Project New Oasis

Visual data is invaluable for analytics and solar design improvements. This blog will track the type of day and what kind of production it produces for the next seven days. Results will be posted daily and at the end will be used to improve the system. So what's the conclusion? I need to put out more solar panels and add more batteries.   Day 1: May 16, 2023: Overcast / 78F / Cell 6am/6pm: 3.5v / 3.88v / End 74.5% charged   Day 2: May 17, 2023: Sunny / 65F / Cell 6am/6pm: 3.5v / 3.888v / End 94% charged Day 3: May 18, 2023: Sunny / 49F / Cell 6am/6pm: 3.5v / 3.99v / End 100% charged   Day 4: May 19, 2023: Sunny / 63F / Cell 6am/6pm: 3.5v / 4.094v / End 100% charged     Day 5: May 20, 2023: Sunny / 54F / Cell 6am/6pm: 3.77v / 3.61v / End 0% charged     Day 6: May 21, 2023: Sunny / 59F / Cell 6am/6pm: 3.488v / 3.605v / End 0% charged     Day 7: May 22, 2023: Mostly Sunny / 59F / Cell 6am/6pm: 3.488v / 3.738v / End 0% charged    

Got an early start before sun rise. The solar array's micro inverters communication not reporting issues are finally resolved. Given that the communication is done over the power line, the signal degrades over a distance. The solution is to split the arrays half and center feeding the AC trunk and communications hub in the middle of it so it's closer to the source.   The downside  is I have put the communication hub in the back yard in the metal cabinet. The problem is anything with an RF signal can't send or receive signal outside of the cabinet  since the metal box acts as a Faraday cage.  Currently, the communications hub is hanging outside of the cabinet until I can retrofit an antenna for it.    

The solar snow panel protection and snow dumper design idea worked like a charm.  I haven't built the automation system for it yet, so it's currently being done manually. However,  the current snow storm has already given me some ideas to improve the snow dumping design process. The blue tarp is just currently used for fleshing out ideas. The final build will be made for a clear material to allow for the panels to still produce power while being protected.        

In the process of going off-grid, it looks there are still a few more things that are still on the grid which will be resolved soon: the cat fountain and the toilet.  

Weird. When the system is not connected to the grid , the iq7+ microinverters are not reporting/communicating the data of the individual panels to the gateway, but the live total power production is given. Trying to figure a work around for this. Update: My thought process is this. When the grid is on, it doesn't need to draw as much power from the system. So, signal integrity of the microinverters remain intact since it communicates over the power line. Take the grid away and the signal integrity degrades. At least that is my current working theory. So, if I move the gateway as close as possible to the solar array it should resolve the problem if my theory holds true. That means I'll need to modify the current 2 wire 240 volts connection to a 3 wire setup by adding a neutral connection since the gateway needs a neutral to function. Also need to run an ethernet cable from the house to the solar array as well.