Solar panel output calculator

Mike Harding · Guru

Solar panel output calculator

daffyfrancis · Senior Member

Hi Mike

Thanks for the site reference & your calculator spreadsheet - Have just done daily ave. 12 monthly calculations for the solar panel on our yacht whilst on its mooring at Lymington Sth. Tassie.

David

Magnarc · Guru

Great info Mike but"gotten?" I did not know that you are an American! vbg

Mike Harding · Guru

So, you're suggesting my requisition of the word gotten is ill-gotten :)

I'm merely rekindling a term used by my forefathers:

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/gotten

And now, I must away to find my flashlight and ensure the water from the faucet in the restroom is the correct color.

Cupie · Guru

Mike Harding wrote:
So, you're suggesting my requisition of the word gotten is ill-gotten :)

I'm merely rekindling a term used by my forefathers:

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/gotten
And now, I must away to find my flashlight and ensure the water from the faucet in the restroom is the correct color.

Gee, I love the audio function in the link.

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

Thanks Mike,
Often these little spreadsheets cause the "guru" a bit of time to develop but can be SO useful to others.

My brother lives in Chiltern (Vic) - has a 5 Kw system on his roof but it develops only a bit more power per day in August than my 2 Kw in (Sun City) Townsville. $ per watt were about the same as I paid a significantly higher price in 2011 for 1.7Kw (that system was destroyed in a solar fire - shoddy installation) than he did in 2016.

Magnarc · Guru

Excellent reply to my cheeky observation!!!.

Farmhat · Senior Member

According to your example, every body with 450w of panels and a 30A solar controller will have to upgrade to a 50A controller.

Joe

daffyfrancis · Senior Member

Hi Joe

How did you arrive at that conclusion?

I am not tech minded but the example spreadsheet for a 150w panel is 16.6 amp hours per day & not each hour.

David

Farmhat · Senior Member

daffyfrancis wrote:
Hi Joe
How did you arrive at that conclusion?
I am not tech minded but the example spreadsheet for a 150w panel is 16.6 amp hours per day & not each hour.
David

Hi daffyfrancis. I stand corrected. I misread the 'per day'. Thanks for that.

In any case 16.6 amp hours per day output from a 150w panel would be below expectations for a day of sunlight.

Joe

-- Edited by Farmhat on Monday 18th of June 2018 12:30:34 PM

Mike Harding · Guru

Farmhat wrote:
In any case 16.6 amp hours per day output from a 150w panel would be below expectations for a day of sunlight.

Keep in mind we are talking a winter day in June in Victoria and the
BOM say sun protection is "not recommended" - so there isn't much
(any) strong sunlight.

The same day in Darwin produces about 40Ah.

The whole point of this calculator is to let you do "What if" calculations:
What if: I relocate to Rockhampton or Broken Hill?
What if: I buy another 100W of solar panel?
What if: I buy super efficient panels?
What if: I move to a 24V system?
etc

The spreadsheet lists the variable used by the equation - if you wish
to change any you can and if you think I have made an error then I'd
be grateful if you would tell me what you think it is and I'll
correct it?

btw: the comment on line 17 should say "Power per day Wh" - ignore
the "m2" bit.

Edit:
PS: Magnarc - Thank you, I enjoy language and jousting about the
subtleties of English :)

-- Edited by Mike Harding on Monday 18th of June 2018 03:52:55 PM

fwdoz · Guru

Excellent find & a decent bit of spreadsheet kit Mike. Certainly comes in handy with the planning of solar going on to my next caravan & our first trip to Merimbula in October. Gives me a decent indication of what to expect.

Tony Bev · Guru

A good one Mike, so thanks for that

It would be handy to give a bit of a generalised ball park figure, if a person was thinking of purchasing/upgrading, solar panels

Farmhat · Senior Member

Mike Harding wrote:
Farmhat wrote:
In any case 16.6 amp hours per day output from a 150w panel would be below expectations for a day of sunlight.
Keep in mind we are talking a winter day in June in Victoria and the
BOM say sun protection is "not recommended" - so there isn't much
(any) strong sunlight.

-- Edited by Mike Harding on Monday 18th of June 2018 03:52:55 PM

I am back in south of Adelaide, and in sunlight/no shade, my 120 w portable is putting out near 8 A/h and my 150 w portable is pumping out near 10A/h when facing the sun directly. We have returned yesterday from five weeks out bush without any 240 volt and the rooftop panels in sun have topped up the batteries mid morning everyday, pumping out at similar rates p/w as the 2 portables, which I did not need to use. But then again, we have better sun than Victoria. smile smile smile

Joe

dieseltojo · Senior Member

Not knocking the idea at all, but I bought a morning star controller when I set my van up. It is wall mounted and gives a constant read out of what is being used or power in and out. It is always active. If cloudy it shows input and at all times.

I can tell you what my telly uses, the wc fan or the lights on. I can certainly recommend it but the darn thing is adictive and I can't help but check the thing.... smile

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

^^ Same here ^^ Nice warm feeling seeing the green light flash before mid day !!

Cupie · Guru

dieseltojo wrote:
Not knocking the idea at all, but I bought a morning star controller when I set my van up. It is wall mounted and gives a constant read out of what is being used or power in and out. It is always active. If cloudy it shows input and at all times.
I can tell you what my telly uses, the wc fan or the lights on. I can certainly recommend it but the darn thing is adictive and I can't help but check the thing....

Sounds like a good one. Had a look on line but there are dozens of morning star controllers to select from.

Can you give me details (model number etc) of yours please.

fwdoz · Guru

dieseltojo wrote:
I bought a morning star controller when I set my van up. It is wall mounted and gives a constant read out of what is being used or power in and out. It is always active. If cloudy it shows input and at all times.
I can tell you what my telly uses, the wc fan or the lights on. I can certainly recommend it but the darn thing is adictive and I can't help but check the thing....

I have one as well; bought it because they were one of the most recommended. Proof is in the pudding & it has been brilliant & easy to use. Love seeing my battery back to full before noon.