This site is now in read-only archive mode. Please move all discussion, and create a new account at the new Victron Community site.
Watt from Solar-
How to know the total of watt generated before the reduction?
i understand that the SmartSolar will send only Watt-Volts-Amp when the batteries need it but i am curious to know what is the value before.. directly coming out of the panel
Any tips?
There is no value UNLESS the load is on, (ie. the battery isn’t charged and will accept a current). if there is no load on (no discharges battery and no load on the load terminals, if present) then the panels make now power at all, even though they have voltage.
Question, did u ever find a solution for your question? I have actually the same question only in a different situation. I have a off grid installation, and I would like to know how much power is thrown away (not produced). If I could see it, I could deside, oh it’s just a little, or I need to install extra batteries etc.
If you did find some solution, please share it.
Kind regards,
Martin
However. It would still be nice if someone came up with a way of measuring potential output-wattage. Maybe through a virtual load or something? Or a real load that does nothing but manifesting the potential? I dont't know.
You can fit a meter to the panel which will tell you the solar radiation they are receiving and then from the panel specification info work out the theoretical possible harvest.
For example, I have a Weather Station that provides me with various data incuding this for today ....
It is not on my panels but it gives me information that I can cross-reference with the Venus GX Data and can provide an explanation why what should be a peak harvest time was so poor (i.e. in the above example, 1PM should usually be a good time for solar but would have actually been terrible today (due probably to heavy cloud I imagine)).
You could get a similar meter (I don't have a link to any though) and use the data to work out what you could be getting. What you can actually usefully DO with that data I am not sure though?
I look at the above data sometimes to check if a new panel is behaving itself as expected, but only as a pattern, not an absolute reference.
