How much power are you solar panels generating?

[DShK]

5 minutes ago, Rob-M said:

I'll second it.  Still trying to decide whether to switch to lithium's and replace my separate inverter and charger with a combined Victron unit.  Quite fancy having a cerbo GX with display panel.

 

Go for it! It's fantastic having lithiums. Not having to worry about fully charging them, and worrying about pulling high currents, is really nice. And the fast charging.

 

I would not bother with the display panel. You get more info from the VRM website (which is free! - many companies would charge a monthly sub), can access it anywhere, and it saves you a pretty penny.

 

Edited August 10, 2023 by DShK

[rusty69]

It is impressive. If I can coble together a lithium bank and connect up to a raspberry pi interface, it can't be that hard. 

 

Mind you, I only have an mppt connected and node red is just an annual charity fund raiser in my vocab at the moment. 

[robtheplod]

Not long had solar (Jan) but I'm definately seeing that solar values only seem to go up a. when its daylight, and b. when the batteries actually need it. Took me a while to realise that the poor solar stats were due to the batteries being happy!

[Rob-M]

I had a total change of mindset when we got solar, I used to leave most things switched off until we got the engine running where as now when I get up the devices go on charge and we start using more electricity to get the most out of the panels.  If we aren't moving then I'll get the eberspacher on for a couple of hours as well to get some hot water whilst the sun is out.  I do switch my laptop between battery powered and plugged in when I am working but that is to prolong the laptop battery.

[GUMPY]

I still switch everything off at the wall when not in use even in the house with 4.3kW of solar and 11.6kWh of batteries.

 

[IanD]

17 hours ago, DShK said:

 

Go for it! It's fantastic having lithiums. Not having to worry about fully charging them, and worrying about pulling high currents, is really nice. And the fast charging.

 

I would not bother with the display panel. You get more info from the VRM website (which is free! - many companies would charge a monthly sub), can access it anywhere, and it saves you a pretty penny.

 

Without a Cerbo/Touch50, how do you control/monitor everything if you're in a cellular dead spot with no Internet connection, which the VRM app relies on?

[DShK]

25 minutes ago, IanD said:

Without a Cerbo/Touch50, how do you control/monitor everything if you're in a cellular dead spot with no Internet connection, which the VRM app relies on?

VenusOS runs locally, so in theory should be accessible with or without a connection. You can access the same interface as the screen with the internal domain "venus.local" (failing that, the IP that is shown for the Cerbo/PI in VictronConnect) in your browser.

 

If all goes wrong, VictronConnect works fine, just all the info is a bit disconnected.

 

If you setup a NodeRed Dashboard, you access it with a local IP 192.168.XXX:1881/ui or venus.local:1880/ui. NodeRed is actually better accessed locally - you can connect to it through VRM but it takes you through a temporary proxy.

 

Edited August 11, 2023 by DShK

[robtheplod]

We have a Cerbo GX and it works very well. Didn't bother also with the display as its easier to use on your phone (via wifi onboard or remotely via the web)....

[blackrose]

On 10/08/2023 at 17:15, Alan de Enfield said:

 

You need to understand that the batteries control how much they will accept, fully charged batteries will accept virtually nothing even in the strongest sunshine, whilst partly charged batteries will take all the solar can put out (even in cloudy conditions)

 

Yes, today so far my 910w of panels have only generated 1.83kW but the batteries are full and I haven't been drawing much power today. If I'd put the washing machine on that power generation figure would be higher.

 

As well as your batteries only accepting charge until they're full, with fully charged batteries your solar controller will also be limiting how much charge the panels can deliver. 

 

So there's no way you can compare your power harvest with other people's because there are far too many variables including how much power each of you is using.

Edited August 11, 2023 by blackrose

[Machpoint005]

Re the thread title: pedantry alert.

Solar panels do not produce power.

They produce energy.

 

 

(OK, strictly speaking they capture energy and change its form)

 

 

[magnetman]

The normal measure of output over time from photovoltaic modules maintaining batteries is kilowatt-hours. This is a measure of power. 

 

The modules themselves are also rated in watts which is a measure of power. 

 

Also if you have a calculator which is provided with electricity by a photovoltaic module it is a 'solar powered calculator'. 

 

Power is the usual term used even if it isn't technically correct. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Fight the Power ✊🏾

[MtB]

1 hour ago, Machpoint005 said:

Re the thread title: pedantry alert.

Solar panels do not produce power.

They produce energy.

 

 

(OK, strictly speaking they capture energy and change its form)

 

 

 

 

Dimensional analysis roolz, ok! 

 

 

(But I agree with your point  )

 

 

 

[David Mack]

15 hours ago, magnetman said:

The normal measure of output over time from photovoltaic modules maintaining batteries is kilowatt-hours. This is a measure of power. 

No. Kilowatt-hours is a measure of energy (which is why your domestic electricity is paid by the number of kW-h you have used). The kilowatt is a measure of power, or the rate at which you are using (or generating) energy.

[IanD]

1 hour ago, David Mack said:

No. Kilowatt-hours is a measure of energy (which is why your domestic electricity is paid by the number of kW-h you have used). The kilowatt is a measure of power, or the rate at which you are using (or generating) energy.

Both units are correct for solar panels -- power in kW is the instantaneous output, energy in kWh is how much you get out of the panel per hour (or day, or...).

[IanD]

[ditchcrawler]

2 hours ago, IanD said:

Does it only work if you are from America 😁

[IanD]

12 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Does it only work if you are from America 😁

I'm sure the unit cost of 16p/kwh only works there... 😉

[GUMPY]

Less than 16 p works over here 😂

My average import unit rate for the last 28 days has been just over 9p. Export rate 15p

[magnetman]

On 11/08/2023 at 21:05, Goliath said:

Fight the Power ✊🏾

 

 

[IanD]

1 hour ago, GUMPY said:

Less than 16 p works over here 😂

My average import unit rate for the last 28 days has been just over 9p. Export rate 15p

Is that because your tariff was set before the massive increase in UK electricity prices?

[GUMPY]

9 hours ago, IanD said:

Is that because your tariff was set before the massive increase in UK electricity prices?

No! 

My tariff changed in April 2023.

It's Octopus Agile* so the rate varies every half hour,  most expensive between 4-7pm its 36p today but is capped at £1. It can drop as far as minus 10p at other times when it's windy and there is a surplus of power. So that's the average cost not the actual unit price.

I am careful not to use electric between 4 and 7 for obvious reasons.

 

 

*.  https://octopus.energy/smart/agile/

Edited August 14, 2023 by GUMPY