LG300 real world power output

[gvl]

So far I've only seen about 260-270W max from my LG300 panels on a clear day with about 70F ambient according to the SolarEdge portal. Somewhat disappointing. Is this normal? Makes me think they can be used with M250s with minimal clipping, if any at all.

[Poway]

So far I've only seen about 260-270W max from my LG300 panels on a clear day with about 70F ambient according to the SolarEdge portal. Somewhat disappointing. Is this normal? Makes me think they can be used with M250s with minimal clipping, if any at all.

I would agree that excursions above 280 are infrequent.

I typically (if you can call anything typical being up only 2 weeks and only one week in the sun at a good time of the year) see the SolarEdge portal reporting in the low 280's around solar noon (1:45 ish in San Diego CA).

The figure attached (300 ish) shows output in cloudy conditions (with the sun peaking thru which I am told is the best condition).

My guess is the total KWh produced above 270 will not be much especially as we get into hotter weather and worse solar conditions (winter)

[gvl]

I don't think I've seen a consistent number above 280W yet, not counting the cloudy days which are just noisy with lower overall output.

Btw, how do you enable power displayed on the layout diagram? Mine shows kWh.

[logdin]

So far I've only seen about 260-270W max from my LG300 panels on a clear day with about 70F ambient according to the SolarEdge portal. Somewhat disappointing. Is this normal? Makes me think they can be used with M250s with minimal clipping, if any at all.

M250's will clip with LG300's. plenty of examples with this system. http://pvoutput.org/intraday.jsp?id=...83&dt=20150427

Not saying this system was not correctly engineered. Just making the point that 300's will clip an M250 depending on the time of year, pitch, and orientation. How much is being lost? Well there are plenty of threads on that topic. How much would have been generated with 285, 280, 275, 260? Same as the 300? not likely.

I have LG260's, with M250s, and never gotten above 238.

[sensij]

You are likely to see clipping around the equinox... maybe in February on colder, clear day, almost definitely sometime in March and April, as the system logdin linked shows. Maybe in September or October as well, if we get some cooler weather. However, as I've said a countless number of times, the amount of energy you lose due to that clipping is not likely to be significant to the overall economics of the installation. You can spend some time with PVWatts or SAM and see this for yourself.

[sensij]

I don't think I've seen a consistent number above 280W yet, not counting the cloudy days which are just noisy with lower overall output.

Btw, how do you enable power displayed on the layout diagram? Mine shows kWh.

That view was of a SolarEdge system. Enphase shows everything in terms of energy.

[gvl]

That view was of a SolarEdge system. Enphase shows everything in terms of energy.

Mine is SE, there must be a setting I'm overlooking. My M250 comment was just a random thought.

[rwb1921]

So far I've only seen about 260-270W max from my LG300 panels on a clear day with about 70F ambient according to the SolarEdge portal. Somewhat disappointing. Is this normal? Makes me think they can be used with M250s with minimal clipping, if any at all.

Today with SW 285's with m250's the most I have seen is around 230-235w. The most I have seen though only live since Tuesday has been 253w on Wednesday right before noon.

[J.P.M.]

So far I've only seen about 260-270W max from my LG300 panels on a clear day with about 70F ambient according to the SolarEdge portal. Somewhat disappointing. Is this normal? Makes me think they can be used with M250s with minimal clipping, if any at all.

270-280 Watts seems about right +/- some. Under clear skies this time of year mid day, your array is probably running about 40-50 deg. F above ambient or so. If that's a reasonable guess at panel temp., it's lowering eff. below S.T.C. eff. by probably by probably something like 8-10% or a bit more. Combine that w/another 3% or so loss for the inverter, a % or 2 for wiring and another % or 2 for fouling and op. eff. will be off by 12-15% or so. Combine that w/ the reality that 1,000 or more Watts of P.O.A. irradiance doesn't happen all that much and your observed instantaneous output seems about right.

[gvl]

270-280 Watts seems about right +/- some. Under clear skies this time of year mid day, your array is probably running about 40-50 deg. F above ambient or so. If that's a reasonable guess at panel temp., it's lowering eff. below S.T.C. eff. by probably by probably something like 8-10% or a bit more. Combine that w/another 3% or so loss for the inverter, a % or 2 for wiring and another % or 2 for fouling and op. eff. will be off by 12-15% or so. Combine that w/ the reality that 1,000 or more Watts of P.O.A. irradiance doesn't happen all that much and your observed instantaneous output seems about right.

It is 270W DC. It appears that SolarEdge is reporting power at the optimizer input (panel voltage * input current), so it is probably only the panel temperature at play and maybe some effects of the not perfect tilt here.

[sensij]

Mine is SE, there must be a setting I'm overlooking. My M250 comment was just a random thought.

Ah, sorry. In the layout view, go the the "playback" at the top and you'll see the full day's data. You can drag the cursor to see the power at any time.

[foo1bar]

FWIW my 280s that are pointed south only reached 235W (highest reported on solaredge out of 14 south-pointed panels - and most of them only reached high 220's).

The high for my five 280s pointed mostly west was 238W.

I wonder if there's a way to calculate when the sun should be almost perfectly normal to the face of the panel...
(Or what day/time it'll be closest to it)
If my house faced solar noon, I think there are tables I could look at to find out what days the sun would be at X degrees.
Since I haven't got much pitch to my roof, and I don't live far enough south, I'm guessing it'll never be exactly "overhead" for my panels, but it'd be interesting to me to know when it'd be the closest.

[gvl]

Ah, sorry. In the layout view, go the the "playback" at the top and you'll see the full day's data. You can drag the cursor to see the power at any time.

Got it, thanks. I thought there was a real time power display mode, but a replay is even better.

[Poway]

I don't think I've seen a consistent number above 280W yet, not counting the cloudy days which are just noisy with lower overall output.

Btw, how do you enable power displayed on the layout diagram? Mine shows kWh.

Today was a good production day but the peak panel output never got to 300W (viewed from SolarEdge 15 min data). From 12:15 to 1:45 panel outputs were above 270 Watts

Yesterday panel outputs above 300W (viewed from SolarEdge 14 min data) on the 1:00, 1:15 and 1:30 readings.


I think I have the same configuration as you. LG300 with SolarEdge. My panels are the B3 panels.

If your output is lower my guess it is due to either:

1) location: san diego area has has clear skies after a period of rain (not sure where you are but if there is fog, smog, or if you are further north so the sun is weaker)
2) Pointing angles: If I had used a 30 degree tilt (I'm at 27 deg) I would have slightly (<1%) better yearly production but production at this time of the year would (with sun more directly overhead) would be lower.

As to the question of displaying Watts. I have to go to playback (then I usually show week view) so I can see the Power data. Haven't found the toggle in the live view either. I assume you are doing the same as you are quoting each panel power output.

P.S. would be interested to know your location and angles (did you ever sign on to PVoutput?)

[gvl]

I'm in Oak Park, 91377. 130 degree SE azimuth, 24 degree tilt. Same panels, 10kW SE inverter. No fog/smog today, it is about 150 miles North from SD but I don't think this kind of distance plays any significant role. Today the output maxed out at about 260W overall, some panels lower some higher. There were some clouds but mostly clear. I did see mid-270s on 6/2. Not yet on PVoutput, but here is my SE public portal.

In the portal you can select a panel on the layout and it will show detailed real-time telemetry data below, multi-selection using Ctrl key works too. Or right-click, then Info.