Flat maximum energy production

[smbunn]

https://www.solaxpower.com/wp-conten...-Air-Boost.pdf

My units are the last column, the X1-5.0T

If useful there are also these installer test figures.
MPPT1 Open circuit voltage 566.5 Vdc, Short Circuit Current 12.2 Adc
MPPT2 Open circuit voltage 566.5 Vdc, Short Circuit Current 12.2 Adc

[scrambler]

The panel specs say the max power voltage is 42,8V so the string will be 428Volts, and the max Power Amps for panel and therefore String is 11.69 Amps
So now we need to compare that with the Inverter MPPT specs

[scrambler]

At first glance, 428V is within the MPPT range, and 11.69A is just below the max of 12 Amps...

Are you using the model with One or two MPPT?
Are you using a Single String and MPPT of 10 panels?
Is there any monitoring or panel on the inverter that would show the Actual String Voltage and Amp during the plateau?

[smbunn]

One MPPT. Single string with 10 panels
The SolaX unit has an informative LCD display amd I can also view this data over the web portal. ...but it pissing with rain at the moment so only getting a couple of kW total right now

[scrambler]

On the next sunny day with a production plateau, check the MPPT voltage and amps before the plateau and during the plateau
And make that test of shutting down one Inverter

ANd please send us some of your rain here in CA

[smbunn]

I have added the XLS output files from that day. It has all the voltage and current settings for units 1 and 2


We have also been in drought here for 2 years which is unheard of in New Zealand. Typically we suffer too much rain. At least the water utiity dams are filling and we hopefully wont be on water restrictuions this summer again

[smbunn]

Right, sun came out. Both units putting out 3440 watts or thereabout. Turned off unit 1. Unit 2 did not change output. Watched for 5 minutes, no change. Turned on Unit 2, it returned to putting out 3400 watts. Its mid day here in NZ so peak output right now

Unit 1, 3,415 watts, 474.6 volts and 7.3 amps
Unit 2, 3,316 watts, 474.9 volts and 7.2 amps

[nerdralph]

Right, sun came out. Both units putting out 3440 watts or thereabout. Turned off unit 1. Unit 2 did not change output. Watched for 5 minutes, no change. Turned on Unit 2, it returned to putting out 3400 watts. Its mid day here in NZ so peak output right now

Unit 1, 3,415 watts, 474.6 volts and 7.3 amps
Unit 2, 3,316 watts, 474.9 volts and 7.2 amps

You must have optimizers on both strings, and they probably have a maximum power rating of 350W. Without optimizers, you'd see 400-430V under full sun, and around 12A current.

[scrambler]

Graphing Voltage Amps and power, we can see the Amps being clipped around 7.5 Amps, While the voltage is around 450V which is in the acceptable range.

I am not the expert here, but that seems perfectly acceptable for the MPPT, which would rule out MPPT being out of range


Solar.jpg

[scrambler]

You must have optimizers on both strings, and they probably have a maximum power rating of 350W. Without optimizers, you'd see 400-430V under full sun, and around 12A current.

He only has a one or two panels with optimizers, and I don't see how Optimizer would create clipping for the whole string...
These are different from Micro Inverters that do create Clipping.

That said, it would not hurt to know which model of optimizers have been used a a few of the panels.
Tigo TS4 for example have a rating of 700W (16-80V with 15A)

[nerdralph]

He only has a one or two panels with optimizers, and I don't see how Optimizer would create clipping for the whole string...
These are different from Micro Inverters that do create Clipping.

That said, it would not hurt to know which model of optimizers have been used a a few of the panels.
Tigo TS4 for example have a rating of 700W (16-80V with 15A)

How do you explain it then? The graphs don't point to the inverter clipping at 7-8A. Either the optimizers are directly causing the clipping, or indirectly they are interfering with the MPPT. When the current drops from >8A in the morning, the voltage goes up from ~400 to 450. That must be the optimizers boosting the voltage. Without the optimizers the voltage would continue to slowly drop below 400V as the panels heat up, and then it would rise in the late afternoon as the panels cool down.

[smbunn]

My invoice from the installer just says '3 of tigo optimisers"

Nope, found a more detail info in the quote and it says Tigo TS4-A-O

[scrambler]

Tigo Optimizer power rating of 700W says this has nothing to do with this.
Also I have the exact same Tigos, and One optimizer on a single panel of a 10 panel string cannot clip the whole array like that.

As far as I can tell this is the inverter using the MPPT to clip production. I have a hybrid inverter, and this is exactly what it looks like when the inverter is throttling production for one reason or an other.

The test of setting the Inverter to a max export of 2500W will help us see what that looks like on MPPT Volts and Amps

[smbunn]

My inverters are not hybrid, but I can at least ask the installer company to look deeper. They are however rejecting the idea that I have any problem at all. They just keep saying it's Winter limiting peak production and Summer will see me at the full 10 kW or near enough

[nerdralph]

My inverters are not hybrid, but I can at least ask the installer company to look deeper. They are however rejecting the idea that I have any problem at all. They just keep saying it's Winter limiting peak production and Summer will see me at the full 10 kW or near enough

Unfortunately, you hired a bad installer.