Sun hours

[DanS26]

New operational issue. The Fronius inverters have performed well for a couple years, running at
clipping level much of every sunny day. The lower doors have a manually operated readout, and
access a DC cutoff switch and some other stuff while running.

The other day I opened a door, and the inverter went into reset and power up cycle. It
happened again, I don't need this. Lets see, the case is made of extruded aluminum, and
the door is the same. A clever mechanical design allows the 2 to slide together without a
separate hinge assembly. Well that is fine, except that aluminum likes to form a non
conducting oxide coating. I theorize the door and case are no longer electrically connected,
and static charge/discharge between them is disturbing the electronic controls.

Cure, I drilled & tapped some holes. Short wire jumpers were added at the top and bottom
of the door hinge area, to keep the door securely connected to the case. Problem cured. I
hope this doesn't mean radiation of radio interference will also be on the increase; it was in
good shape initially. Otherwise, I will be adding more jumpers. Bruce Roe

Bruce, I have the exact same issue with the older of my two Fronius inverters. The older model has the hinged door but the newer model is bolted closed and they moved the DC cutoff switch is mounted on the bottom externally, thus no need to oped up the swinging door.

Well I called Fronius and they will, under warranty of course, replace the door and include a plug in module. Maybe I'll try your fix first.

[bcroe]

Deer will not even notice a 6' fence. Week old fawns can make a
standing hop over a 3' fence, an adult at trot can easily clear 8'

We use 6' fencing, with 2 tension wires above it at 7' & 8' with flags on both wires so the deer can see the wires.

Yes I know that those really wild area deer do such numbers. But experimentation here with
these zoned AG deer indicates they generally will not attempt a 7', let alone an 8' fence. And
the doe isn't going to go where the fawns can't follow. I'm thinking the first electric will be just
barely above the 6' mesh, so anything trying to crawl over won't get under it. 3 more runs
extending up to 8'. Not sure it really matter if the top are electric since the deer would be off
the ground anyway. Not so a climber though.

I'm not so concerned if the deer see the wire or not. If they end up breaking it, I'll probably
try barbed wire instead.

There are 10' T posts sticking up 8'. If those aren't enough, I have been known to clamp on a
piece of rebar to add a couple more feet. Bruce

[Mike90250]

....... a new fence is going up. Small
mesh 6' high and electric fence up to 8' ought to keep out dogs, deer, and anything trying to climb
over it. When all this is in order, relocation of existing panels can be accurate, shade free, and
perhaps much easier to tilt for snow season. Won't be done this year. Bruce Roe

Deer will not even notice a 6' fence. Week old fawns can make a standing hop over a 3' fence, an adult at trot can easily clear 8'

We use 6' fencing, with 2 tension wires above it at 7' & 8' with flags on both wires so the deer can see the wires.

[SunEagle]

Guess you mean, satellite view? Bruce

Impressive picture of your system but yes I meant a satellite view.

[bcroe]

Too bad GE still shows a photo from Sept 2013. I would like to see the total array as it stands today.

Guess you mean, satellite view? Bruce

[SunEagle]

Hmm, there are 10 full grown turkeys wondering just outside the window now. This summer my
PATHFINDER and I have been surveying my PV populated south acre. Earlier, I had often seen one
PV half running at considerably less power than the other, because of shading. The relation between
some of my panels and the trees is suboptimal.

Neither my southern lot line or anything else was square back there, as the satellite view shows.
I spent a week surveying the area, and now can draw accurate N-S or E-W lines, and find things
within an inch or so. A clump of trees in the NW corner was badly shading many strings from the
setting sun. But there isn't much point trimming them unless they ALL are trimmed, and I wasn't
sure whose land the 2 biggest trees were on. Well the new survey showed they were both on my
lot by a couple inches, so now they are firewood. The extra sun is immediately obvious. Half a
dozen other trees, small enough for me to control, will be trimmed.

Meantime the south border fence was rusting away and being replaced by weeds turning into real
trees. That is stopping now, most of the 280' run is cleaned and a new fence is going up. Small
mesh 6' high and electric fence up to 8' ought to keep out dogs, deer, and anything trying to climb
over it. When all this is in order, relocation of existing panels can be accurate, shade free, and
perhaps much easier to tilt for snow season. Won't be done this year. Bruce Roe

Too bad GE still shows a photo from Sept 2013. I would like to see the total array as it stands today.

[bcroe]

Hmm, there are 10 full grown turkeys wondering just outside the window now. This summer my
PATHFINDER and I have been surveying my PV populated south acre. Earlier, I had often seen one
PV half running at considerably less power than the other, because of shading. The relation between
some of my panels and the trees is suboptimal.

Neither my southern lot line or anything else was square back there, as the satellite view shows.
I spent a week surveying the area, and now can draw accurate N-S or E-W lines, and find things
within an inch or so. A clump of trees in the NW corner was badly shading many strings from the
setting sun. But there isn't much point trimming them unless they ALL are trimmed, and I wasn't
sure whose land the 2 biggest trees were on. Well the new survey showed they were both on my
lot by a couple inches, so now they are firewood. The extra sun is immediately obvious. Half a
dozen other trees, small enough for me to control, will be trimmed.

Meantime the south border fence was rusting away and being replaced by weeds turning into real
trees. That is stopping now, most of the 280' run is cleaned and a new fence is going up. Small
mesh 6' high and electric fence up to 8' ought to keep out dogs, deer, and anything trying to climb
over it. When all this is in order, relocation of existing panels can be accurate, shade free, and
perhaps much easier to tilt for snow season. Won't be done this year. Bruce Roe

[bcroe]

Static Inverter Reset

New operational issue. The Fronius inverters have performed well for a couple years, running at
clipping level much of every sunny day. The lower doors have a manually operated readout, and
access a DC cutoff switch and some other stuff while running.

The other day I opened a door, and the inverter went into reset and power up cycle. It
happened again, I don't need this. Lets see, the case is made of extruded aluminum, and
the door is the same. A clever mechanical design allows the 2 to slide together without a
separate hinge assembly. Well that is fine, except that aluminum likes to form a non
conducting oxide coating. I theorize the door and case are no longer electrically connected,
and static charge/discharge between them is disturbing the electronic controls.

Cure, I drilled & tapped some holes. Short wire jumpers were added at the top and bottom
of the door hinge area, to keep the door securely connected to the case. Problem cured. I
hope this doesn't mean radiation of radio interference will also be on the increase; it was in
good shape initially. Otherwise, I will be adding more jumpers. Bruce Roe

[SunEagle]

Climate's what you expect. Weather's what you get.

+1. well said.

[J.P.M.]

Darn those unreliable weather patterns. It almost sounds like a gamble to put all my power generation into RE from the sun.

Climate's what you expect. Weather's what you get.

[SunEagle]

Not only is the weather conspiring to keep PV production down. Now it seems smoke from the
left coast fires is hazing up skies here in the Wild West (NW IL). Bruce Roe

Darn those unreliable weather patterns. It almost sounds like a gamble to put all my power generation into RE from the sun.

[bcroe]

Not only is the weather conspiring to keep PV production down. Now it seems smoke from the
left coast fires is hazing up skies here in the Wild West (NW IL). Bruce Roe

[bcroe]

2015/16 Energy Reserve

Here is the energy reserve to date for next winter, with the 2 previous years. Generation isn't any
better than a year ago; probably a little worse (more clouds). Its got a jump on last year, because
this year I was heating with a new heat pump in the spring. Bruce Roe

[bcroe]

What surprised me,
is after the heavy rain and the inverters came back on, the readings for the day were
carried through, not reset.

I guess it knows the difference between "not enough power to operate" and "no power".
I wonder what would happen if you cover the panels well?

It might have a clock that needs 6 hours of darkness to pass before it declares a new day. Or
possibly could still detect a level of energy of panels running at under 0.2% but not zero. No
way will all those panels get covered, but a power supply could be connected to emulate a very
low light level. Or ask Fronius how they do it? Bruce Roe

[inetdog]

[QUOTE=bcroe;164414]What surprised me,
is after the heavy rain and the inverters came back on, the readings for the day were
carried through, not reset. Running at 30%, managed 44 KWH, but the prediction is
for 2 all out sunny days. QUOTE]
I guess it knows the difference between "not enough power to operate" and "no power".
I wonder what would happen if you cover the panels well?