How is your PV working this winter??
 

Tomorrow is the Winter Solstice and we should be getting more solar, right?:o


However, here in the Boston area it seems like we've had very low solar gain during the last 90 days..
The windows are bringing in as many BTUh as they should and the hotwater heat pump is making about 80% of my hotwater..
Normally, solar PV gives us the large majority of our hotwater..

I found this site..
https://enlighten.enphaseenergy.com/public_systems

We have a LOT of EnPhase installations in MA..

https://enlighten.enphaseenergy.com/...ems/4aWT285102

https://enlighten.enphaseenergy.com/...ems/jUZm356228

https://enlighten.enphaseenergy.com/...ems/R7wQ304012


Take a look at the last 80 to 100 days.. Seems awfully low, doesn't it?

Some of the homes around here with 4 to 5kw arrays are seeing
about 7 kWh per day on average for the last few months..
That just seems crazy low..

Are you experiencing a lot of overcast days in your area this year?

I've collected 418kWh this billing cycle from my little 4.4kW array with one or two more days until I get an electric bill. ~13.9kWh on average per day for over the last 30 days.

That's pretty dang good!

Looking at this monthly chart, https://enlighten.enphaseenergy.com/...on/grid/months

It seems like the 4 to 5 months of NE winter isn't going to be very productive at all..
Getting about 1/20 the power you get in the summer... Wow, not good..

With no sun and no wind in the last several weeks, it is difficult to maintain battery charge without using a generator or grid power.

On one system, I only relied on the grid for 25% of my power. This month it's going to be more like 75%. We did get almost a full day of sun two days ago. I got both battery packs on float and did an equalization on the traction batteries.

We usually have a lot of sun in January and February. Solar production goes through the roof with a snow cover and low temps. I'm looking forward to it this year.

One of the things I have noted as I have lived in several areas in USA is the difference in sunshine. Grew up in Westborough, just a stones throw from Xringer and generally we had a sunny winter. I did not appreciate this until I spent seven years in central Michigan (East Lansing) which has one of the most cloudy days (second only to Seattle).

For the last ~ 30 years I have been in the Oklahoma City area. When I first moved here (from Michigan) I literally had to buy sunglasses as they are rarely needed in Michigan.

The last few weeks have been very cloudy and remind me of Michigan. Cloudy days, misty lows about 38 and highs about 44F. Uggh. My PV powered gate battery lost charge and I had to charge it up inside house.

But I appreciate statistics and know that sunnier days are ahead. Meanwhile I hang out underneath the full spectrum bulb to prevent winter blues.

Hang in there Xringer, it will get better!

Steve

It's been bad here in Ohio too. Been needing to fire up the back-up generator once or twice a week! I've only seen the sun maybe twice in the last month! I appreciate the mild temperatures though..

I'm blaming lackluster Cycle 24 for all these clouds..
(I once said Cycle 23 was weak... Little did I know)!

http://www.lunarplanner.com/Images/s...alignments.png

And when I look at the red prediction plot line, I'm thinking that it's going to start getting better in about 11 years..
(Unless Cycle 25 is another dud).. :eek:

All I can say is that my 4kw system has produced 13,800kwh in the last 3 years (maybe not quite 3 years). I don't bother checking anymore. Ohh what a bad boy I am, haha

Good grief I see sunlight!! There's a hole in the over-cast!!
Gotta get out for a walk!!
Eastern U. S. - Visible Loop (Flash) - Satellite Services Division/Office of Satellite Data Processing and Distribution

This month has been cloudy but we are right on PVwatts est. Last month we did 1,348 KWh. we were above PVwatts est.

This year has been a good year we are at 19.3 MWh so far.

https://enlighten.enphaseenergy.com/...n/graph/months

This has the year and more.
Flynns Arcade 12.560kW | Yearly

This is a nice seasonal view.
http://www.pvoutput.org/seasonal.jsp?id=23064&sid=20945