Happy Winter Solstice

[wooferhound]

It's the winter solstice again and the Sun is at it's most extreme angle. I've been waiting on this day for awhile. I want to add more solar panels behind my existing panels and I needed to see where the longest shadows would fall. I have one more 9w panel that I'm preparing to put up, that will be 10% more power for me.

http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2008/6/12/145252/532

[bj]

   Good morning Woof.. I too have been waiting for today to check.  Besides,

after today, days get longer.

   A quick question if I might,  been researching prices around this area

and best so far is $3.00 a watt, if I buy in large (1000w) quantities.  How

does that compare with your area?  Of course, there is a dollar value

difference, but just for comparison.

Thanks in advance

[DamonHD]

Ah good point.

I noticed yesterday that some shadows from a near-neighbour's garden were covering the bottom of my 'emergency' TopRay (ie Maplin/HF) 60Wp of panels that I added recently in order to try to keep my 4W server running 24x7.

My server is back to the off-grid system at the moment, but I doubt I'll manage more than half of December fully off-grid with it, which is very annoying.  I just can't get enough sunshine at/near ground-level.

(I do hope to do one final round of roof grid-tie PV which might get us to 4MWh/y generation, which at ~2MWh/y net export, with more insulation work, might take us 'carbon neutral' on electricity and gas for light and heat.)

Rgds

Damon

[wooferhound]

The best prices I know for solar panels is here . . .

http://sunelec.com/

I just came back in from looking at the shadowing of my solar panels and it looks like I'm completely clear to add a second set of panels behind my first set, with about 4 inches extra to spare in case global warming gets out of hand and tilts the Earth or something . . .

[Tritium]

My last 6 100 watt panels from sunelec were $1.75 per watt. They are 72 cell panels. You can pick up kaneka CIGS thin film 60 watt panels for under $1.00 per watt.

Thurmond

[dnix71]

Yep, I noticed shadowing last month. Nothing I can do since it's a tree two houses away. Luckily, it's also a lot cooler (60F in south Florida is "cool") so my fridge isn't running as much and straining the batteries.

[kenl]

Don't worry, hurricane season is only 6 months away.That tree may not be there this time next year. Every year I keep hoping one will blow over the neighbours oaks so my roof can get some sun.

 kenny

seemed like a good idea at the time

[bj]

   Thanks Woof, Tritium.  Substantial price difference, but shipping, duties, taxes and the like do add up.

[Watt]

Wow, great site.  Thank you kindly.

[DamonHD]

Better make that 5 inches then... B^>

Rgds

Damon