my diy pv set-up - Page 8

jwxr7 · 03-16-09, 09:57 AM

Changed the array's angle over the weekend finally. It's now at 40 degrees, optimised for spring/fall sun. I noticed better power into the evening compared to the evening before the angle change with similarly sunny days.

When I originally built it, I didn't built with spring summer angles in mind (for some wierd reason) so I had to add support in the middle of the array to keep it from sagging

.

Daox · 03-16-09, 10:06 AM

It looks pretty good. How have your numbers been lately?

jwxr7 · 03-16-09, 10:29 AM

They were pretty bad until late last week when the sun started shining again. I had 2 record days in a row over the weekend. I'll post some #s soon.

jwxr7 · 03-17-09, 08:06 AM

Here are production #s from Feb 25thru march 16 2009;
February 25=520whrs
26=500
27=200
28=1360
march 1=640
2=1320
3=1320
4=1380
5=500
6=1100
7=20
8=20
9=180
10=20
11=820
12=880
13=1410
14=1460
15=1300
16=1280
Someday I should graph my #s

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Daox · 03-17-09, 09:25 AM

Interesting sway in numbers, really bad from the 7th to 10th, then really awesome from 13th+.

jwxr7 · 04-16-09, 08:00 AM

Here are some monthly production #s.
For all but the first 6 days of january, 13.18 kwhrs (the array went on-line Jan 7th) averaged 549whrs/day.
For the 28 days of February, 20.42 kwhrs or an average of 729.3whrs/day.
For the month of March, 26.31 kwhrs or an average of 848.7whrs/day.

jwxr7 · 04-16-09, 08:07 AM

I just noticed that in 4 days it will be time to change the angle of the array for summer already

. I guess I better figure out what size legs to make. Maybe I can just move the bottom of the spring/fall legs to get the angle.

Daox · 04-16-09, 12:14 PM

Not too horrible of a setup for free. Still any idea of what percentage of your total electric use that is?

jwxr7 · 04-21-09, 09:51 AM

I just checked my last utility bill and averaged the last years electric consumption to 21.7kwhrs per day. So in a month I can make up 1 day's worth of consumption. What's that, like 3.3% or so?

jwxr7 · 06-01-09, 07:29 AM

I had 2 different power outages in April. One was just long enough to erase the Kill-a-watt memory and the other lasted 25 hrs. So April production was 25.74 kwhrs, or about 919.3 whrs/day (using 28 days because of power outages).
On May 10 th I changed the array to the summer angle.
The month of May saw 32.88 kwhrs of production, or an average of 1061 whrs/ day.

I need to try modding my kill-a-watt to have battery back-up.

03-16-09, 09:57 AM	#71
jwxr7 Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: mid michigan Posts: 191 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Changed the array's angle over the weekend finally. It's now at 40 degrees, optimised for spring/fall sun. I noticed better power into the evening compared to the evening before the angle change with similarly sunny days. When I originally built it, I didn't built with spring summer angles in mind (for some wierd reason) so I had to add support in the middle of the array to keep it from sagging . Attached Thumbnails Last edited by jwxr7; 03-16-09 at 10:00 AM..

03-16-09, 10:06 AM	#72
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	It looks pretty good. How have your numbers been lately?

03-16-09, 10:29 AM	#73
jwxr7 Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: mid michigan Posts: 191 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	They were pretty bad until late last week when the sun started shining again. I had 2 record days in a row over the weekend. I'll post some #s soon.

03-17-09, 08:06 AM	#74
jwxr7 Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: mid michigan Posts: 191 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Here are production #s from Feb 25thru march 16 2009; February 25=520whrs 26=500 27=200 28=1360 march 1=640 2=1320 3=1320 4=1380 5=500 6=1100 7=20 8=20 9=180 10=20 11=820 12=880 13=1410 14=1460 15=1300 16=1280 Someday I should graph my #s .

03-17-09, 09:25 AM	#75
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Interesting sway in numbers, really bad from the 7th to 10th, then really awesome from 13th+.

04-16-09, 08:00 AM	#76
jwxr7 Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: mid michigan Posts: 191 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Here are some monthly production #s. For all but the first 6 days of january, 13.18 kwhrs (the array went on-line Jan 7th) averaged 549whrs/day. For the 28 days of February, 20.42 kwhrs or an average of 729.3whrs/day. For the month of March, 26.31 kwhrs or an average of 848.7whrs/day.

04-16-09, 08:07 AM	#77
jwxr7 Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: mid michigan Posts: 191 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I just noticed that in 4 days it will be time to change the angle of the array for summer already . I guess I better figure out what size legs to make. Maybe I can just move the bottom of the spring/fall legs to get the angle.

04-16-09, 12:14 PM	#78
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Not too horrible of a setup for free. Still any idea of what percentage of your total electric use that is?

04-21-09, 09:51 AM	#79
jwxr7 Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: mid michigan Posts: 191 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I just checked my last utility bill and averaged the last years electric consumption to 21.7kwhrs per day. So in a month I can make up 1 day's worth of consumption. What's that, like 3.3% or so?

06-01-09, 07:29 AM	#80
jwxr7 Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: mid michigan Posts: 191 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I had 2 different power outages in April. One was just long enough to erase the Kill-a-watt memory and the other lasted 25 hrs. So April production was 25.74 kwhrs, or about 919.3 whrs/day (using 28 days because of power outages). On May 10 th I changed the array to the summer angle. The month of May saw 32.88 kwhrs of production, or an average of 1061 whrs/ day. I need to try modding my kill-a-watt to have battery back-up.