Best KWH production today on my new 20KW System!

[Truenorth]

Just wondering how many total KWH are being generated by other systems. Today is my best day so far with my new 70 panel 19,950 watt system (installed in Dec 2016) which produced 114 KWH. I'm like a boy with a new bike, I can't wait until summer!!!! My location is in northern Michigan at latitude 47.12.

[J.P.M.]

See PVOutput.org and look for arrays near you. You'll probably find lots of information.

[bcroe]

Just wondering how many total KWH are being generated by other systems. Today is my best day so far with my new 70 panel 19,950 watt system (installed in Dec 2016) which produced 114 KWH. I'm like a boy with a new bike, I can't wait until summer!!!! My location is in northern Michigan at latitude 47.12.

At 42 degrees lat, I never complain when a days production exceeds 100KWH. You have more inverter than me
(15KW here), but less panels, so you'll collect more KWH on sunny days, but I'll do better under clouds.
Collected 124 KWH on March 15 when for once the clouds disappeared. Friday they predict pure sun, maybe that
is what you just had. Bruce Roe

[Mike90250]

..... I can't wait until summer!!!! .....

Then you have higher temps and lower voltage (= reduced wattage) Cool clear days Rock production.

[bcroe]

Then you have higher temps and lower voltage (= reduced wattage) Cool clear days Rock production.

Yes higher efficiency. But the summer has longer days. Bruce Roe

[Truenorth]

JPM- I will check out PVWatts for some comparables....thanks!

Mike/Bruce: We will get about 5 hours of more daylight in the peak summer vs April so hoping that will increase production like Bruse says. Hoping the increased temps don't offset too much! Currently I'm getting production starting around 7:30AM and quits at 8PM. Sounds like Bruce is getting some nice production.

Thanks!

[J.P.M.]

JPM- I will check out PVWatts for some comparables....thanks!

Mike/Bruce: We will get about 5 hours of more daylight in the peak summer vs April so hoping that will increase production like Bruse says. Hoping the increased temps don't offset too much! Currently I'm getting production starting around 7:30AM and quits at 8PM. Sounds like Bruce is getting some nice production.

Thanks!

You're welcome, but that's PVOutput.org -- NOT PVWatts. You can also join PVOutput if you choose and share your info with others.

For a SWAG at clear day output for your array for this, or any, time of year, run PVWatts (NOT PVOutput) with about 10% system losses, choose the hourly output option and look for a clear day's output on days near the current date. Because of probably different temps. and wind profile, PVWatts vs. actual, it won't be exact, but it'll probably get you in the ballpark.

[DanS26]

I have noticed that my best production days are in late March and April .....when the the array tilt is mostly perpendicular to the sun rays along with cooler temps. Also the dry strong northwest winds blow away the Midwest clouds and pollution for a few days at a time allowing for some crystal clear skies.

[Truenorth]

Sorry JPM, my bad on PvOutput mistype. I did sign into PVOutput after you mentioned it. I will run the comparison. Lots of neat info out there!

Dan, it's interesting you are getting max production in March/April. It will be fun to watch / study where my best days will be this first year.

Thanks!

[J.P.M.]

I have noticed that my best production days are in late March and April .....when the the array tilt is mostly perpendicular to the sun rays along with cooler temps. Also the dry strong northwest winds blow away the Midwest clouds and pollution for a few days at a time allowing for some crystal clear skies.

For many northern hemisphere fixed arrays that face mostly south and are often tilted ~ 10-15 deg. less than local latitude, this time of year is one of two that offers the lowest incidence angles around solar noon. Combined with generally lower temps. than in summer, that offers a decent chance for highest instantaneous output and a good time to measure instantaneous array output on a clear day with something like normal (as in perpendicular) incidence of the beam portion of irradiance for about 10-15 minutes or so on either side of min. incidence angle time. As an example only: Between 04/06 and 06/09, the cosine of the minimum incidence angle of the beam portion of irradiance on my array - an instantaneous value at min. incidence angle time , but pretty steady for ~ +/- 10 min. or so, is >0.99.

This is also a good time of year to measure clean array performance, so I'm washing my array 1x/day in the early A.M., before the array, and particularly the glazing, heats up, until 06/12. I measure a bunch of stuff daily at min. incidence angle time on cloudless days anyway as part of array performance tracking and fouling estimates, and leave the array untouched except by rain and accumulated dirt, for long stretches of time. By doing a bunch of daily cleanings now and for the next couple of months, I also get a SWAG on array performance deterioration as f(time). Been at it for 3 years or so.

Take what you want of the above. Scrap the rest.

[J.P.M.]

Sorry JPM, my bad on PvOutput mistype. I did sign into PVOutput after you mentioned it. I will run the comparison. Lots of neat info out there!

Dan, it's interesting you are getting max production in March/April. It will be fun to watch / study where my best days will be this first year.

Thanks!

No need for remorse or to be sorry. Just have fun and remember most of this business in not rocket science. Stay curious.

[tyab]

3 month old system. This is my highest output so far: http://pvoutput.org/intraday.jsp?id=...49&dt=20170403 80 x 260W, Enphase M250. I have morning mountain shade that takes a 2h15m after sunrise to completely clear and minor evening mountain shade for about 20 mins before sunset.

[J.P.M.]

3 month old system. This is my highest output so far: http://pvoutput.org/intraday.jsp?id=...49&dt=20170403 80 x 260W, Enphase M250. I have morning mountain shade that takes a 2h15m after sunrise to completely clear and minor evening mountain shade for about 20 mins before sunset.

You'll probably do a bit better in terms of peak clear day output for about the next month or so, but you're probably close to max. at this time. I'd also expect daylong clear day totals to peak in late June or maybe a bit earlier.

[Truenorth]

3 month old system. This is my highest output so far: http://pvoutput.org/intraday.jsp?id=...49&dt=20170403 80 x 260W, Enphase M250. I have morning mountain shade that takes a 2h15m after sunrise to completely clear and minor evening mountain shade for about 20 mins before sunset.

Tyab: I'm kind of new to PVOutput, so it looks like you had a production of around 137kwh for the day? Looks pretty impressive!

[DanS26]

This is my best day....April 4, 2015. Notice the clipping around solar noon.

http://pvoutput.org/intraday.jsp?id=8756&sid=7127&dt=20150404