Sirius Solar Panel Vertical testing - More or Less Power?

[@bobmonztr]

Thank you, Rodney, now I have the inspiration to go out and hook up my 3300w BF south facing vertical array. These vertical east west tests are for PV to grid for early and late day boosts when demand is high. My test tomorrow will include a 4'x14' sheet of reflectix attempting some snow simulated boost on the ground in front or behind the array but not both same time, looking at the weather it may be a 100% overcast test. Let's see if it can pass 800w? My 2790w with sun and snow peaked at 3415w last year.

[@rodneyhunt]

Go for it! Let us know how it does

[@dizzlethe7346]

Try the same thing just have a 2x4 under the panels so your grass doesn't cause shadows. When I spaced (cement blocks) off the ground I got about a 25% increase right away. After messing with this ideal for almost two years, Now is the fight to get a permit for a solar fence put in lol

[@bobmonztr]

@@dizzlethe7346 permits ugh, I only need permits for building a nuclear power plant, sorry you have to deal with that.

[@dizzlethe7346]

@@bobmonztr It does suck BAD! But it's nothing like where family lives. If I were to make the "fence" shorter or pull it further then 5ft from property line I wouldn't need the permit. It's just that the fence will be almost nine foot tall (6ft limit) and 2 foot from the property line. So if I don't get it soon I will just be a dk and do it in a spot that doesn't need a permit lol

[@bobmonztr]

@@dizzlethe7346 my new array is over 9 ft , maybe horizontal in a bind, just hooked up the new array it's not working, so I think this inverter might be fucd, I will find out soon

[@MitchOfCanada]

Vertical on my garage wall and garage door/privacy wall for deck works great.no roof leaks. No snow build up. No dirt build up. No pests And easy cleaning. Winter production is great you get 5-6 hours of east sun in am easy!

[@rodneyhunt]

Oh nice! It does have its place. Winter snow is a great place first vertical panels!

[@canyondan]

I have been interested in this type of test on some bifacial panels I have . Thanks Rodney

[@rodneyhunt]

You bet! Thank you!

[@tjmooney4181]

Thanks rodney, try them at your property's latitude ° south facing 🤔?

[@rodneyhunt]

Good idea! Thanks

[@clnelson321]

Vertical bifacials are a serious contender for replacing wooden fence panels, as the $$ keeps coming down.

[@rodneyhunt]

Yeah fence is expensive now!

[@dirtdiver2389]

I think vertical mounting only makes sense if they are bifacial panels. Were they?

[@rodneyhunt]

Yes they are. Maybe I didn’t make it clear since this is in a video series. I should have made it clear

[@jiminsav]

how about standing up, pointed south, with mirrors behind it. or in my case, the lake that formed around my solar array when Debby hit here.

[@rodneyhunt]

@@jiminsav Lol. I guess I should have done that when my yard was flooded as well.

[@Hansen710]

@@rodneyhunt when that model only pulls 100w on the backside, what option do you have other then south for good reasults ?

[@SetitesTechAdventures]

To do this test right you need to get a weather station. The power inget always correlates well to the solar irradiation reported by my weather station. Your eyes really can't tell when the solar power is weaker. I often think I have full sun and blue skies but the weather station and solar output shows i had about 700-800w/m2.

[@meikgeik]

Not to mention, it's possible that the wooden supports were causing shading issues. Also that bottom row of cells might have been shaded enough by being down in the grass that they stopped producing. Any of these effects could have gimped the entire test. Where this kind of array shines is in winter in areas that get snow. The snow acts as a near perfect reflector amplifying how much sun can hit the panels. It's great for people who are off grid, or have white rock available to cover the ground in.

[@rodneyhunt]

I have a meter for the sun but always forget to use it in the videos! Good idea

[@rodneyhunt]

Indeed! Different setups can improve results dramatically

[@ibenglish]

A bifacial porch roof is definitely in my future. Can you do a video on different optimizers and microinverters and your opinions of their benefits and if they are worth the added cost? I like that Signature Solar trusts you to test out their equipment and they should probably send out those Enphase products to try also unless I missed a previous video where you have already done so. My house will be paid off soon and I will be making a significant investment in a DIY upgrade so your collaboration with them will benefit Signature Solar’s investment in you. Nice work Rodney and keep these videos coming 👍🏻

[@rodneyhunt]

Will have a video on tigo optimizer install soon

[@charlesd3376]

I was under the impression the panels were supposed to alternate front, back, front, back for optimum performance with East/West orientation? I'm not to impressed with the performance over traditional panels from the numerous reviews I have watched. Also, I see no benefit if using a solar tracker. Thank you for the video.

[@rodneyhunt]

Hey thanks. Yes you could do it that way but I would use optimizers with the alternating setup. If these are ground mounted is where they will shine. Especially during ground covered with snow, near reflective surfaces, etc.

[@cortburris9526]

I'm not super familiar with your property, but it looks like you have the row of panels facing north/south when they're standing up. I think normally vertical panels face east/west so that you get more sunlight in the morning and evening. They're not great for a primary, middle of the day supply as you mentioned, but as a secondary add-on the bifacials are great when mounted vertically facing east/west

[@rodneyhunt]

They are east/west. Not perfect off a few degrees but basically

[@Hansen710]

with models like this that only produce 100w on the backside, east west makes little sense. you wont get the same from the backside so you will only be harvesting the morning or evening sun with the good side

[@ToddLarsen]

With my luck, a deer would run into it. Great idea, I've heard a lot of folks talking about doing this. Thanks for sharing, and as always, keep building 👍

[@rodneyhunt]

Hey thanks. Yeah a deer could run right into and through it if they wanted lol.

[@Hansen710]

plexi glas is invented long ago, i hate to be the one that tells you after all this time on the marked people use solar to fence in stuff like cows

[@Lumbeelegend]

I got like 24 bifacials from signature and was planning on putting them around my yard as fencing... guess I'll build a pergola or something, lol.

[@rodneyhunt]

You can do the fence as a supplement but your main array should face south in my opinion for sure

[@DanRibar]

nice test. good job.

[@rodneyhunt]

Glad you liked it! Thanks

[@user-dd2jg6kv8y]

Let signature solar know you need more matching solar panels to do the most accurate testing. :)

[@rodneyhunt]

Lol. Yes I need enough to change them all out. That would be alot

[@Michael-bf4ud]

Love your videos! BAM!

[@rodneyhunt]

@@Michael-bf4ud boom! Thank you

[@deeziegaming8545]

I haven't seen any companies sell like solar panel fencing that might be a good opportunity if you get a good set of engineers to figure out how to get the fencing to auto rotate 25 degrees per side to follow the sun.

[@rodneyhunt]

That’s an idea! 👍

[@fabulousoffroaddesigns5080]

I'd like to see these bifacial panels lined north south, facing East West, with white metal roofing laid on the ground on both sides from the base ___|___ 10 ft out and the whole length of the array.

[@rodneyhunt]

That would be a good test!

[@Hansen710]

if the panel only pulls 100w on the backside you cant expect it to give a good result (400W = 100w on backside -550w = 200w on backside) if you place them east west you need panels that produce the same on each side (very expensive, might as well glue 2 panels together) you would need to face them south for best results

[@rodneyhunt]

Ok basically what I said in the video. So I agree. Like I said only certain circumstances this makes sense. So all situation dependent

[@stacyhackney6100]

Thx u

[@rodneyhunt]

Thank you!

[@mdunbar04]

👍

[@rodneyhunt]

Bam! 👍

[@Tiersmoke92555]

I know the metrics are cool and informative. I just don't want anyone knowing or having the possibility to regulate my resources.

[@rodneyhunt]

Good idea! Too late for me since they are everywhere lol.

[@FaceTime101]

💥 First!

[@rodneyhunt]

Second!

[@estring69]

thanks

[@rodneyhunt]

Welcome! Thank you

[@estring69]

@@rodneyhunt Nice to have every little question be answered on one person's video or another.