What Happened When We Fitted The Wrong Solar Panel? 😱

[@REAPOWER]

Great video showcasing the REA POWER FUSION 2 Solar Modules. The N-Type FUSION Cells provide additional low light performance to increase energy output and system operating window.

[@singlendhot8628]

Sadly, no white background guarantees underperformance

[@MrRogerWild]

Very interesting video, i’m in the process of gathering quotes from numerous companies including a quote from yourselves to extend my existing Solar system, with additional solar and battery storage, its interesting to see how the different panels compare and its demonstrates just how important it is to ensure that to get optimal performance that the system is spec’d correctly and to get the correct hardware installed by an reputable company with knowledge and expertise such yourselves, I’ve watched and been impressed by a number of your videos but this one has just convinced me who i need to go with 👍

[@Heatable]

Hey Roger, happy to hear that you've watched a number of our videos. Hopefully these have prepared you for what to expect with our REA panels - we can't wait to get them installed for you.

[@AllenHart999]

Good video as always. Very interesting

[@Heatable]

Thanks Allen 🙌

[@NicolasRaimo]

Fantasic video Ben great to see a compassion of data with the non REA panels. People can see my from months review video I just released these panels preform amazing on cloudy days!

[@Heatable]

The data speaks for itself. Looking forward to seeing a longer term review based on your east facing roof!

[@billy_wizz]

Great video. Something I've wondered....as you install bi-facial panels, an interesting experiment would be if knowing whether a white/light colour roof would make much of a difference to the output. I've so, it would be interesting exploring whether a reflective product placed between the panels and the roof would be worth it.

[@wajopek2679]

Get your roof cleaned and paint it white. You will gain 20-30%. There are YT test videos on this where BF and normal panels were used on a ground array before and after snow.

[@singlendhot8628]

Spot on! The difference is remarkable. Sadly Heatable just don't understand the technology they are installing.

[@majortom9691]

If I'm reading this correct there was a total 0f 900w difference between the two lowest panels across 3 days? (300w per day), given there's about 12hrs of sunshine a day at the moment thats a difference of 25w per hour. Given in the video there was shading from a scaffolding pole on the lower left panel, I'm not surprised it performed lower than the rest!!! I would like to see a follow up with the new panel, with the scaffolding still in place.

[@Heatable]

Thanks for your comment. Please see attached photo of the following 2 days generation after the panel was swapped and the scaffolding was still up: ibb.co/8Dy9Z1R They’ll be a video coming to the channel soon that will provide more insight into direct comparative tests.

[@barriedear5990]

I don't get the point of leaving gaps in the panel to allow light through to the back, when they could just collect more on the front?

[@MagicianMan]

I really don't understand why you use 420W (or VA) Panels but then use IQ7+ Enphase Micro Inverters with a maximum VA (Watts) Peak output: 295 VA, Max. continuous power: 290 VA, Operating range: 16-60 V. Your wasting energy generation 420-295=195VA per unit/panel. So on 6 Panels = 1.17kW So on 10 Panels = 1.95kW So on 12 Panels = 2.34kW If you used IQ7+ you improve this slightly eg. Peak output: 366 VA, Max. continuous power: 349 VA Even if you used Enphase iQ8 micro inverters the highest VA Output is 384 VA Each option is less than ideal as the micro inverter output is LESS than the potential maximum capacity of the Solar PV Panel

[@wajopek2679]

To be fair, not all same wattage panels are created equally either, scaffold pole or not. What is relevant is that, "a panel" was easily connected to a micro inverter and it output whatever it did WITHOUT affecting the rest of the system. Nothing to say that in 10yrs time you maybe unfortunate to have a panel failure and the new panels maybe 600W (also needing a newer inverter) but you will be able to replace that one "set" and not affect the rest of the system. If you have storage space in a garage, always good to buy a spare PV panel because they change every 6 months so the replacement may not have the same electrical characteristics as the rest.....which by the way will have aged too.

[@serraios1989]

I have panels with iq7+ in three different directions and wanted to have iq7a on the south facing ones. I was advised to not mix the microinverters as quite often there are issues with the coms. I hope the future Enphase products will be compatible with the current ones

[@billy_wizz]

@Heatable Saw the press release that the next gen of Enphase Investors are now available in the UK. Will you offer these as part of future installs?

[@stevemorris1881]

Hi I noticed on your post the scaffolding cast some shading on the panel you changed. Do you have a comparison with the new panel with the scaffolding still in place? Does the new panel perform any better

[@Heatable]

Thanks for your comment. Please see attached photo of the following 2 days generation after the panel was swapped and the scaffolding was still up: ibb.co/8Dy9Z1R They’ll be a video coming to the channel soon that will provide more insight into direct comparative tests.

[@serraios1989]

20% (or even 10%) better output from bifacial panels on a roof (or even on open rack) is too good to be true. I know it’s very exciting, but this technology is not there yet. Let’s see data for a year and then we will understand more.