New 4kw system advice needed please

[newbie58]

Solar panels almost never produce full rated capacity at any one time, 4kw of panels hitting 3.8kw peaks is really good , working well

Being new to solar panels i did think that the panels would produce more than 40 watts when it clouded over a bit about 7.00pm ish as it seem to be doing really well through the day.

 

[SamDeleted]

Being new to solar panels i did think that the panels would produce more than 40 watts when it clouded over a bit about 7.00pm ish as it seem to be doing really well through the day.

It does seem a bit low 40w , my 3.5kw array was making 350w at 7pm today

 

[newbie58]

Would you be able to explain a bit more about there not being enough load...at the time the inverter was showing it was making 40 watts our home smart meter showed us using 299 watts in the house would this cause the panels to show no watts coming in from them..thanks

 

[newbie58]

It does seem a bit low 40w , my 3.5kw array was making 350w at 7pm today

Yes thats what i thought i think i need to call the installers to see if there might be an issue

 

[SamDeleted]

Would you be able to explain a bit more about there not being enough load...at the time the inverter was showing it was making 40 watts our home smart meter showed us using 299 watts in the house would this cause the panels to show no watts coming in from them..thanks

Ah

So load is only important with an off grid system , when you're off gird , you've only got so much space in your batteries , once they are full, unless you've got the kettle on , there's nowhere for the power from the solar panels to go

So they stop making power



This doesn't apply to you ,cause your grid tied, the grid is like a giant battery it can just take and take

 

[SamDeleted]

would this cause the panels to show no watts coming in from them..thanks

You can trust the number your inverter is giving you , the panels were making 40w

If your smart meter said you're importing 300w , that means your house is burning a 340w total ,

Your grid tie panels were supplementing houses electricity needs

 

[newbie58]

Ah

So load is only important with an off grid system , when you're off gird , you've only got so much space in your batteries , once they are full, unless you've got the kettle on , there's nowhere for the power from the solar panels to go

So they stop making power



This doesn't apply to you ,cause your grid tied, the grid is like a giant battery it can just take and take

Ah i see thank you

 

[SamDeleted]

The solar panels make power , , you get the chance to use it first as it's made , if not your neighbours get the power through their meter

 

[newbie58]

You can trust the number your inverter is giving you , the panels were making 40w

If your smart meter said you're importing 300w , that means your house is burning a 340w total ,

Your grid tie panels were supplementing houses electricity needs

Sorry my smart meter said we were using 300 watts in the house.

 

[SamDeleted]

Ah i see thank you

Have you got a hot water immersion tank ?

Cause if so solar hot water diversion is a great investment

 

[newbie58]

Have you got a hot water immersion tank ?

Cause if so solar hot water diversion is a great investment

yes there is a hot water immersion

 

[SamDeleted]

Sorry my smart meter said we were using 300 watts in the house.

Interesting, now all my smart meter does is measure how much power we 'import' to the house through the meter , not what's being used in the house

Does yours tell you what individual appliances are using ?

A lot of the time our solar panels are covering the appliances in the house

yes there is a hot water immersion

Solar iBoost+ - UK's Favourite PV Immersion Controller

Solar iBoost+ is the UK's favourite PV immersion controller. Use the excess power generated by your solar PV to heat your hot water for FREE.

www.marlec.co.uk

Not sure if you're seen these ? Would be surprised if your solar installer didn't mention it


What it does is, monitor the excess power your solar panels make with a little clamp reading how much power gets 'exported' to the grid

Then it puts exactly that much into your hot water tank element , it turns up and down throughout the day with production & demand



Result is completely free hot water most of the year

 

[12VoltInstalls]

I personally don’t think anything is wrong since you say no direct sun on panels and 7pm. 40W is disappointing but not specifically a malfunction.

It was cloudy and rainy today in northern Vermont and I was getting 13-40W a lot of the day from the 1100W of panels I’ve currently got installed.