Second system extension extension.

[Joeboy]

I sold a number of Shell shares last month as they had flicked back into break even territory on the share price and I am ongoing slowly divesting myself of oil investment and taking up more RE.

Today Shell dividend landed for the 1/4. As I was onboard for ex dividend date for those shares sold they handily paid out on the dividend.

That money has now been transferred to compensate for last week's cash debit for the PV extension to the PV extension.

Thank you Shell for doing a smidge more unknowingly for the environment! These panels are now named in my addled mind as 'The Shell Extension'. I like this transmutation from oil to solar, not quite as appealing as Shell 'shazahm' into a TMY though! Nonetheless a happy wee synchronicity for a Monday morn.

Got everything ordered incl the bulkhead mount MC4 connectors.
Just waiting on deliveries.

[Joeboy]

That was quick!

[Joeboy]

Interesting. Carried out a quick check to make sure all 3 are outputting as single units.

Faced into leylandi 29V
Full sun 39.7V
1/2 blocked by my shadow 38.5V

I would have expected more than 1.2V drop blocking 1/2 the panel? Anyway, all are working, away to play about with tilt.

[Stinsy]

Voltage isn't as important as the current under load...

Imagine you have 3x panels in a string. Each puts out 40V 8A, that is 320W per panel and 960W for the string. If you shade one panel you could take the current down to 1A for the whole string, so you get 120W out of your string even though two of the panels have enough light to provide 640W.

String Voltage is the voltage of each panel in the string added together, string current is whatever the weakest panel in the string is putting out.

[Joeboy]

Tilted to around 35 deg output is 38.4V. O deg tilt is 38V and strangely the voltage went from 37.6V to 38.4V when I wiped a film of road dust off it.

[Joeboy]

Lastly panning panel away from sun at 0 deg tilt.
0 deg 38.1V
45 deg 37.8V
90 deg 35.7V

Apart from having enormous fun I have now understood that with panels as they are today you really have to go some for them to be of no use.

[Joeboy]

Voltage isn't as important as the current under load...

Imagine you have 3x panels in a string. Each puts out 40V 8A, that is 320W per panel and 960W for the string. If you shade one panel you could take the current down to 1A for the whole string, so you get 120W out of your string even though two of the panels have enough light to provide 640W.

String Voltage is the voltage of each panel in the string added together, string current is whatever the weakest panel in the string is putting out.

Absolutely, as I am looking to find peak angle or close to with the existing restrictions and panel orientation experience. I thought it would be of assistance to someone down the line thinking it through for their own place. Its also (V) a handy quick figure for sussing best conditions within a boxfull of limits. For ourselves it's the leylandi as the stopper but we both like it so I'll just keep it trimmed. The house in the evening and the forest at bottom of garden when sun is riding low.
P.S Good explanation Stinsy, cheers.

[Joeboy]

Just about job done, waiting on 25 mtrs of 4mm cable and I'll make the final connection. A good fun afternoon!
First lesson is 'oh wow how easy to clean a ground mount system'. Looks like we'll have decent output between 11am and 4pm. Either side of that window some leylandi shading or the house itself casts a shadow. Happy with that!

[nowty]

Good choice with those half cell panels. They are effectively two half panels in parallel so the whole bottom half can shade and you will still get half power from them.

[Joeboy]

Thsnks Nowty, you texting one handed in the TM3?