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opinion:frater_secessus:how_much_excess_solar_power

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opinion:frater_secessus:how_much_excess_solar_power [2022/12/14 13:55]
frater_secessus [empirical testing]
opinion:frater_secessus:how_much_excess_solar_power [2022/12/14 14:24]
frater_secessus [looking up daily insolation (FSE)]
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-===== empirical testing =====+===== direct testing =====
  
 Plug it in and see if the solar can support it [[electrical:solar:offthepanel|without affecting the battery bank]].  Easy peasy.   Plug it in and see if the solar can support it [[electrical:solar:offthepanel|without affecting the battery bank]].  Easy peasy.  
  
-===== observation and prediction =====+The downside is this is a YES/NO answer;  it tells you a specific load will run but does not tell you about how much power is actually available.  If you want to see the Bigger Picture then read on...
  
 +===== prediction =====
  
 +==== looking up daily insolation (FSE) =====
  
 +Hours of Full Sun Equivalent (FSE) is a convenient way to think of the amount of sunlight reaching the ground over the entire day.  4.5 hours of FSE means 4.5kWh of power reaching the ground per square meter.  
  
-==== overall system efficiency ====+To predict daily harvest we will use
  
-You can get a feel for overall system efficiency by +  * FSE 
 +  * your panel wattage 
 +  * and your system's overall efficiency
  
-   - watching your system over time, as described above 
-   - comparing real-time harvest to theoretical harvest 
  
  
  
-===== average power harvest for a given time/place ===== 
  
-==== theoretical power available ==== 
  
-=== predicted daily harvest ===+==== calculating power available (W)  ====
  
- 
- 
-=== predicted harvest at a specific time === 
  
 Real-time harvest is a bit easier since there is no time component.  We are working in Watts (W) rather than Watt-hours (Wh). What we are doing is comparing the strength of sunlight reaching the ground (perpendicular) vs [[electrical:solar:output#zenith_angle|the cosine of the angle at which it actually strikes the ground]], or strikes a flat-mounted panel.  Real-time harvest is a bit easier since there is no time component.  We are working in Watts (W) rather than Watt-hours (Wh). What we are doing is comparing the strength of sunlight reaching the ground (perpendicular) vs [[electrical:solar:output#zenith_angle|the cosine of the angle at which it actually strikes the ground]], or strikes a flat-mounted panel. 
opinion/frater_secessus/how_much_excess_solar_power.txt · Last modified: 2023/04/21 11:50 by frater_secessus