SolarEdge and 135% limit.

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  • brewbeer
    Junior Member
    • May 2016
    • 76

    #16
    My installer initially didn't have the strings set up properly, and had to come back and re-wire them. It required removing some of the panels to allow access to the optimizers underneath. Rewiring the panels so that the different orientations are (more) evenly split between the two inverters is the correct response, but due to the nature of the work involved, (e.g., removing panels on your roof) it not as easy to do as it is to say.

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    • rsilvers
      Junior Member
      • Apr 2016
      • 246

      #17
      I think mine can be swapped at the inverter.

      Comment

      • rsilvers
        Junior Member
        • Apr 2016
        • 246

        #18
        I took ButchDeal's advice and did a report with each inverter separated:


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        • foo1bar
          Solar Fanatic
          • Aug 2014
          • 1833

          #19
          Originally posted by rsilvers
          I took ButchDeal's advice and did a report with each inverter separated:
          So that does somewhat look like clipping.
          But it's not as flat as I would have expected.

          If there are shadows that take out some production at around noon (ex. phone pole shadow or even maybe a roof vent), those could also result in shapes like this.

          I'm guessing it's just hitting max limit - since it's close to that limit.
          BTW, are you hitting max limit on the strings? I think it's a ~5kW limit per string. (Which if you're only 2 strings to an inverter.... )

          I'd show the installer these graphs (without the red marks) and tell them that you are concerned, since you are clipping and that's decreasing your ROI.

          Comment


          • ButchDeal
            ButchDeal commented
            Editing a comment
            it is solaredge, optimized.

          • foo1bar
            foo1bar commented
            Editing a comment
            "optimized" doesn't mean it's invulnerable to having shadows take out some of production.
            You get a shadow that covers just one of the 60 cells and you can see production for that panel drop by >20%.
        • bcroe
          Solar Fanatic
          • Jan 2012
          • 5198

          #20
          What I see, is one string peaks at 12:00; the other 13:30, each clipping. When each string has the same mix of different
          orientation panels, the curves will be lower (less clipping) and broader, and they will be the same. Bruce Roe

          Comment


          • ButchDeal
            ButchDeal commented
            Editing a comment
            this is the best solution, mix up the arrays on the two inverters.

          • bcroe
            bcroe commented
            Editing a comment
            Guess I should have said INVERTER, not STRING. Bruce

          • foo1bar
            foo1bar commented
            Editing a comment
            Definitely want a mix of orientations within an inverters.
            You can even do a mix within a string with Solaredge.
            One of my strings has 3 different orientations.

            In rsliver's case, having 2 strings pointing west and one pointing south (or vice versa) is probably easiest to do. ie. without running new wires.
        • rsilvers
          Junior Member
          • Apr 2016
          • 246

          #21
          There are three strings on each. I asked them to both go up to larger inverters and to also swap one of the three strings on one with the string on the other that has the same number of panels. I don't yet know their response.

          I was not aware there was a concept of string clipping. If a string can clip, swapping which inverter it is on won't make that string not clip. But it will keep an entire inverter from peaking at once.

          Comment


          • ButchDeal
            ButchDeal commented
            Editing a comment
            There isn't string clipping on your system.

          • foo1bar
            foo1bar commented
            Editing a comment
            If you have 3 strings per inverter, then you don't have per-string clipping. I think it's ~5kW limit, and you have clipping at ~10kW across 3 strings.
            (3 strings would be the expected design - so at least that part is OK)
        • rsilvers
          Junior Member
          • Apr 2016
          • 246

          #22
          They have agreed to come this week and swap my two inverters with SE11400s and to swap two strings at their expense. After that, I expect to be fully satisfied.

          Comment

          • rsilvers
            Junior Member
            • Apr 2016
            • 246

            #23
            They are here changing the inverters. I wanted them to do the string also, because all but 6 of the south-facing panels are on one inverter. The issue is the wires are about two feet too short to reach the other inverter. Do I just let it slide or insist that they do the string swap also - perhaps using a distribution box to splice in another short wire segment? I don't think I want to make them run all new longer wires to the roof.

            Comment

            • foo1bar
              Solar Fanatic
              • Aug 2014
              • 1833

              #24
              Originally posted by rsilvers
              Do I just let it slide or insist that they do the string swap also - perhaps using a distribution box to splice in another short wire segment? I don't think I want to make them run all new longer wires to the roof.
              If it were me, I would make them do the string swap.

              Comment

              • foo1bar
                Solar Fanatic
                • Aug 2014
                • 1833

                #25
                Originally posted by rsilvers
                Do I just let it slide or insist that they do the string swap also - perhaps using a distribution box to splice in another short wire segment? I don't think I want to make them run all new longer wires to the roof.
                If it were me, I would have them do the string swap. They already had agreed to do it.

                Comment

                • rsilvers
                  Junior Member
                  • Apr 2016
                  • 246

                  #26
                  They had agreed to swap one inverter and do a string swap. Then they agreed to swap both inverters, but didn't mention a string swap. A string swap is not easy as the wires are not long enough. They could use a new box to do it though.

                  I asked them.
                  Last edited by rsilvers; 09-29-2016, 07:40 AM.

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