Testing potential solar harvest?
Now that I have a solar installation up and running, and it's working great BTW, I feel a little under informed at times. For example, at any given point in time, what is my array capable of harvesti...
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I guess there just isn't a convenient way to do this. With a good ammeter I could check it at the PV connection point to the controller. Anything else, including using an inverter, is going to see some contribution from the battery bank. I didn't find anything in my other searches on the web either.
Not a big deal. All that really matters is getting the charge into the battery. My curiosity wasn't so much about whether the system was working, as it was about sun/clouds/shade in any given parking location. It would be kind of fun to look at the harvest on a given day, overcast versus sunny, intermittent clouds versus blue sky. You can still do that, but it will be skewed by whatever the batteries will accept at that particular moment, and always changing.
I turned the breaker off for the converter last night (I am always plugged in when stored here at home). I think I am going to leave that turned off as a norm, and rely solely on the solar for charging.
At 7AM this morning, we've got a little marine overcast today, I was getting 14v from the PV array (max at 40v). The battery was down to 12.6 after sitting all night. I'm sure the system will be hitting the batteries with 14.6 within the next hour or two.
Not a big deal. All that really matters is getting the charge into the battery. My curiosity wasn't so much about whether the system was working, as it was about sun/clouds/shade in any given parking location. It would be kind of fun to look at the harvest on a given day, overcast versus sunny, intermittent clouds versus blue sky. You can still do that, but it will be skewed by whatever the batteries will accept at that particular moment, and always changing.
I turned the breaker off for the converter last night (I am always plugged in when stored here at home). I think I am going to leave that turned off as a norm, and rely solely on the solar for charging.
At 7AM this morning, we've got a little marine overcast today, I was getting 14v from the PV array (max at 40v). The battery was down to 12.6 after sitting all night. I'm sure the system will be hitting the batteries with 14.6 within the next hour or two.
