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Solar PV Performance Thread - Post your monthly output

13567…66

Comments

  • #62
    Shefwedfan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,958 ✭✭✭✭Shefwedfan


    unkel wrote: »
    :eek:

    That is 4 times as much electricity use as the national average!

    Heavy on electricity


  • #63
    championc
    Registered Users Posts: 6,054 ✭✭✭championc


    Shefwedfan wrote: »
    Heavy on electricity

    Have you a replica of Hillsborough in your back garden or something ???


  • #64
    garo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,874 ✭✭✭garo


    Infrared lamps and hydroponics?! :D


  • #65
    Shefwedfan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,958 ✭✭✭✭Shefwedfan


    garo wrote: »
    Infrared lamps and hydroponics?! :D


    Its a 50/50 ratio between night/day so not too bad.......


  • #66
    Winterman1234
    Registered Users Posts: 88 ✭✭Winterman1234


    Sorry for the silly question i'm only new to this pv, my installation is just over a month running.
    Today was the best date yet with 9.8kWh from a 2.48kw system. I wasnt at home today, but from what wife tells me sun shone strong with blue skies most of day. Viewing gen data from today I see I peaked at 1.7kw for a couple of hours around midday, last week in between the hail showers, I seen the system peak at 2.15kw for a period. Would several hours of continuous march sunshine heat panels enough to reduce efficiency or was there just very high level cloud not visible to naked eye. Sorry for stupid question just curious what other people are maxing out at this time of year, Donegal, facing sse,roof angle 35°.


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  • #67
    rolion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,362 ✭✭✭rolion


    @springman1234

    Not sure that i get your question...there are no stupid Qs only stupid As...
    The panels will not deteriorate by being exposed to Sun... unless they are damaged by heavy rain drops or physical objects or counting years and years of usage. Some good quality panels are designed to work with a 80% efficiency for maybe 25 years.

    What you need to see is how PV cells are harvesting the sun's photons at different times of the day and angle / exposure.
    Thats will explain your curiosity and you'll see the relation between sun-clouds-cells.


    Below is a top, perfect, desired by all of us curve , representing full harvesting of the photons.
    Maximum production for a fixed system.
    Some panels are positioned East West and the curve is getting more square_ish in the top left and in top right,matching exposure in early in the morning,late in the evening.

    504688.jpg


    Below is one curve that everyone hates as is so unpredictable and practical unusable unless you have a big PV system installed power .

    504687.jpg


  • #68
    rolion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,362 ✭✭✭rolion


    But, whats is the most important aspect of reporting and i see no one touch it here...kind of nice saying i've produced 10Kwh today but actually i had to import as well few KWh from the grid as my house had a spike demand at that hour and PV generation didn't full filled the numbers.

    The key to self consumption (drop the bills and the eco fancy words) is H O W to match the PV generation with your house consumption and optimise that process.

    Below,is a graph from one of the good days when house was running 100% on the PVs from morning till afternoon.
    No matter how much was the PV production,i was using none of the grid based energy ! Zero KWh imported from the grid ...with the PV excess diverted in the cylinder.


    504693.jpg


    That's the right question... ;)

    504692.jpg

    504690.jpg

    504691.jpg


  • #69
    championc
    Registered Users Posts: 6,054 ✭✭✭championc


    What software are you using ?

    Is anyone out there collecting data directly from RS485 ports ?


  • #70
    Shefwedfan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,958 ✭✭✭✭Shefwedfan


    Just wondering what people are using to monitor solar generation and can it be displayed somewhere in the house. I have online givenergy website but its fairly sh*t to be honest. Half the time I check the zappi to see the proper numbers....


  • #71
    dan.lambert
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 18 ✭dan.lambert


    Good Afternoon, i thought id sign up to provide some support for several people on here that seem to be struggling to understand the data displayed on the GivEnergy monitoring portal. What seems to be the problem?, without feedback we can not improve this service.


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  • #72
    dan.lambert
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 18 ✭dan.lambert


    Please explain what information you are misinterpreting. if the inverter is connected to a class 1 billing meter (Import/export meter), the information should have an accuracy within 0.01%, which in fairness is a lot more accurate than a standard CT for reading grid.


  • #73
    Shefwedfan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,958 ✭✭✭✭Shefwedfan


    Hi Dan, I am only after getting install in Jan so new to this. From my own personal point of view. The website is good. The issue I have is logging onto it. I had a cheap Owl which I would have installed in the kitchen so I could just look over and see the current usage etc....

    What I would like is something similar available. This is just in terms of seeing what usage in house is and what spare I have. So do I switch on washing machine etc. It's not for me, more for my wife etc. Even if I put onto a cheap android tablet and it could just sit in view.....just an instant gauge

    With the website, you have included authentication code now. Which I guess is to stop people using autologin in software. THis is ok but it seems to log you out very quickly now, even if I click remember me it dumps we back out quickly. Maybe it is supposed to work like this?

    For the Smart Charge, can additional options be added? so you could set Smart Charge 1 for Mon - Fri but then have Smart Charge 3 for Sat/Sun?

    Smart home coming soon? whats this?

    Now none of these are show stoppers or anything. Just nice to have and the system is working great for me. Currently it has my battery full and filling up my car battery now :-)


  • #74
    reklamos
    Registered Users Posts: 793 ✭✭✭reklamos


    rolion wrote: »
    But, whats is the most important aspect of reporting and i see no one touch it here...kind of nice saying i've produced 10Kwh today but actually i had to import as well few KWh from the grid as my house had a spike demand at that hour and PV generation didn't full filled the numbers.

    The key to self consumption (drop the bills and the eco fancy words) is H O W to match the PV generation with your house consumption and optimise that process.
    Here you go. Here is yesterday which was not the best day of the week as only 11.9kWh got generated.
    This shows Consumption vs. PV generation
    504794.JPG

    Import vs. Export
    504795.JPG


    Last 60 days of Import vs. Self generation
    504800.JPG
    As the weather was pretty good I was only importing ~4.5kWh since Saturday.


  • #75
    championc
    Registered Users Posts: 6,054 ✭✭✭championc


    reklamos wrote: »
    Import vs. Export
    504795.JPG

    As the weather was pretty good I was only importing ~4.5kWh since Saturday.

    Maybe I'm missing something but from that Import / Export graph, you appear to have Imported roughly 5kw in just a single 24hrs


  • #76
    reklamos
    Registered Users Posts: 793 ✭✭✭reklamos


    championc wrote: »
    Maybe I'm missing something but from that Import / Export graph, you appear to have Imported roughly 5kw in just a single 24hrs
    That is correct, I meant to say I was importing ~4.5kWh a day since Saturday.


  • #77
    dan.lambert
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 18 ✭dan.lambert


    Shefwedfan wrote: »
    Hi Dan, I am only after getting install in Jan so new to this. From my own personal point of view. The website is good. The issue I have is logging onto it. I had a cheap Owl which I would have installed in the kitchen so I could just look over and see the current usage etc....

    What I would like is something similar available. This is just in terms of seeing what usage in house is and what spare I have. So do I switch on washing machine etc. It's not for me, more for my wife etc. Even if I put onto a cheap android tablet and it could just sit in view.....just an instant gauge

    With the website, you have included authentication code now. Which I guess is to stop people using autologin in software. THis is ok but it seems to log you out very quickly now, even if I click remember me it dumps we back out quickly. Maybe it is supposed to work like this?

    For the Smart Charge, can additional options be added? so you could set Smart Charge 1 for Mon - Fri but then have Smart Charge 3 for Sat/Sun?

    Smart home coming soon? whats this?

    Now none of these are show stoppers or anything. Just nice to have and the system is working great for me. Currently it has my battery full and filling up my car battery now :-)

    The Capture on the login screen is a temporary feature as we had an unwanted, unapproved API that was pulling data 15 times every second resulting in a server crash. We are currently working on a secure API key for this instead of using the standard login.

    We are also working on a new app for monitoring and will be released very soon.

    Smart home coming soon. We are currently manufacturing a range of smart switches, sockets that will be integrated into the portal, however currently these are controlled through our other app “SAVEnergy” this can be downloaded from the App Store to add and control smart home devices.

    I hope this answers all your questions


  • #78
    AidenL
    Registered Users Posts: 973 ✭✭✭AidenL


    unkel wrote: »
    :eek:

    That is 4 times as much electricity use as the national average!
    Shefwedfan wrote: »
    Heavy on electricity

    We used 1080 units in February, so I feel the pain.


  • #79
    Shefwedfan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,958 ✭✭✭✭Shefwedfan


    AidenL wrote: »
    We used 1080 units in February, so I feel the pain.

    In our last house, 4 bed semi D in Dublin we would of been about average

    No such chance in new house, not even a heat pump installed yet. Year on year we are always about the same for the winter months. The night rate helps a lot and hopefully now the solar will help in summer so try to balance it out but winter months will be high


  • #80
    garo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,874 ✭✭✭garo


    Care to share why the new house consumes so much more? I assume you have low energy lighting? Do you use an immersion? Electric cooker and oven?


  • #81
    AidenL
    Registered Users Posts: 973 ✭✭✭AidenL


    Shefwedfan wrote: »
    In our last house, 4 bed semi D in Dublin we would of been about average

    No such chance in new house, not even a heat pump installed yet. Year on year we are always about the same for the winter months. The night rate helps a lot and hopefully now the solar will help in summer so try to balance it out but winter months will be high

    Same here. That was 400 day units and 700 night approximately. On a Sunday, my Mrs would bake and do a laundry of ironing, plus the family dinner.Could use 30 units. And around 20 on an average at home Saturday.

    I’ll have a heat pump installed in next few months, so the consumption will only go up!


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  • #82
    AidenL
    Registered Users Posts: 973 ✭✭✭AidenL


    garo wrote: »
    Care to share why the new house consumes so much more? I assume you have low energy lighting? Do you use an immersion? Electric cooker and oven?
    Speaking for me, all led lights, induction hob, 2 electric ovens, no immersion use.

    House is 260 square m. Only 2 of us in it though!


  • #83
    Shefwedfan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,958 ✭✭✭✭Shefwedfan


    garo wrote: »
    Care to share why the new house consumes so much more? I assume you have low energy lighting? Do you use an immersion? Electric cooker and oven?


    It's really a huge combination of everything to be honest. I have installed all low energy everything possible, moved to smart home so things turn off/on auto. Even down to phone charger turn off during the day.



    Small things add up, american fridge freezer, chest freezer, standalone drinks fridge, grid network, android boxes etc are on all the time. They all add up to put considerable load on the house even as a starting point. These cannot be turn off



    As the house is over 3,000sqft and a bungalow the heating system is a monstor, when running it has 5 or 6 pumps going so it will be burning over 1kWh on its own. Two cookers as well.....


  • #84
    Shefwedfan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,958 ✭✭✭✭Shefwedfan


    AidenL wrote: »
    Same here. That was 400 day units and 700 night approximately. On a Sunday, my Mrs would bake and do a laundry of ironing, plus the family dinner.Could use 30 units. And around 20 on an average at home Saturday.

    I’ll have a heat pump installed in next few months, so the consumption will only go up!


    Heat pump will be next job which will drive usage even higher :P:P


    Then it will be time to look at wind as well as solar:eek:


  • #85
    championc
    Registered Users Posts: 6,054 ✭✭✭championc


    Shefwedfan wrote: »
    Heat pump will be next job which will drive usage even higher :P:P

    Then it will be time to look at wind as well as solar:eek:

    I can only assume that your "sleeping" house rate must be fairly high. Mine is averaging 250w per hour (so min 2kw every night between midnight and 8am)


  • #86
    AidenL
    Registered Users Posts: 973 ✭✭✭AidenL


    championc wrote: »
    I can only assume that your "sleeping" house rate must be fairly high. Mine is averaging 250w per hour (so min 2kw every night between midnight and 8am)

    Mine uses 550w/hr overnight.


  • #87
    Shefwedfan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,958 ✭✭✭✭Shefwedfan


    championc wrote: »
    I can only assume that your "sleeping" house rate must be fairly high. Mine is averaging 250w per hour (so min 2kw every night between midnight and 8am)


    I guess you mean the base level? well thats what I call it


    So with everything "optional" turned off. Mine sits around 500w per hour.....just to keep the house ticking over


  • #88
    reklamos
    Registered Users Posts: 793 ✭✭✭reklamos


    Shefwedfan wrote: »
    I guess you mean the base level? well thats what I call it


    So with everything "optional" turned off. Mine sits around 500w per hour.....just to keep the house ticking over
    Seems a bit high.
    I have homelab(multiple servers, switches etc), 2 fish tanks and other essential stuff running 24x7 but my base load does not go above 400W.


    Maybe the thing you call drinks fridge is a wine cellar under the house :)


  • #89
    dan.lambert
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 18 ✭dan.lambert


    A Quick note to everyone. The GivEnergy IOS app should be back up and running. Please let me know if you need any assistance. Also please fell free to use the "Report a bug" feature on the monitoring portal. We rely on your feedback to improve the service. The monitoring portal is a very complex platform.
    Regards
    Dan


  • #90
    denismc
    Registered Users Posts: 1,382 ✭✭✭denismc


    Great thread!
    From my 2.08 kW system I got 129kWh for February, of this 112 was used and 17 kWh was exported.

    I use the Myenergi app to record my usage but I notice it overestimates my usage by as much as 5% compared to what the inverter is telling me, anyone else experience this?


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  • #91
    reklamos
    Registered Users Posts: 793 ✭✭✭reklamos


    We had some good days in March.
    Can people share what was the best day so far orientation and location.
    Also I'd be interested in efficiency(Total(kWh) generated per day divided by total PV(kW) rating) this will show how much everyone is getting out of 1kW of PV.
    My best day: March 20th
    Orientation: South
    Location: Navan
    Efficiency: 5.4kWh


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