Very low power from 100w solar panel

[syphonics]

Hi , I am having very low power generated from my 10 PCs of 100w solar panel.
From my SmartESS application, it only registered a small 200w power during mid day.
Am I supposed to get such low reading, or something wrong with my panel or connection?
I connect my panels in series. Using a 3.5kw POW MR inverter. With a 150A lipo battery.

What power wattage should I be getting from my setup?

 

[OzSolar]

A nearly infinite number of things could be wrong however one very likely explanation is that everything is normal and your battery is full.

 

[MichaelK]

If you really want to get a reading of what your panels can output, you need to apply a load to the system that's as large, or slightly larger than the sum of the watts of panels.

So, wait till noon, and turn on a toast that consumes about 1000W. Watch the incoming power jump up a moment after the toaster gets turned on. That's going to be the most that your panels are likely to put out.

 

[Crowz]

If you really want to get a reading of what your panels can output, you need to apply a load to the system that's as large, or slightly larger than the sum of the watts of panels.

So, wait till noon, and turn on a toast that consumes about 1000W. Watch the incoming power jump up a moment after the toaster gets turned on. That's going to be the most that your panels are likely to put out.

That's how I always test to see how much my panels can put out. High noon and load em down with ac loads.

 

[KellyGB]

I hadn't thought of like that. I am trying to wrap my head around my system because I think my amps are too low.
I am currently running a Renogy 400W system that was one of their sales promotion,
My current power production, is 5A, on it's best day.
(15.8a below what they are rated)
( 2/1/24)

Renogy Panel Specs;
100 x -4- = 400 watts of solar panels / 13.6 battery voltage,
-4- panels x 5.21a = 20.84 amp rating,
Rover 40a charge controller
My current power production, is 5A, as shown on the Rover screen
(15.8a, below what the combined rating should be)
My panels are rated as 400W & the Rover is rated as 520W
Two more panels should add another 200W = 600W panel array
The DC app says I am only getting 106W out of a 400W array

Renogy BT App:
Capacity; 100%
Voltage; 14.40V
Current; 0.29A
Power; 4W
~~~~~~~
DC Home App:
SOC; 77%
Solar Volts; 23.2V
Solar Amps; 4.56A
Solar Power 106W
All readings are through the Renogy 500A Battery Monitor with Shunt
attached to battery ground
~~~~~~~~
Barn Power Usage:
13v
11.1A
146W
============================

I would like to add two more of the Renogy 100w panels to my existing system,
This will theoretically add another 'RATED' 600W
This isn't counting efficiency losses
The Rover is rated to handle 520W
The Rover's 'RATED' specs is: 12V @ ≤ 520W
600 minus 20% = 480

On the battery charging side,
The Rover 40A specs says it can output charging rates up to 40A and as you can see,
my system is only outputting an average 4A - 5A, on a good day
My current production is 15.8a below what the panels are rated for
I have room on my array for two more panels & I thought I could install two more 100W panels,
for a total of 600W on a Charger Controller RATED at 520W ,
This could also increase my amp output
By adding the extra panels, I would stand a better chance of keeping my battery charged, 230AH 12v

Currently, about ever 4 days, I am having to
-turn off the array,
-turn off the battery from the control panel,
and run a Giander 540W lithium charger to get my battery back up to 100%AH
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My System:
4 x Renogy Solar Panel 100 Watt 12 Volt,
High-Efficiency Monocrystalline
-Wired in parallel-
1 x Rover Li 40A MPPT Charge Controller
Rated Solar Input Power, 12V @ ≤ 520W
1 x BT-1 Bluetooth Module
4 x 10A In-line Fuse (solar panels)
1 x 40A ANL Fuse (Inverter)
3 x Solar Y Branch Connectors MMF+FFM Pair
-----------------------------------------------------------
-The Renogy Rover 40 Amp MPPT Solar Charge Controller
Rated Charge Current: 40A
(40a represents the MAX amount of amps the controller can output -
GOING INTO THE BATTERIES)
Max. PV Input Voltage: 95 VDC
Max. PV Input Power: 12V/520W
Power Consumption: 100mA/12v
Max Battery Voltage: 32V
Max. Terminals Size: 8 AWG
-----------------------------------------------------------
Single;
LiTime 12V 230Ah, LiFePO4 Battery,with Low-Temp Protection
Built-In 200A BMS,
12.8v x 230AH = 2,944 watt hours
Fused In-Line, battery cable:
Blue Sea Systems 5001 MEGA/AMG Fuse Block with Cover, 400 Amp
-------------
How feasible will it be to add these two extra 100W panels?
-------------

As a follow up, I disconnected the panels & checked with a Simson meter,
after the 10a inline fuse.
Each panel is producing 20v but I couldn't get an amp reading, my lack of knowing how

 

[KellyGB]

As a follow up, I removed each panel's leads & they are outputting18v to 22v & I ran a continuity check on the -4- fuses (one for each panel's +lead)
They checked ok
I then turned off my PV system, ran the battery down to 20%, turned off the battery, reset the Renogy 500RMB monitor to -0- then ran the LiTime charger till it shut off, reset the Renogy 500RMB monitor to -Full- 230Ah, & then turned the battery back on
Currently waiting for the midday sun 1:00p to see if this has helped

 

[mikefitz]

100 x -4- = 400 watts of solar panels / 13.6 battery voltage,
-4- panels x 5.21a = 20.84 amp rating

The MPPT controller should take in maximum panel power, 400 watts. Charge voltage of litium battery, say 14.0 volts. Thus maximum current into the battery under ideal conditions is 400/ 14 = 28.6 amps.

Renogy Rover controllers need ideal user charge settings to perform well.

only outputting an average 4A - 5A, on a good day
My current production is 15.8a below what the panels are rated for

As shown the maximum possible is 28 amps, not 20 amp

Currently waiting for the midday sun 1:00p to see if this has helped

You won't see panel power with a full battery unless it's loaded, with the load consuming more power than expected from the panels.
Load the battery with a 400 watt load, around 30 amps.

How feasible will it be to add these two extra 100W panels

That will be OK. Rather than connecting all in parallel, make up series strings of panels, and connect the strings in parallel. Either two strings of 3 panels , or 3 strings of 2 panels.

 

[KellyGB]

The MPPT controller should take in maximum panel power, 400 watts. Charge voltage of litium battery, say 14.0 volts. Thus maximum current into the battery under ideal conditions is 400/ 14 = 28.6 amps.

Renogy Rover controllers need ideal user charge settings to perform well.

As shown the maximum possible is 28 amps, not 20 amp

You won't see panel power with a full battery unless it's loaded, with the load consuming more power than expected from the panels.
Load the battery with a 400 watt load, around 30 amps.



That will be OK. Rather than connecting all in parallel, make up series strings of panels, and connect the strings in parallel. Either two strings of 3 panels , or 3 strings of 2 panels.

I unplugged each panel & verified that they are producing voltage, the average across all -4- panels is 23.5v, at the end of line it dropped tp 20v
The DC app shows: battery at 77%,
BULK charge, medium User load of 12 amps
Solar Volts: 19.4
Solar Amps: 3.04
Solar Power : 59W
Total Energy Produced: 15.2kWh
Battery Charging Power 56.82W
Battery Charging Voltage: 13.4
At what would I measure the 30 amps, meaning, am I just doing the math wrong
Thanks