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[Sticky] Solar Power Output – Let’s Compare Generation Figures
Does anyone else here actually monitor the incoming solar? Or are you all happy to report what the inverter says it's handled?
I mention this because I had one inverter with a faulty MPPT input. MPPT =Maximum Power Point Tracking
It would go through bouts of 'forgetting' how much current to draw from the panels. Ie it was no longer able to find the knee of the curve where maximum power was achieved.
That resulted in a self-imposed reset. The current dropped to zero, and the MPPT algorithm re-started.
This video clip shows two such MPPT resets in close succession.
I was probably losing 5% to 15% of power input to that particular inverter, depending on how many resets there were in a day.
I have no way of monitoring that or rather I don't know how to or what would be required to and so reply on what my inverters report.
However as they are new and so assuming they working fine so far, I have lots of graphs and totals right from install I would like to think I could spot an issue like that over time. (hopfully 🤔 )
That's fine @irmartini and @editor but let's keep this issue in mind for the future.
If we get someone arriving here on the Forum who says their inverter(s) are reporting less output than their solar arrays should be capable of, then a faulty MPPT input port is a possibility.
In my case that inverter was new. 😥
A DC Energy-Meter like this costs about £10 from China incl VAT & shipping
@andris I'll blame you for the clouds for next 2 weeks!
Listed Grade 2 building with large modern extension. LG Therma V 16kw ASHP Underfloor heating + Rads 8kw pv solar 3 x 8.2kw GivEnergy batteries 1 x GivEnergy Gen1 hybrid 5.0kw inverter Manual changeover EPS MG4 EV
Does anyone else here actually monitor the incoming solar? Or are you all happy to report what the inverter says it's handled?
@transparent I have an Emlite ECA2 MID-approved meter fitted which records solar generation (available for around £40). The meter records slightly higher daily values than those reported by the inverter app.
Samsung 12kW gen6 ASHP with 50L volumiser and all new large radiators. 7.2kWp solar (south facing), Tesla PW3 (13.5kW)
Solar generation completely offsets ASHP usage annually. We no longer burn ~1600L of kerosene annually.
I have three CT monitors on my solar output via the microinvertor controller, the Battery Management System (using a mid-approved meter) and my EV charger. They only roughly correlate with each other. At the end of the day, though, it's only the electricity company's meter that matters.
