aviateur17
New Member
Thanks all for your replies. I'm going to figure out if I try the Enphase inverters rated for higher power or buy the communication gateway (Envoy) or both. Appreciate the help!
Thanks, do you think removing those is going to make a big difference? I can certainly do that but I'm curious what you think will happen when I do?You have to remove these shadows from both panels.
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It should. When testing panel output you don't want any kind of shade on cells. Remove those leafs from bottom corner as well. Do you have haze or sky is perfectly clear?Thanks, do you think removing those is going to make a big difference?
Sky is perfectly clear. I'll go out there and take two pictures one of the panels with them removed and one of the sky.It should. When testing panel output you don't want any kind of shade on cells. Remove those leafs from bottom corner as well. Do you have haze or sky is perfectly clear?
Thanks, I really appreciate the data and the chart and all of the information. What I can't understand though is the clipping or flat top in the power delivered between 8AM and 4PM. I would expect to see the peak power around noonish and then lower power before and after that time but I'm seeing the same amount of power (clipped) between 10AM and 3PM. If the limitation were the sun light from the sun wouldn't the power delivered from 10AM to 3PM vary?Due to low angle of the sun in December your maximum solar radiation is roughly half compared to summer. See image below. December has 642 W/m2 maximum compared to summer 1270 W/m2. Your solar panel aperture is 1.95m2 so total solar power that hits the surface is 642*1.95=1254W. Multiply by panels efficiency of 20% and you get 251Wdc per panel. Close enough.
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That's likely some issue with your inverters. I would try DC MPPT controller or solar panel tester instead.What I can't understand though is the clipping or flat top in the power delivered between 8AM and 4PM.
Since it is a ground mount can you post a picture in the Enphase labels?Removed - Still 510 watts.
Since it is a ground mount can you post a picture in the Enphase labels?
I doubt his panels are generating more than 8A right now due to low solar irradiance.
In Minnesota at 22deg sun angle? Hmm maybe W/m2 data I found was for horizontal tilt collector. Need to check that. Source: http://www.somnwx.com/pages/station/climate.php?var=SThe tilt close to perpendicular can get near name plate current this time of year, cooler temps also help with the higher voltage
Panel pictures posted looks to have the panels ~50 to 60 degree tilt which would be close to perpendicularIn Minnesota at 22deg sun angle? Hmm maybe W/m2 data I found was for horizontal tilt collector.
Correct, I had them at 21 degrees from perpendicular and they were putting out the same power as they are now at 45 degrees from perpendicular. I know the angle is not ideal but I'm just doing this for testing purposes.Panel pictures posted looks to have the panels ~50 to 60 degree tilt which would be close to perpendicular