Longer PV wires increases production

[erik.calco]

Finally put up my combiner box today and I installed 30 feet of 4 AWG PV negative between it and the inverter. I did not shorten the already crazy long 10 AWG PV wires from the panels, about 96' each. I plan to do that once they are all run to the combiner box.

Today I tested the new connection, with 30 extra feet. I had my best production day in July by 2pm!!! LOL

Yeah, obviously, there is no scientific reason that adding 30 more feet, even with 4 AWG vs 10 AWG, would increase production. But, this is the 28th day of July. This is not a small sample size of days. And, it set the July record by 2pm.

The only theory I have is that the connection with the original 10 AWG PV wire to the inverter wasn't perfect. That is ironic if you knew what I had to do to get a 4 AWG stranded wire to fit inside the stupid hole of the LV2424's PV opening!

 

[erik.calco]

BTW, the plus side to my experiments so far is you CAN run crazy long PV wires and still get good production without an increase in wire/terminal temps if they are sized correctly, and in many scenarios, this is plain old 10 AWG. The primary limiting factor to this date has been shade from neighbor's trees. That is why my production was higher in April and has slowly descended into June/July.

This is why I won't shorten my PV wires until I have the combiner box 100% online because I want to measure production with the worst case scenario before I optimize. This is encouraging because it greatly opens up locations in my yard where I can add panels!

 

[Jim Burrow]

Keep posting your testing. I'm in the process of building my system know and testing phases before connecting to my electrical sub-breaker pannel to the house.

 

[snoobler]

First, how do I get to be a Solar Badger? My off-grid compound has been dubbed, "Honey Badger Ranch," and a trail camera has documented the presence of a badger on site. I want it so bad now.

Second, by how much?

 

[erik.calco]

First, how do I get to be a Solar Badger? My off-grid compound has been dubbed, "Honey Badger Ranch," and a trail camera has documented the presence of a badger on site. I want it so bad now.

Second, by how much?

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[snoobler]

Much thanks... now... back to my question...

A record by how much?

 

[erik.calco]

Keep posting your testing. I'm in the process of building my system know and testing phases before connecting to my electrical sub-breaker pannel to the house.

The first step of my install was the 10 circuit Reliance transfer panel to my main. That way, when I got my inverter running, I had a place to direct power. The inverter comes into the socket/switch on its way to the transfer switch, so I can just turn load on/off there. I can also plug something into the inverter.

I love it. The only thing I wish I had was a way to remotely toggle these transfer switches.

Then I setup the battery bank and hooked it to the inverter, and hooked the inverter to a circuit in my main for AC IN. At that point, you have a backup UPS system. Because this was December and I'm up north, I ran it as UPS for months before adding PV.