This site is now in read-only archive mode. Please move all discussion, and create a new account at the new Victron Community site.
I have a 6 month old 100watt solar panel charging 2 6 month old Varta LDF90 (90ah) batteries through a Bluesolar 75/15 controller
Yesterday, the P Max figure on my VictronConnect app display showed 109w! Is this possible or is my controller telling lies?
It is quite possible to see this.
It often occurs due to a "Cloud Edge Effect". The water vapor at the edge of a cloud will magnify the suns rays and focus more sunlight for a short while as the cloud moves along.
Solar panels are rated for a "Standard Test Condition" (STC) which is 1KW of light per square metre. Basically a PV panel is placed under a calibrated light array of lamps to test it's output. This output value is what the write on the back of the panel.
Yes, is possible. Under the right conditions the solar panels can produce more than the nominal power. Essencially, there are 2 main factors: 1) Tolerances and variations in production and 2) the way the spec was set in first place - Temperature, radiation conditions, etc. Then, in real life, you could even have cases with reflections increase the radiation, low tempratures with clear skies, etc, as examples... Nominal power is for a certain set of conditions.
100W is a nominal rating for a "typical" panel from a given manufacturer at a given light input. Manufacturing tolerances and light conditions can combine to give you power above the nominal rated value.
Its possible that your controller isn't lying.
Thanks for taking the time to reply everyone, that all sounds logical. If anyone is interested, it is an Antarion solar panel.
