6Kw going in soon in Aliso Viejo

[Alisobob]

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Feb was a good month. At one stretch, I had 19 days in a row over 30 KWH's...

856 KWH's generated vs a projected 625...

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37 KWH's off 6.4 KV nameplate... not too bad for Feb.

Onwards into March, and hopefully sunny days...

[Alisobob]

No worries.... Info is info... might help someone in the same boat. as you.

[OftheSeven]

Depends on when the shading starts. Any shadow before 9am or later than 4pm and 6pm (Summer) you don't really need to worry about it.

I have chimney shadow after 6pm in Summer, it aint too bad.

PS. I'll put the panels on the back yard roofs instead of facing the street. I don't like panels on front of the house. You can add few more panels to make up the difference if needed since you have the space on the roof.

Thanks for the info. I checked today and the shading (this time of year) didn't occur until 4PM on the back south roof, so I think I'll go that route.

Sorry, Bob. Didn't mean to hijack your thread.

[J.P.M.]

I'll agree with that, and add that some of my neighbors have some East facing panels that seem kinds useless.

Even without "shading" from a chimney or tree... they seldom get full sun due to cloud cover or fog, that burns off after 10am of so... right about the time my South facing panels start to crank out the juice.

I'm no expert on this, but stick as many as you can facing South, then add as many facing West as you need to hit your numbers.

East facing seems like a real waste, as least in my area.

Where you are, east facing is not a real waste, but surely not as productive as mostly south facing. Your sort of westerly facing ( if I recall correctly) is better than east, but not as good as probably something like 10-20 deg. west of south, or mostly south facing.

[bcroe]

I'll agree with that, and add that some of my neighbors have some East facing panels that seem kinds useless.

Even without "shading" from a chimney or tree... they seldom get full sun due to cloud cover or fog, that burns off after 10am of so... right about the time my South facing panels start to crank out the juice.

I'm no expert on this, but stick as many as you can facing South, then add as many facing West as you need to hit your numbers.

East facing seems like a real waste, as least in my area.

This will vary. Here we often get good morning sun, followed by clouding in the afternoon.
East facing panels put me at 100% by 9am, for half the year if the sun is out. Bruce Roe

[Alisobob]

Any shadow before 9am or later than 4pm and 6pm (Summer) you don't really need to worry about it.

I'll agree with that, and add that some of my neighbors have some East facing panels that seem kinds useless.

Even without "shading" from a chimney or tree... they seldom get full sun due to cloud cover or fog, that burns off after 10am of so... right about the time my South facing panels start to crank out the juice.

I'm no expert on this, but stick as many as you can facing South, then add as many facing West as you need to hit your numbers.

East facing seems like a real waste, as least in my area.

[silversaver]

My "Peak Output". so far.. if thats close to the same thing your asking.. is 5.25 KW AC ( off a 6.48 KW DC nameplate system)

Your equation would equal 5.52 KW AC output.

Maybe in a few more months, as the sun gets higher...

I think you will see that next month!!

[Alisobob]

I was wondering what would be your max instantaneous output? 230W AC X 24?

My "Peak Output". so far.. if thats close to the same thing your asking.. is 5.25 KW AC ( off a 6.48 KW DC nameplate system)

Your equation would equal 5.52 KW AC output.

Maybe in a few more months, as the sun gets higher...

[silversaver]

Thanks Bob! Your output does look great. My main concern was whether a higher elevation west facing roof location was better/worse than a lower elevation south facing roof with late afternoon shading?

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We may be able to fit more than the two on the East roof facing South, or I could just leave the ones on the higher West facing roof. My wife would prefer more in the back yard for aesthetic reasons.

Depends on when the shading starts. Any shadow before 9am or later than 4pm and 6pm (Summer) you don't really need to worry about it.

I have chimney shadow after 6pm in Summer, it aint too bad.

PS. I'll put the panels on the back yard roofs instead of facing the street. I don't like panels on front of the house. You can add few more panels to make up the difference if needed since you have the space on the roof.

[OftheSeven]

That is an awesome output. Base on Enphase white paper that undersize inverter yield higher overall production. I understand you have 24 M215 microinverters pairing with 270W panel. I was wondering what would be your max instantaneous output? 230W AC X 24?

Thanks Bob! Your output does look great. My main concern was whether a higher elevation west facing roof location was better/worse than a lower elevation south facing roof with late afternoon shading?

PTSolar layout.jpg

We may be able to fit more than the two on the East roof facing South, or I could just leave the ones on the higher West facing roof. My wife would prefer more in the back yard for aesthetic reasons.

[silversaver]

OftheSeven asked me a question, but I cant reply with a photo in a message, so I'm replying here.'

He wanted to know how a south facing roof performs after 3pm, due to shading issues.

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I had my BEST day ever on Tues, 37 KWH's.

You can see, the bulk of the power is made before 3 pm, with the power falling off pretty quick and finishing at 5pm.

In those last 2 hours, it looks like roughly 2 KWH's are produced. So it would have been a 35 KWH day with 3 pm shading issues?

I hope this answers your question!

Bob

That is an awesome output. Base on Enphase white paper that undersize inverter yield higher overall production. I understand you have 24 M215 microinverters pairing with 270W panel. I was wondering what would be your max instantaneous output? 230W AC X 24?

[Alisobob]

OftheSeven asked me a question, but I cant reply with a photo in a message, so I'm replying here.'

He wanted to know how a south facing roof performs after 3pm, due to shading issues.

37 kwh.JPG

I had my BEST day ever on Tues, 37 KWH's.

You can see, the bulk of the power is made before 3 pm, with the power falling off pretty quick and finishing at 5pm.

In those last 2 hours, it looks like roughly 2 KWH's are produced. So it would have been a 35 KWH day with 3 pm shading issues?

I hope this answers your question!

Bob

[J.P.M.]

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"Class.... this theorem of dollars per watt explains why I purchased instead of leased..."

Take what you want/need. Scrap the rest.

[Alisobob]

einstein.jpeg

"Class.... this theorem of dollars per watt explains why I purchased instead of leased..."

[J.P.M.]

Sort of tailing on to Sensij's comments in post #310:

Total system initial cost (or something like yr. zero LCOE) vs. expected 1st yr. savings may be of some use to see how cost effectiveness decreases as the system size increases, but that implies that a lot of things that may need to be considered like the cost of funds, rate increases, increased/decreased use, useful life etc are ignored.

Such calculations may also be good to compare one system vs. another as in the case of a 5 kW Sunpower system having about the same annual output as a 5kW LG system but costing ~ 25% more up front.

Such comparisons however do not consider the long term costs, benefits/downsides of solar electric system ownership. In the long(er) term, some things can become more economically viable - maybe. The drawbacks to such thinking are more work, usually more education about process economics, and a greater dependence on estimates (or the probability of those estimates being reasonably accurate) of conditions extant in an uncertain future. Some feel some risk for greater return is worth it. Some not.

NY state has a rather generous rebate/incentive program compared to CA at this time. I'd wager that down at the bottom line, system ownership cost vs. savings is about equal in either state both long and short term - as Aliso Bob notes, one area may have better rebates, the other has more sun.

As an anecdote, my old neighborhood in Buffalo hasn't seen any significant sun for a week and probably won't for at least another 7 days - a common winter weather pattern, with expected highs in the single digits (F.) next week. Here in zip 92026, as similar to Aliso Bob, Ive been pretty cloudless for at least the last week w/ temps in the 70's - low 80's with the same forecast for the next week or so. Pay your money - take your choice.