Tesla Solar: System Review and Updates

To log into the M-4-TL or M-8-TL inverter,  Open the app while standing very close to the inverter. I stand inside by the window nearest it, maybe three feet away and it finds it automatically. It will prompt you for a code. Enter the 4 digit code to get you logged in. Once you in, this what you see: -3.2 kWh produced today so far -2.776 kW current power output -1732.5 kWh produced since system install (all data in the Tesla app) After that though, its all new stuff. We get the system level AC voltage and AC  current. 247 V and 11.2 {Power=I  * V} P= 11.2 A x 247 V=2.776 kW The string level detail is next. PV1 and PV2 are the DC voltage and current produced by each string. In this case, the real time power from each string is: P1= 7.4 A x 229 V= 1694.6 W P2= 4.4 A x 244 V=  1073.6 W Total P=  2768.2 w or 2.768 kW This data was about 9am. So PV1 must be the Eastern array. Here is the same data near mid day when we are at peak output.  You can see the inveter is putting out a

March 1, was a record day. 27.7 kwh produced. All sun, no clouds. I took a deeper dive into the PVWatt model and tried to extract the daily output for that day of the year. The expected array power output was: 8,446 Wh (east) 15,605 Wh ( south) or 24.1 kWh PVWatts has the day estimated at 87% of actual peak output. Whats the difference? I dont know, yet, how PVWatts gets to their annual output vs. their hourly output. Maybe the hourly csv file is approximated from a continuous solar curve? Well, the PVWatts data file is broken down by  the hour. To get my daily PVwatts number, I summed up the power output for each hour to get a daily Wh estimate. Doing this assumes that the power output stays constant for that hour...which it does not.  This causes an approximation error. Think Riemann sums from Calculus 1. Before you could integrate, you approximated the area under a curve using a sum of rectangles. Like below: This is basically what my summed up PVWatts estimate is doing.

The Tesla app gives you current power output (kW) and daily production (kWh) for the whole system.  But if you want to know more, like string level voltage and current, error logs, then you need to talk to the inverter. The Delta M inverters connect to the Tesla gateway but they can talk to you via bluetooth if are very  close to the inverter and you have the right Delta app.  It looks like this:   This could be useful if you have any issues and are trying to verify the performance with the Tesla app.  I would not mess with any changable settings in there. Just use it too look at the string level history. Use my referral link to receive 1,000 free Supercharger miles with the purchase and delivery of a new Tesla car, or earn a $100 award after system activation by purchasing or subscribing to solar panels:  https://ts.la/zach38035

We got a good 5 inch snow in Feb.  No way to reach up that high and broom them off.  It turns, one side cleaned it self quickly. The south side is at a 40° slope and the east side is 30°. It seems like the general consensus is to leave it be.  *Ladders, hot water, etc.,.skip it. *Leaf blower and pvc pipe...maybe *Telescoping brooms $20-$40, maybe if you can reach it from the ground *Heated systems, sounds expensive to recover a few days of missed winter production Use my referral link to earn a $100 award after system activation by purchasing or subscribing to solar panels:  https://ts.la/zach38035

February came and went. Feb and March are the snowiest months out in the front range (i think...only been here a few years). Snow is not good for production. Our PVWatts production estimate/model had us at 460 kWh.  That would be 16.4 kWh / day average. How did we do? We came up a little short. A total of 434 kWh or 15.5 kWh/day. About 5-6% under achieved, so not too bad if you consider it snowed good about 3 times with a string of cloudy days in the middle.   We finished the month on a strong note though. A record production day of 27.6 kWh! Extended time at inverter max power. What will the record output from our Tesla PV system be in March? Did anyone see Starship SN10 land and blowup today? Use my referral link to receive 1,000 free Supercharger miles with the purchase and delivery of a new Tesla car, or earn a $100 award after system activation by purchasing or subscribing to solar panels: https://ts.la/zach38035