Solar Panels

"... running @ 80% max..." - 80% of what? How is whatever-it-is being measured?

You need to figure out which section is working inefficientlY?

Is this PV(generation).,Storage, Or the Inversion section?

Most probably it is the storage (battery bank) need to to be looked upon. also make sure There is no dust accumulated on PV panel surface.

You certainly didn't offer enough information. The first thing that came to my mind is.....are the panels on a tracking system or are they fixed? Secondly are you making weekly adjustments to make sure you have your azimuth angle correct? Merely pointing them "south" isn't good enough.

Provide more detailed information and the quality of responses will increase.

It could just be that very pretty tree that grew up on the northern side of your array. When the sun again tracks back south of the apex, your efficiency may return. Then again it could just be all of that sticky pollen that has coated your panels. Wait a minute, I'm getting some telemetry from your system... wire nut B1024 has become a little loose but this should not alone cause a 20% drop in power production. Have any of the isolating fuses to each panel blown open? Did you notice that wasp nest over panel A42? If the efficiency drop occurs only when drawing power from your batteries then your batteries may just be aging, not the array.

Did you ask the installer why a 20% drop in efficiency is considered common?

or do the panels need cleaning?

Hose down the dirty panels with some clean water. You'd be surprised how dust can adversely affect them.

Also, solar PV panel output degrades with temperature increase....

i agree capt, but i've never found a product capable of cleaning mine. i've tried about everything i could think of, but they still have "clouldy" looking lenses. i'm thinking that polishing them with a suitable compound is the only way to to get them up to standards. i've polished plastic head light lenses by using wet sandpaper and plenty of water, lowering the grit until i got down to 1500, then buffing them with rubbing compould. they look new when i'm finished. it does'nt take as long as it sounds.

You aren't polishing the plastic of your headlight lenses when using sandpaper. You are removing the hardcoat that protects the polycarbonate lens from UV degredation. Without this coating they will turn yellow & brittle. So while they may look "new" when you are finished, you are actually ruining them more quickly than if you had left them alone. (Sorry, pet peeve of mine. Yes I do yell at the TV when I see the commercials for products to "restore" your headlights!)

I certainly do not recommend this for headlights ($100's), but you really need to watch what you suggest telling someone to do to their solar panels ($1,000's)! You should contact the solar panel manufacturer and follow the recommended care instructions. You could make the situation far worse by cleaning them improperly.

a solar panel put out more if it is underwater and kept cool -- saw Youtube Video where the voltage jumps up when submerged

Try using a good automotive paint rubbing compound and an auto buffer...that'll work wonders.

You could try the highlight lens buffing compound/and buffing ball made by Mothers, but it isn't cheap!

Good luck with the cloudiness issue!

I have keen interest in PV installation, wonder if you could share your experience. What is the cost of installation and pay-back period? ANy other issue or problem you faced.

Thank you .

I'm an owner of an RE company in Ohio. If you provide a few more specifics, as some have mentioned, it would go a long way to diagnosing your issue. Solar does degrade over time, not that quickly though. They typically overproduce in the first year, with roughly 0.5%-1% a year. Definitely check for soiling or possible recent shading from trees or new structures. Do you have monitoring? Is this grid tied only? What kind of equipment? Temperature can effect output, but if it is consistent, it is more likely something else. I would get your inverters checked as well. Just a few thoughts off the top of my head. Your installer should be able to diagnose the issue though, especially being that new of a system. Maybe get a second opinion. Regards and good luck.

Is it excessively hot right now? Try cooling the panels with misters.

the sun does move a little more north in the early hours in high summer if by 100 % you mean for a full days operation

In the middle of August the sun will be back to the same postition as it was in May and move south a little each month.

For cleaning glass meths or denatured alcohol can work well, but use it in shadow and don't smoke or have naked lights.

The good thing is that the alcohol vapours rise up and disperse naturally, eventually the sun oxidises it.....

Do not use petrol/gas as the vapours sink and collect in low areas.....

Generally sudden loss is related to dust collection because of high wind suddenly become cam or slowly it build and when loss was noticeable you observed it. This is most common reason for slow decay in solar power efficiency drop.

Other common thing I have observed is shadow because of three and less sunlight.

You may wash you panel and see efficiency go up. Look sourthen sky and see any new tree partially blocking sunlight

80% x Free = Free

I do not understand why this post by Michael Rock is off topic. I live in northern location where solar panel performance is not the same as down in S cal where the industry standard test are performed to rate a given panel.

All of the suggestions are valid. Maybe its a combination of a bit of each

I feel solar power retailers are mis-representing the situation to some extent. Some more than others. Especially in areas like us so far north. During winter we only get 1.9 insolattion hours. The cost of buying a huge solar array is beyond most peoples means if they cannot qualify for government ssubsidies and the in-feed tariff is only 8.5 cents per kilowatt. the ROI is well beeyond their funeral date.

I made my rant off topic because I did not feel that it addressed the OPs question directly. And because I have a competing product coming to market soon. You can go to www.k-cor.net to see a clip of my patented innovation. You will understand my opinion of the solar panel market after you watch the clip. My system is for solar thermal energy and not solar cell(PV). I will be updating the site as the prototype is completed and tested.

How big is this array? I recently quoted on a system that required 32kilowatts of V panel and even at the best price we could get, the cost of panels exceeded the cost of his mobile home. Installattion was extra. Since he lived in mobile on an acreage, space to mount on the ground was not a problem. He was expecting it to be roof mounted like the advers from California shows.

Aside from the potential problem areas already covered by other posters do not forget to check all those connections. 150 panels with 2 connections per.

you have 3 inverters so you must have at least three strings although most controllers I have seen are limited to only 30 units per string or less.

You have 300 connections to check at least. Or you can bring in a contractor at $80 - $100 per hour. How do you pronounce 'licence to print money'

oh sorry; that is an inside reseller joke!. not for the consumer ear.

Can you let us know what is the cost for the 32kW PV you quoted? just want to know how far solar PV has progressed. Thank you .

Best price in bulk up here is around $3.00 per watt. I have seen claims for $2.80 per watt but from a Texas supplier with 3000+ milles of shipping distance plus customs clearance through the border. And you know what's it like to go for lowest bidder. Its always a question mark if you got lowest price because its the cheapest junk. Brand name was not known. Getting panels in bulk is not the end of cost becaause you ned to mount them and wwire them plus controllers are also needed. Then ther is wire and copper isbecoming exxpensive. Batteriies for overnight storage is also getting expensive.

For a finished turn key system final cost can be way more than what it appears to begin with.

How about removing all the guano from its surface?