out the utility like you say for long periods. Never know if an outage will be several minutes or several days, depends on the cause. One April we got a huge dump of heavy wet snow, stuck to all the tree branches and when these broke, they took out the power lines in hundreds of locations in the area. If we have a storm in the forecast I just charge to 100% SOC too. In regular weather from November to January, we charge each night to top-up the difference between what we got from solar, and what we need per day.
My solar runs my home and business (next door) too, I know what your feeling.

It's not about being off-grid for me, but keeping the AC available for my business. If I had the physical space and didn't have the resistance to more solar panels it would be much different.

The last power outage with new battery backup vs. gas generators has enabled me to garner more panels, the batteries and inverters she never sees, money is not the issue. She doesn't want panels on our roof or glaring the sun back at us looking out the back patio filling the small backyard and I kind of agree, 10 is enough for now.

 

[OffGridForGood]

Makes sense.
A stack of batteries and good inverter with a dual fuel genset for back-up and your set for any storm.
Before solar, we would run a Honda generator to power the house and our business. Once we had the first inverter and battery we realized quickly this extends the generator back-up too: the generator can run a few hours at ideal output/efficiency, charging the batteries then turn off the generator, run on the batteries all night without the generator. Things that cycle like fridge and freezers are not well suited to a generator running non-stop just so those items can cycle.
I can tell you from personal experience, there is not a lot of solar to be had during a winter storm no matter how many panels you install. If ten panels fits your place, then ten is good.
I like charging off peak at night, and then run on batteries all the next day. Doing my part to even out the electrical loads for the Province! LOL

 

[Zwy]

Electric dryer? I bought the all in one GE heatpump washer and dryer. Cut my laundry usage in half.

I've been to multiple places looking for a heat pump dryer and there are never any in the store. I want to see how big the unit really is.

Pretty bad when a person has money in hand, wants to spend it but there isn't anything out there. Was in Home Depot the other day, some male floor person was sniffing around 2 ladies that weren't buying and he ignored me. Won't be back. I will give them credit for actually having a washer/dryer combo (small tiny thing) on the floor for about $2900. It isn't what I'm looking for.

I've been in other stores, ask about heat pump condensing dryers and get a blank stare, then the electric dryers are in this row. No one working in retail has a clue.

 

[Zwy]

Ok which one of you jerks blew that fog my way!

Fog and rain is like the solar addict's version of coal in a stocking.

Get used to it because until it clears up here, you won't be seeing much sun. Day 4 or something here, lost count, Batrium decided to shunt trip for no reason so I let the inverters charge back up to 65% just in case a storm does come thru. Wind is blowing hard out of east, luckily outside temps are high enough.

 

[OffGridForGood]

I've been in other stores, ask about heat pump condensing dryers and get a blank stare, then the electric dryers are in this row. No one working in retail has a clue.

you have that right!

I did some searching on some of the EU units, since they seem way ahead on these, maybe due to higher costs for water and power leading to interest in efficiency. The Miele Brand seem well designed and built, but as you noted, not very large by N.American standards. This is one attached is a dedicated dryer - not a single washer & dryer in one. They have distribution in CAN and USA I believe.

 

[Culchee]

Well, with a 30kw array received 10kw yesterday and about same today.

Not quite enough.

Sincerely hope this December is not like last year.

Rained here pretty much everyday since July... it can only get better..?

 

[Culchee]

you have that right!

I did some searching on some of the EU units, since they seem way ahead on these, maybe due to higher costs for water and power leading to interest in efficiency. The Miele Brand seem well designed and built, but as you noted, not very large by N.American standards. This is one attached is a dedicated dryer - not a single washer & dryer in one. They have destribution in CAN and USA I believe.

We had a Miele washing machine.. it was a beast... they are built to the highest quality... main bearings eventually gave up.. should have fixed it myself.. guy came out said it would be cheaper to buy another machine.. this was before I really discovered the internet.. it should still be going... thumbs up for Miele..

 

[Culchee]

Just ticks me off when its cloudy all day and then clears up right around 5 pm........grrr

That’s how it works... contrail management...

 

[B-Mod]

I've been to multiple places looking for a heat pump dryer and there are never any in the store. I want to see how big the unit really is.

Pretty bad when a person has money in hand, wants to spend it but there isn't anything out there. Was in Home Depot the other day, some male floor person was sniffing around 2 ladies that weren't buying and he ignored me. Won't be back. I will give them credit for actually having a washer/dryer combo (small tiny thing) on the floor for about $2900. It isn't what I'm looking for.

I've been in other stores, ask about heat pump condensing dryers and get a blank stare, then the electric dryers are in this row. No one working in retail has a clue.

The GE one is a large capacity. My wife would not get one unless it was full size to do comforters and such. It only has one issue it let's a bit of lint get past the filter/screen assembly. Every few loads I have the wife carefully vacuum it off. We bought ours from Best Buy, actually we bought two, got one for my daughter for her helping on my solar array projects.

 

[B-Mod]

New low daily total, 10.5kwh. Ugh

 

[OffGridForGood]

I got less than 2kWh off my 9.6kW array today, Darn fog and rain!! (since when do we get fog and rain in DECEMBER???)

 

[WindWizard]

I did pretty well for the month of December. I made 605kwh so far.

I make sure the snow if off the panels and adjust the angle of the panels to help with the low sun position. My daily low was on December 18th for .94kwh. My daily high was on December 8th for 47.14kwh

 

[rhino]

I got less than 2kWh off my 9.6kW array today, Darn fog and rain!! (since when do we get fog and rain in DECEMBER???)

1.1kWh on my 14.4kW array. Over 0.75in of rain today on Christmas Eve in NW Minnesota. That's nuts. Did switch to snow this evening so it looks like will actually be white ground tomorrow.

 

[B-Mod]

1.1kWh on my 14.4kW array. Over 0.75in of rain today on Christmas Eve in NW Minnesota. That's nuts. Did switch to snow this evening so it looks like will actually be white ground tomorrow.

Lucky you, 50 and foggy drizzle for Christmas in Central Wisconsin

 

[timselectric]

Unseasonably warm and rainy, here.
Doesn't feel like Christmas, at all.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Yeah Warm here too. Thanks Ohio.
But the sun is actually out again! Supposed to be cloudy by noon though.

 

[Crowz]

Hot here and rain till at least lunchtime according to the forecast.

 

[OffGridForGood]

Feels like a typical day in mid October...but it is Dec 25th!
My grandkids will be over for the day, but for the first time in my life, there will be no snowmen to make and no snowball fights!

{It must SUCK to be a wild Rabbit this year...all white and fluffy on a green and brown background! The Foxes will be happy.}

 

[Mattb4]

OK, someone put the Christmas Hoodoo in. Two days ago it was 65F at this time. This morning after raining the day before it was 50F. Now it is 35F and lightly snowing. I don't need a white Christmas! I want a sunny and warm one. I had to get the darn fire going because my chestnuts were getting cold. I don't think I'm dreaming but If I am it sure is not a PV productive one.

Happy Holidays everyone!