The whiter the image, the hotter the area.
Recently, I found myself back on the roof of a shed I hadn’t worked on for at least a dozen years. The solar hadn’t gone anywhere, but damn, it needed a clean. [Read more…]
Solved: The Voltage Mismatch Causing Sungrow Inverters to Drop Power
Like any complex modern technology, solar inverters often have flaws. In this post, I’ll explore one of the most curious problems I’ve seen in recent years. Thanks go to Sungrow for keeping my job interesting… [Read more…]
Don’t Ignore Your Solar: Maintaining Monitoring Makes Sense
Is your system performance within normal range? Without good monitoring, you’ll never know.
As an installer, there’s one thing I have always tried to explain to customers. You need to keep an eye on your solar. It’s not just about economics but a legal obligation in many cases. Read on while I explain why monitoring is important, how to get it, and how to keep it working. [Read more…]
Australia’s Biggest Solar Expo: Giant Solar Flowers & Tesla Semi Lookalikes
A show of hands for a pop quiz after a training session
Has it really been a whole year since we last enjoyed the warm embrace1 of the Melbourne convention center? It doesn’t feel like it but for those who couldn’t attend, please read on while I document a few random pictures from the enormously busy exhibition floor.
Battery Owners: Why You Still See Small Energy Imports Despite a Full Battery
The only thing that’s grown more than electricity bills recently is the number of new solar power systems installed with batteries. I’m guessing a close third is the growth of my inbox, specifically with questions about small unwanted energy imports. Read on while I explain; please, stop emailing me…
New Catch Control: 6 Channels Of Kick Ass Home Energy Management
For years now, Catch Power has offered what I think is the go-to consumption meter for single-phase houses. Now that the six-channel unit has arrived, your three-phase house can enjoy the same benefits. Electricity bills might be growing, but thankfully, Catch Power is adding features to its Catch Control faster than retailers can add zeroes to your bill.
Midday Is The New Off-Peak: How To Harness It With Smart Diversion
Off-peak, ‘controlled load’ has traditionally been cheap electricity overnight, but these days, “over lunch” is the cheapest electricity ever. If you’ve got a hot water service, floor heating or a similar load, you can take advantage of this ridiculously cheap energy. Read on, and I’ll explain how.
Paint Jobs Gone Wrong: How Roof Restorers Can Ruin Your Solar
Image: Facebook
I’ve seen more than one instance where roof restorers have ruined solar arrays, and it’s a horribly wasteful lesson for people to learn. If you’re thinking of having your roof painted, then make sure it doesn’t go pear-shaped with this simple guide to restoring a roof with solar panels on it.
[Read more…]
When Solar Monitoring Fails: How a Simple Oversight Cost Thousands
A year’s consumption data with a solar power system that stopped dead
Flicking through some photographs recently, I was reminded of a very expensive saga where thousands of dollars of electricity would have been saved with some free solar monitoring. Read on as we detail episode one of several expensive mistakes.
17 Key Insights from Tesla’s Powerwall 3 Training
Tesla’s Powerwall 3 is starting to hit the ground in Australia. We’ve had the launch. Selected retailers are humble bragging about their latest Tesla deliveries hitting the ground, and Tesla is running installer training to get everybody ready. I went along on Friday to see what we could glean.
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