New here-glad I found this forum, need advice

invstbiker
invstbiker Registered Users Posts: 2
Hello all, question regarding wattage on roof and whats shown on my Mate 3

I have a total of 21 panels for a total of 5805 watts. All panels professionally installed and angled in the correct long and lat.

The maximum I've ever seen with full sun midday is 4.5kW.

Does this mean that the overall system, inverters etc are using the rest or is there some setting I don't have right?

Thanks in advance.


Radian 8kW, Radian 4kW, 2 flexmax charge controllers, 48volt Trojan batteries, Mate 3, 5805 watts on the roof

Comments

  • Raj174
    Raj174 Solar Expert Posts: 795 ✭✭✭✭
    edited August 2016 #2
    Hi Invstbiker,

    That's about right. The power reduction is due mostly to panel losses due to heat, also wiring and in the charge controllers. It all adds up to about 23%. There are other losses in the battery and inverter efficiency, but that shows up as a difference in load consumption and production.    

    A very nice system by the way. 

    I have the GS4048A and am very happy with it.

    Rick

    4480W PV, MNE175DR-TR, MN Classic 150, Outback Radian GS4048A, Mate3, 51.2V 360AH nominal LiFePO4, Kohler Pro 5.2E genset.
  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    We usually apply a.70 to .75 fudge factor to cover  all losses from panel to battery to end use here, for off grid, so you are at the higher level , roughly, being grid tied,   if you are somewhere that gets minus temps in winter you may see higher output.  Others that are GT will have more precise numbers ...
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
  • invstbiker
    invstbiker Registered Users Posts: 2
    Thanks much, I figured there was some loss but didn't know the +/- % to apply OR if I had a "switch" that I needed to amend. Appreciate the responses!
  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Thanks much, I figured there was some loss but didn't know the +/- % to apply OR if I had a "switch" that I needed to amend. Appreciate the responses!

    You can look up the spec sheet for your panels, often they publish a NOCT value (Normal Operating Cell Temperature)
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.