Hey everyone! I'm a bit perplexed about my solar panel output. I have 10 bifacial panels rated at 455W each connected to my Jackery 5000 plus and an additional 5kWh battery. I'm still learning the ropes with solar, but I've managed to hit a maximum output of 4,600W on some sunny days. Yesterday was supposed to be the first entirely clear day in a long time, so I was hoping to reach around 5kW. However, the best I got was just 3,300W. After talking to Jackery support, they mentioned this can happen if the battery is almost full, which made sense. So today, I used what I could to charge my EV and anticipated good output again with today's perfect weather. Yet, I'm only reaching around 3,400W. I checked my previous data, and it looks like I usually got better outputs when my batteries were less than fully charged. Do Canadian wildfires potentially affect solar production here in New York? Has anyone experienced lower solar output recently, and what other factors should I consider that might be impacting my system? The panels are clean, and I've noticed I've had higher outputs with less sun before. Just trying to figure this out!
3 Answers
You mentioned that you use bifacial panels. While they do have some advantages, you usually see more benefits when they can receive sunlight from both sides effectively. If they’re propped up and not angled properly, that could affect your performance too. Keep in mind that laboratory ratings are often an unrealistic benchmark; most installations will see somewhere around 70-85% of the rated output under normal conditions due to various factors like shading or tilt. I’d review the angle and setup just to maximize what you can get!
If you haven't already, consider looking into your battery's state of charge when testing. If it's not discharged enough, you might not be able to draw peak power from your panels. Sometimes higher temperatures impact batteries too, so keeping them at an ideal temperature can help. You could use resistive loads to test your setup further to really see what it can handle. Just keep experimenting and you’ll figure out what works best for your individual system!
That's a good point! Testing can reveal a lot about how your system behaves under real-world conditions, especially as variables like weather and load change.
It's possible that you're experiencing some drop in production due to heat or other environmental factors. Even on clear days, temperature can play a big role as hot panels can perform worse, sometimes reducing efficiency significantly. Also, even a little haze or smoke from those wildfires might be cutting into your production. It's interesting that you reached 4,600W before; that seems like a solid output! But don't forget that all solar systems have variability, especially with conditions changing. Keep monitoring and see if there's a pattern!
Exactly! Just a bit of haze or heat could knock down outputs. It's always good to check weather conditions and see how your panels react over time.
Yeah, panel orientation and setup are crucial! Even small adjustments can lead to improved performance, especially if you notice conditions changing.