Add more Solar Panels to existing Grid Tied System.

[waytomany?s]

The group 4 Interstate 6 volt will last almost twice that for only 1/3 more of that price. I use the 4-xhd 1000cca in customer's antique cars. Coat the cleaned terminals with Gardner-Bender Ox-Gard electrician's anti-corrosion paste and they never need cleaning for the life of the battery.

Paul

Oooh, I need to get some of that. Only get about 2 years with the NAPA branded terminal protectant.

[Hootyburra]

Lead acid is an older technology that's tried and true. If you take care of them and don't abuse them they will easily last many years. You do have to do regular maintenance, checking specific gravity, water levels, etc. I've never used lead acid for storage, just regurgitating what I've read.
Lithium Iron Phosphate are a much newer chemistry but are said to be much safer and longer lasting without the maintenance, they can be discharged and charged at higher C rates than LA.
Building an insulated enclosure and adding a heater to keep them above freezing shouldn't be to difficult but will require additional energy.

Sure you can just throw panels up and not properly anchor them, I would not advise it... Essentially you're making a large wind sale... Making it "portable" and mounting to a trailer is a loophole for inspections.
Sure you can build a gazebo and throw panels on the roof but production will suck in the winter when the suns at a lower angle. Mounting them vertical on a building can be very efficient if done correctly, you'll lose efficiency in the summer but gain lots in the winter.

I've used the same Ox Gaurd on my first builds. I'll be using NO-OX-ID-A on my next.

[ColdHouse]

Solar on my property is complex. I have a big hill behind me and I have already cut all the trees on my property. The hill shades the roof for a good part of the day in winter. I don't want panels in my front yard. If I put them on the west side of the house the panels will be shaded by the house until later in the day. My guess is even if I put them on the South side behind my house the tall trees on top of the hill and the hill will shade the panels. I imagine there is a big difference between the sun at the roof level vs the ground level.

All the aforementioned are reasons why I wanted my entire South facing roof covered.

[ColdHouse]

Lifetime Production of each Panel. Some on the left side of the main roof are shaded by the chimney. Some on the left side of the garage roof are shaded by the main roof in the afternoon. It looks like the highest ones near the peak get the best production.

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[warminmn]

Neat figures, or whatever its called. How many months have you been running them now?

[Hootyburra]

Put your location into suncalc.org and select December 21st for the date, move the slider and check for shadows / good sun path.

[Hootyburra]

Lifetime Production of each Panel. Some on the left side of the main roof are shaded by the chimney. Some on the left side of the garage roof are shaded by the main roof in the afternoon. It looks like the highest ones near the peak get the best production.
Screen Shot 2024-05-05 at 12.07.04 PM.png

Nice, I like the granularity of each panel production; easy to spot issues.

I'm coming up on 5MWh since I installed the new inverter in September. I didn't actually use any grid in April, I was exercising the generator through the grid input.

[ColdHouse]

The weather is crappy for the next couple of days.

I want to catch the next sunny morning and see what is happening with the morning sun on my garage roof.

I suspect there are some trees that might be blocking that roof. Maybe get rid of a tree or two and production of those panels might improve.

[ColdHouse]

Pointing panels directly at 7am sun does little to enhance production. Solar production in Connecticut all happens in about 6 hours. Basically to get good solar production, you need the sun pretty much aligned on top of the panels. During early morning and late afternoon the sun is too far and solar production is minimal even if that sun is hitting the panels. Cutting down trees to catch the 7am sun will do little or nothing to increase my production.

Besides my roof top, I am not sure where the sun is potent enough to efficiently produce solar.

[waytomany?s]

Spontaneous glass breakage on solar panels on the rise

https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/06/21/spontaneou ... -the-rise/

Do you know the specs on your panels?

[BigBarney]

Example they show looks more like impact damage...

Or the glass was not isolated from the aluminum frame

but that wouldn't account for the side by side damage...

BigBarney

[ColdHouse]

Spontaneous glass breakage on solar panels on the rise
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/06/21/spontaneou ... -the-rise/
Do you know the specs on your panels?

Post by waytomany?s » Thu Apr 25, 2024 8:59 am

What is the name brand of the panels?

Post by ColdHouse » Thu Apr 25, 2024 3:43 pm

waytomany?s wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 3:01 pm
Q CELLS Q.PEAK DUO BLK ML-G10+ 400

[waytomany?s]

That's make and model, not the specs. The article was talking about 3mm glass was where problems were being had. If your glass is thicker, then probably not an issue for you.

[ColdHouse]

That's make and model, not the specs. The article was talking about 3mm glass was where problems were being had. If your glass is thicker, then probably not an issue for you.

You have the same information that I have.

Find your answer to your question and report back here.

Thanks!

[waytomany?s]

You have the same information that I have.

Find your answer to your question and report back here.

Thanks!

If you don't care, doesn't bother me. I can't believe you would not have the spec sheet if you weren't doing comparison shopping. Personally, I d be checking and if they were the ones in the article, I would be having a discussion with the installer. To each his own.