Is it possible?

[yftam168]

This PV system output performance is outstanding, the solar panel power is 3.52KW, but peak output power is above 4KW, how is this possible?

Stoke Hammond G7PKF 3.520kW

 

[Gavin A]

cold panels, positive power tolerances and efficient inverter, plus sunlight can actually be higher than 1000Wm2

 

[FB.]

This PV system output performance is outstanding, the solar panel power is 3.52KW, but peak output power is above 4KW, how is this possible?

Stoke Hammond G7PKF 3.520kW

Please don't take offence to me telling the truth that I actually dropped your system from my list of favourites because its readings were always such a long way ahead of any simlar-sized system.

Your system is about 20% ahead of even the next-best system within 50 miles of your location (at least, from what I can find).
You're about 30% ahead of the average system, and 20% ahead of a 4kW Sanyo system in your favourites.
Most of the nearby systems of similar size, orientation and with no shading are within about 10% of each other, so yours stands out like a sore thumb.

I'm surprised that your FiT provider hasn't queried the readings, what with them being so different from all the others.
The extreme outperformance is almost as if your system has 250W panels rather than the 220's listed. Unless ZEN panels (which I know very little about) are high-end performance.

Something very odd is going on. Do the incoming string voltage, ampage and wattage tally with having 220W panels?

Cheers,
F

 

[solarsavings]

FB do you have your system listed on pvoutput.

 

[Worcester]

It's probably being uploaded vi a Current Cost monitoring system!!
Seriuosly though the question is: What is monitoring the output / how is it being uploaded.
We have found the CC systems to be out by 20 - 50% -OK for RELATIVE information, inaccurate for real monitoring.

 

[FB.]

FB do you have your system listed on pvoutput.

Yes, but not on a live data feed. I also input once-daily data into my own Excel sheet, and submit readings to the Sheffield Solar Farm for them to collate and analyse along with others.
I figured that in return for a generous FiT, I should at least give some payback to others by making my data available for people to use and hopefully learn from.

My data entry on PVOutput.org is just day's total generation and weather, plus occasional special comment. The inverter is in a downstairs utility room, so I can easily see what it's doing on-screen if I want to, without need for a £150-200 monitoring device (the PowerOne monitors weren't especially good at the time anyway).

Link to PVOutput:
Cambs S P 3.750kW

The in-laws had a 3.29kW system installed last summer, which is what encouraged us to have one. They began their investigations around April-May 2011.
Speaking to the in-laws is what got me interested in something which I'd previously thought was an expensive gimmick (as many people still do); the saying that solar is catching is indeed true.
Us getting one encouraged another relative to get one, and a neighbour.

Hopefully the following link goes to the Sheffield Solar Farm website. I'm sure they'd appreciate anyone who can offer their data:
http://www.microgen-database.org.uk/

My URN on the Sheffield website is 774, a few miles North of Cambridge, Cambs, CB24 postcode.

Although nominally listed as "SouthEast", my system is actually a bit worse than that; it's East-South-East facing (about 120-125 azimuth).
.

 

[FB.]

It's probably being uploaded vi a Current Cost monitoring system!!
Seriuosly though the question is: What is monitoring the output / how is it being uploaded.
We have found the CC systems to be out by 20 - 50% -OK for RELATIVE information, inaccurate for real monitoring.

Totalling-up everything the monitoring device says, and comparing it with the inverter logs and with the generation meter would give a definitive answer.

My generation meter is showing 99.5% the value in the inverter logs, which is more than close enough. I expect the 0.5% discrepancy (i.e. a discrepancy of 1kWh in every 200 generated) is largely the cable loss from inverter to generation meter, with perhaps a minor variation in the calibration of the two pieces of equpment.

 

[Eco Deal]

somthing does not add up here.

421 kwh our 4 kwp did in south coast in august!!

 

[FB.]

somthing does not add up here.

421 kwh our 4 kwp did in south coast in august!!

On a slight tangent, there is a distinct seasonal variation in different parts of the country. East Anglia tends to experience its sunniest weather in late summer and autumn, although the South Coast does tend to see more sun than most areas, for most of the year.
My 3.75kWp in East Anglia generated 425kWh during August, and my system is about an average performer in this area.
Early in the year, a few people mocked the "underperformance" of systems in my area - assuming that it was poor installation or poor components - when it was probably the seasonal weather patterns since all systems were within +/-5% of each other.

Met Office climate data here: Met Office: UK mapped climate averages

Cheers,
F

 

[Worcester]

That would be about right
Cromer: 46.23kWp August: 6146.25 kWh
Gt Yarmouth: 49.92kWp August: 7004.62 kWh
Forest of Dean: 48.88 kWp August: 5078.75 kWh

 

[Gary K]

This is another system ,I have been watching which batters my system by about 25%

Other than a cooling breeze, Are there any advantages from being on the coast?

 

[FB.]

This is another system ,I have been watching which batters my system by about 25%

Other than a cooling breeze, Are there any advantages from being on the coast?

Coastal areas, and low-lying areas in general - tend to see a little more sunshine and a little less rainfall than more inland or higher land.
Plus you've got the cooling breeze, but on the other hand in winter the sea will buffer the worst of the cold.

But your 484kWh from 3.84kWp (126kWh per kWp) is very similar to my 465kWh from 3.75kWp (124kWh per kWp), so yet again it casts doubt on the figures from the system which belongs to the opening poster.

 

[Gary K]

Coastal areas, and low-lying areas in general - tend to see a little more sunshine and a little less rainfall than more inland or higher land.
Plus you've got the cooling breeze, but on the other hand in winter the sea will buffer the worst of the cold.

But your 484kWh from 3.84kWp (126kWh per kWp) is very similar to my 465kWh from 3.75kWp (124kWh per kWp), so yet again it casts doubt on the figures from the system which belongs to the opening poster.

Where did you get 484 from?

 

[FB.]

Where did you get 484 from?

Just to the right of the % target colour bar. It now says 480kWh, presumably as you've since added another reading for today.

 

[Gary K]

Just to the right of the % target colour bar. It now says 480kWh, presumably as you've since added another reading for today.

???? On my"your output" page,the figure is 573

 

[FB.]

???? On my"your output" page,the figure is 573

How interesting. I was not logged in and got those numbers.
After loggin in, I can see the 573 for your system, and mine now shows as 551. But I'm now wondering whether that's the target generation for the period ahead, and that we've both generated about 4-5% of the month's target.

I've now gone into "statistics" and found that you generated 445.7 in August (425.3 for me).
442 v 418 in July.
417 v 409 in June.

1305kWh v 1252kWh in the last three months.

1305kWh/3.84kWp = 340kWh per kWp for the three month period from your system.
1252kWh/3.75kWp = 334kWh per kWp for the three month period from my system.

Difference: 2% in your favour.

 

[PengEF]

Wouldn't bother worrying about anything that is obviously out performing everything else on pvoutput as you have absolutely no way of knowing how the data is being read and input. Can't figure out why anyone would want to, other than to just mess with people for some demented reason, but it's perfectly easy to just make it up on pvoutput. I know I have to put mine in by hand as I haven't figured out how to get it out of my solaredge inverter automatically yet. If you know yours is accurate then don't lose sleep over what others are doing as they are only cheating themselves.

 

[PengEF]

Difference: 2% in your favour.

FB just use the compare function it makes comparisons very easy and visual.

 

[zapthis]

im not sure it was possible to produce 535kw for july and 561kw for august after the dreadful summer we had maybe spain but not hear i wonder what equipment was used to take readings but it doesnt look right to me. mine noshadejoe 3.900kW are miles away but my climate is something different again but is taking from the optismart and is spot on with the generation meter

 

[Gary K]

How interesting. I was not logged in and got those numbers.
After loggin in, I can see the 573 for your system, and mine now shows as 551. But I'm now wondering whether that's the target generation for the period ahead, and that we've both generated about 4-5% of the month's target.

I've now gone into "statistics" and found that you generated 445.7 in August (425.3 for me).
442 v 418 in July.
417 v 409 in June.

1305kWh v 1252kWh in the last three months.

1305kWh/3.84kWp = 340kWh per kWp for the three month period from your system.
1252kWh/3.75kWp = 334kWh per kWp for the three month period from my system.

Difference: 2% in your favour.

If you float the curser over the figure is says-
total generation and consumption for the period shown.

I haven't added it up but I therefore assume it is a total of the page below

 

[moggy1968]

437kWh in August for my mate in York who's system I installed at the end of july. Slightly east of due south.
4kWp Yingli Panda system with SMA 3.6TL

 

[PengEF]

Yes I agree moggy I thought I was doing well with 463kWh in August but that is a whole 100kWh more. If it's true I would love to know how.

 

[zapthis]

Yes I agree moggy I thought I was doing well with 463kWh in August but that is a whole 100kWh more. If it's true I would love to know how.

the only possible explanation i can think of it might be on a tracker which would make a difference