BajaNomad

Solar irradiance today

landyacht318 - 7-14-2012 at 01:11 PM

I'm up in San Diego, and while there is still some marine layer overhead, I am only seeing about 65% of what i am used to seeing on my monitor from my solar panels at this time of day with these conditions.

I'm freakin' out thinking something is wrong with my system.

But before I start looking into things, I wanted to see of others are seeing less than expected. Perhaps haze from the siberian wildfires reflecting a portion of the sun's energy.

Perhaps the travelling solar flare is diverting some too, I don't know if that is even possible.

All I really know is I am going to be one bummed camper if a couple cells in my system went kaput.

Thanks

mtgoat666 - 7-14-2012 at 01:18 PM

being san diego, we rarely heat and never cool the house, so i don't see how it pays to install solar in san diego. heck, our average sdg&e bill is $105 (more in winter, less in summer), so would seem silly to ever buy solar.

landyacht318 - 7-14-2012 at 01:20 PM

I live off the grid

woody with a view - 7-14-2012 at 01:30 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by mtgoat666
being san diego, we rarely heat and never cool the house, so i don't see how it pays to install solar in san diego. heck, our average sdg&e bill is $105 (more in winter, less in summer), so would seem silly to ever buy solar.


in the past 2 years our SDGE bill has averaged $45/mo. one cold winter month it was $81....:P

larryC - 7-15-2012 at 01:18 PM

Don't know where you are in San Diego but you've had your solar system long enough to know that it doesn't take much haze to reduce your panels output dramatically. I am in Univercity city right now and it is overcast.
Larry

landyacht318 - 7-15-2012 at 06:44 PM

I watch my monitor frequently enough I can usually guess within one amp what the panels are putting out. Yesterday and the day before It appears I was about 3.5 amps off.

I recently installed a Thin film 68 watt flexible unisolar. The low light performance on this panel has been impressive.

Today was sunny here in coastal north county and I saw full output, and was so relieved I am going to get stinking drunk to celebrate the full flow of electrons

Barry A. - 7-15-2012 at 07:07 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by woody with a view
Quote:
Originally posted by mtgoat666
being san diego, we rarely heat and never cool the house, so i don't see how it pays to install solar in san diego. heck, our average sdg&e bill is $105 (more in winter, less in summer), so would seem silly to ever buy solar.


in the past 2 years our SDGE bill has averaged $45/mo. one cold winter month it was $81....:P


My PG&E (in Redding, CA) bill runs about $45 a month also, year in and year out. We average our monthly bills so PG&E always charges us the same.

Total utility bill for Elec., Natural Gas, trash pickup, recycle pickup, sewer, storm drain, Green waste pickup, and street cleaning and maint. runs us about $250 a month year in and year out. AC in summer is by far our biggest expense----we keep our house at 76 days, 72 nights. House (2000 sq ft) is very well insulated, but we have old fashion windows without double panes.

Barry