Realistic expectations

[buckweet1980]

I just had a 16kWh system installed, finally turned it on yesterday and have the app working as of today..

The app is only reporting 6.6 kWh in direct sun (no clouds) for 33 of the 43 panels. I knew there would be loses, but being in Dallas I'd have expected more than this. Hoping to at least to get around 10-12 during prime time sun.

So one question I have, since I have so many panels and 2 inverters how do I know this app is even correct? How do I know that both inverters are functioning and properly reporting?

 

[BrettS]

The app is only reporting 6.6 kWh in direct sun (no clouds) for 33 of the 43 panels.

I’m not quite sure what you mean by this. Is there some reason that 10 of your panels are not active?

Also, it may be a typo, but did you mean 6.6kW or 6.6kWh? 6.6kW would be an instantaneous measurement of power and 6.6kWh would be a measurement of energy, or power over time. So if your solar panels were producing 6.6kW for one hour then they would produce 6.6kWh of energy. However, if your panels were producing 13.2kW of power for 30 minutes, then they would also produce 6.6kWh of energy.

I can say that I definitely get get around 12-13kW during peak times on my 15.12kW system

 

[buckweet1980]

I’m not quite sure what you mean by this. Is there some reason that 10 of your panels are not active?

Also, it may be a typo, but did you mean 6.6kW or 6.6kWh? 6.6kW would be an instantaneous measurement of power and 6.6kWh would be a measurement of energy, or power over time. So if your solar panels were producing 6.6kW for one hour then they would produce 6.6kWh of energy. However, if your panels were producing 13.2kW of power for 30 minutes, then they would also produce 6.6kWh of energy.

I can say that I definitely get get around 12-13kW during peak times on my 15.12kW system

10 of my panels are on the east side of the house, so not direct sunlight right now. The Tesla app is saying 6.6kW actually, so I would equate that like you did.. So far today the app has reported 29.7kWh for 6hrs of production, which is quite low I believe.

 

[SoCal Dave]

My 12.24kW system is producing 8.1kW at 12:30 PM right now. It seems off that you are generating less than me.

 

[BrettS]

10 of my panels are on the east side of the house, so not direct sunlight right now. The Tesla app is saying 6.6kW actually, so I would equate that like you did.. So far today the app has reported 29.7kWh for 6hrs of production, which is quite low I believe.

This is what my graph looks like on a pretty ideal cloudless day:

Normally I have far more clouds than that and my production would look more like this on an average day:

Or like this:

I have 13 panels facing south, 15 panels facing east, and 20 panels facing west.

My peak production where the system produces 12-13kW only happens for a very short time.

What does your curve look like?

 

[buckweet1980]

Here's today's.... Yes, something is off.. I'm very disappointed if this is 'working' as it should.. Right now its only producing enough to make it a wash, my goal was to be able to have excess so I could run the A/C more, get an EV, etc..

 

[BrettS]

You mention that you have two inverters. I wonder if one of your inverters is turned off. What brand and model of inverter do you have, and do they have a screen or lights? If so, what is on the screen or what is the status of the lights?

That certainly looks like it would be about half of your expected production.

 

[buckweet1980]

Bo

You mention that you have two inverters. I wonder if one of your inverters is turned off. What brand and model of inverter do you have, and do they have a screen or lights? If so, what is on the screen or what is the status of the lights?

That certainly looks like it would be about half of your expected production.

Bother inverters are on, the little green light between the main and smaller boxes on each inverter is lit up on both. They're the SE7600-H model for both.

 

[BrettS]

Bo



Bother inverters are on, the little green light between the main and smaller boxes on each inverter is lit up on both. They're the SE7600-H model for both.

Those are the same inverters I have. Green light on solid means that the system is producing power, green light flashing means that the system is on, but not producing power. Is the green light on solid for both systems?

If it is, maybe try to turn off one inverter and watch the app for a few minutes and see how that affects the production.

 

[buckweet1980]

Yeap, green light is solid.... I did just shut off one inverter (breaker and the knob on the box) for about 5 minutes now, the App hasn't changed what it's saying.. Anyone know how long it will take for this to properly reflect an inverter being offline?

Time to reverse this to see if things update..

 

[BrettS]

It should update pretty quickly. The inverter will drop offline immediately when you turn off the breaker or turn off the DC disconnect knob. You certainly should see a change within 5 minutes.

Do note that when the inverters come back online they will wait 5 minutes after the breaker is turned back on before they will start producing power again.

 

[DrSmile]

It would tell you right away if you shut off an inverter. Check the meter from the system, it will tell you exactly how much you're making. My guess is the system is producing well but the app is wrong.

 

[destructure00]

Could be that only one of your inverters is reporting in to Tesla.

 

[buckweet1980]

I have both inverters off now for about 10 minutes, app still shows like its 'working'...

Is the home usage vs going into the grid remotely correct in the app? Looking at my smart-meter, yesterday the system was turned on at 11am and I sent 42kwh into the grid.. So if this were truly doing 6.5, then I couldn't have sent that much into the grid. The A/C, computers, pool and other things are on during these hot days.. Today thus far, the power company says I've put 35kWh into the grid.

So I'm guessing the app is just wrong.

 

[BrettS]

I have both inverters off now for about 10 minutes, app still shows like its 'working'...

Is the home usage vs going into the grid remotely correct in the app? Looking at my smart-meter, yesterday the system was turned on at 11am and I sent 42kwh into the grid.. So if this were truly doing 6.5, then I couldn't have sent that much into the grid. The A/C, computers, pool and other things are on during these hot days.. Today thus far, the power company says I've put 35kWh into the grid.

So I'm guessing the app is just wrong.

Yeah, that may be. I just realized that when I said that the app should update pretty quickly I was making the assumption that you had powerwalls. If you have powerwalls the way the app communicates with your system is different than if you just have a solar only install. If you are solar only then I think the app only updates about every 15 minutes.

It does sound like it might just be a monitoring issue.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Solar readout is for a set moment in time, but the economice benefits is what it produces, compared to what you use...over time.

Solar will begin working with the first morning rays and continue to produce until sunset. Clouds, dirt, shade, everything will effect it.

Watching it every moment is frought with anxiety. What really matters is how you net out with your utility provider at the end of the year.

 

[buckweet1980]

Yeah I'm not trusting this app right now... I had the inverter 1 (which is the one I think is working in the app) off, inverter 2 on. Then it started to say that I'm using 9kw in the house, which I don't have that much on to be able to do that I don't believe, yet it was still showing that the solar is generating 6.5kw.

I then turned inverter 1 on and now i have no data showing up other than it saying 5kw is being used in the house right now. I went around and turn the A/C off, so the only thing running is the pool, some computers, ceiling fans, etc. Then it started to say 1.2kw being generated (with both inverters on) and then the house is still using 6.2kw.. Meanwhile the power meter says i'm sending back into the grid..

Something doesn't add up here.

 

[getakey]

I had many problems with bad reporting in the app when I got PWs installled. Turned out to be bad wiring by the installer

 

[SoCal Dave]

Not sure if it is helpful in your situation, but the Solar Edge Inverters will give you a rough indication of performance. Move the little on/off switch to P for 2 seconds.

Inverter Status and System Performance Indications | SolarEdge US

 

[buckweet1980]

That was helpful, I just did the P button and both gave me the blue light.. Now the app isn't showing me anything, lol... Triangle is blacked out for solar, home and grid..