I have a technical question. If your load exceeds 5kWs (say 7 kW), does the battery via the inverter supply the full 5 kW with the shortfall 2 kW coming from the grid OR does the full 7 kWs come from the grid because the inverters maximum capacity is exceeded?
Trying to improve the efficiency of solar cells.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/science...taic-limit-shockley-queisser-physics/10862544
The battery has a discharge limit of 5kW (assuming the inverter it is connected to has at least a 5kW rating which in my case it will, otherwise the limit would be lower eg 3kW inverter).
The inverter in my case is 5kW. It didn't have to exactly match the battery but it does.
Now suppose that load is 7kW, there is 2kW being generated from solar because it's cloudy and the battery is charged because load was much lower until I started cooking etc.
What will happen in that situation is the inverter will output 5kW, the limit of its capacity, with 3kW being drawn from the battery to add to the 2kW from solar. The other 2kW needed to supply the 7kW load will be from the grid.
If the load then drops to 1.5W and the sky is now clearer so there's more sun and solar production is 4kW then that will result in the inverter outputting 1.5kW to match the load and the other 2.5kW going into the battery assuming it isn't already fully charged. If the battery were fully charged then the inverter would output the full production of the solar panels with the surplus 2.5kW being fed into the grid.
So output from the solar panels will, in priority order, supply house load, charge the battery, be exported to the grid.
The battery will only ever be charged using surplus solar and will only be discharged to enable the inverter to supply the house load in the absence of sufficient solar to do so. That is, the battery will not be charged from the grid and will not discharge to supply the grid. Technically that could be done but would be uneconomic from my perspective with present retail electricity pricing.
So if the battery is not flat and is not full and load is not more than 5kW then flow through the electricity meter will be zero.
The hot water will remain separately supplied from the grid on controlled load (off-peak) supply unaffected by the solar which won't "see" that completely separate load with its own meter. There's no benefit either economically or technically in messing about with it under my circumstances so I won't.
I think the ACT may be the only jurisdiction which does these inspections.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/sunpower-unveils-worlds-first-400-184006097.html
400w per panel, based on article will be available in Australia
Efficiency of the panels matters in one circumstance only and that's if the available sunlight is limited. In practice that means you've got limited space.A neighbour down the road is humming and haring about installing solar and is tossing up whether to do it now or wait for improvements in the equipment. I can understand that but I think it's line ball on getting the benefit of solar now or wait.
That'll depend on tilt angle and rainfall (intensity and frequency of it more than total volume).Just moved into a new place next to the ocean, solar install scheduled for late Feb, wondering if any one needs to clean their panels?
The biggest problem you will have ifocus, is the salt spray down there on the ocean front in Falcon.Just moved into a new place next to the ocean, solar install scheduled for late Feb, wondering if any one needs to clean their panels?
Have been watching the smoke haze must be a nightmare for those with health issues my wife has a condition where she just cannot breath smoke if it happened here in WA for any length of time we would have to move....maybe a month or two in Bali
Possibly too windy here for a long duration.
That'll depend on tilt angle and rainfall (intensity and frequency of it more than total volume).
If the panels are tilted at least 15 degrees from horizontal and you get periods of proper rain, as distinct from just drizzle etc, then should be no real problem.
Keep watch on them once they're up.....
Just had a thought Ifocus, if I was you, I would get in touch with the company installing the system and ask them if they use good quality stainless 316 bolts for the panel to rail clamps. Also I would be getting a tin of never seize, and ask the guys who put the panels on to coat the bolts, if you don't you will have a $hit of a job trying to get them off at a later date to repair or replace them with the corrosion from the surf spray.The house is 7 years old tin roof, tek screws already growing / corroding so got up replaced 1000 before the solar goes on (1st time I have ever harnessed up on a roof must be getting old) so I figure we will get spray on the panels no big deal can hose off once in a while.
Another point was lower end panels wouldn't give warranty that close to the beach.
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