New solar panels poor performance, can't contact solar company! Apolo solar.

[jojitsu]

It would probably be too tricky to spot from the ground, might be worth looking if there is anything in your design pack. For instance if you had one string of six/seven panels and one of ten/nine, but the string of ten/nine wasn't working then that could explain the current performance.

Well I have easy access to the loft, where the inverter is, and also have a velux window in my roof whith the solar panels built around it, so may be able to look?

 

[Ian-LS]

The inverter should switch between each MPPT or string on its small display screen giving you string voltages. They should be very similar if 8 panels per string, if one string was not working then the string voltages would show this up.

 

[solarsavings]

If you go to the inverter you will see up/down arrows. Using one of the arrows scroll through until you reach:

Vin1
Iin1

Vin2
Iin2

Please let us know what readings you have. They will be something like Vin1 380V Iin1 1.5A

 

[jojitsu]

 

[jojitsu]

On this video at about 2.30 mins in, he describes Pin1 and Pin2 as the power coming off each "array".. Well My Pin1 produces practically nothing, if that's relevant to my setup..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzcI8oU7WYM

 

[Gavin A]

ok input 1 isn't working properly, given your max figure, my suspicion is they haven't set up the dual tracker / parrallel tracking system correctly as IIRC 2.4kW is the peak output from one side by itself.

but I'm a bit confused by the voltage reading on Vin1

it will be simple enough to fix probably, unless there's another issue with string 1 developed as well

 

[jojitsu]

ok input 1 isn't working properly, given your max figure, my suspicion is they haven't set up the dual tracker / parrallel tracking system correctly as IIRC 2.4kW is the peak output from one side by itself.

but I'm a bit confused by the voltage reading on Vin1

it will be simple enough to fix probably, unless there's another issue with string 1 developed as well

Ok, that sounds slightly reassuring, I only wish I'd have pushed the issue with the fitters soon after getting them fitted!
How would you suggest I would go about getting the problem fixed?

Again, thank you so much for your advice!

 

[jojitsu]

.. Just to say, the max it had given out (Ppk) is actually 2502W, not 2.4kw as I wrongly said earlier.. Sorry for the wrong number..

 

[FB.]

The 240 (ish) Volts from the functional string suggests 8 x panels operating at an optimum of about 30 Volts (8 x 30 = 240V), so you probably have two strings of eight panels which is not unusual for a full-size 3.8-4kW, 16-panel array.

If your panels are nearly South-facing they will probably produce real-world peak power a bit higher than their nominal value, which probably explains peak readings of 2.4-2.5kW which would be consistent with one string of eight panels operating a bit above their nominal rating of 2kW in perfect conditions (mid-day, late spring/early summer, sunny, cool, breezy, shortly after rainfall has just cooled and cleaned the panels).

As said earlier: it looks like one of the two strings isn't working at all. Basically your 'engine' is only firing on two cylinders.

Probably a very simple fault on the 'dead' string of panels; either not being connected properly or the inverter not set to receive from two strings.

 

[SolarCity]

142v is not enough for the MPPT to operate, assuming the inverter has been left in its default setting.

The inverter needs 200v before it will start which is why there is zero amps showing. The voltage start up can be lowered, but there appears to be something wrong which i causing the low voltage.

What kind of a layout are the panels in? I wonder whether one of the strings has a couple of panels wired back to front? Possibly due to an incorrectly installed fly cable, perhaps around the velux window?

 

[Earthstore]

That could explain it ^^^^
Install looks quite tidy though, nice to see cables nicly clipped too, after some of the carp that customers post on here..

 

[Gavin A]

actually my previous post is not quite right, the limit per tracker is 3kW not 2.4, but there's something odd with the inverter as the 3.6 should have 2 x pairs of inputs on input A, and yours only has 1 pair.

 

[jojitsu]

142v is not enough for the MPPT to operate, assuming the inverter has been left in its default setting.

The inverter needs 200v before it will start which is why there is zero amps showing. The voltage start up can be lowered, but there appears to be something wrong which i causing the low voltage.

What kind of a layout are the panels in? I wonder whether one of the strings has a couple of panels wired back to front? Possibly due to an incorrectly installed fly cable, perhaps around the velux window?

Please excuse my childlike, not to scale sketch, but this is the layout..

 

[SolarCity]

What do those numbers represent?

 

[jojitsu]

What do those numbers represent?

Nothing. Ignore them.. Just the 16 panels, just in case it wasn't obvious..