Newbie solar question

Stephen Clarke · May 19, 2021

Hello All

I installed Roger's system on my roof a couple of weeks ago, and it seems to be going really well. I've been able to leave the fridge on without the battery degrading. I keep checking the Victron app when it is sunny though, and noticed something odd today. Even though it was bright sunshine, with the roof up, and facing south, it was only showing 8w or so . Peak today had been around 80w (which is probably about right).
Is this normal? I have no idea!

Alied · May 19, 2021

Your batteries are fully charged as it's showing a float charge.

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Stephen Clarke · May 19, 2021

OK, thanks for the help. I thought it was showing solar power input, so regardless of the state of charge of the battery.

Roger Donoghue · May 24, 2021

Solar panels only produce what is demanded of them, up to their capacity. I dont' fully understand it (well, I partially do, but won't make a fool of myself!), but that's how they work. So in full sun, when the batteries are full, the solar regulator doesn't get hot discharging 6 amps of solar power, instead, the panel just doesn't produce the power (and the panel does not get hotter instead as some rumours say!).

Think of them like batteries. A fully charged battery brimming with potential energy does nothing when nothing is connected to it, but when you do connect a load to it, the circuit is made and power flows. I think solar is similar, in as much as the regulator partially opens the circuit to the panel when the power is not needed