Aiko built in shade compensation

[binky]

Stumbled across this today, it's a little disappointing in that they at no time put shade across, say, the bottom half the panel. But it's a cracking idea as this will certainly mitigate leaves and bird poo on your panels. It's also interesting as it clearly demonstrates shading on panel outputs.



Little video from the Aiko factory.

 

[fourtytwo]

Well it's not clear what those DVM's are supposed to be displaying, if VOC fairly meaningless.
In real life I have never seen a shading pattern starting in the middle, as you say it's more likely starting on an edge and increasing over a larger panel portion from the edge inwards.
I could not find any details on there product to indicate how they had wired the cells and arranged the diodes in a non-standard manner to achieve a different result from what I assume is a standard panel.
I give it a marketing BS rating!

 

[binky]

Well it's not clear what those DVM's are supposed to be displaying, if VOC fairly meaningless.
In real life I have never seen a shading pattern starting in the middle, as you say it's more likely starting on an edge and increasing over a larger panel portion from the edge inwards.
I could not find any details on there product to indicate how they had wired the cells and arranged the diodes in a non-standard manner to achieve a different result from what I assume is a standard panel.
I give it a marketing BS rating!

Looks like it would be good for bird poo or leaves on the panels blocking off cells, so an improvement on standard panels, but not a cure for hard shading issues, or they would demonstrate that.

 

[Bob Smith]

I have AIKO 610W
https://aikosolar.com/static/pdfjs/web/viewer.html?file=/static/download/products/N-Type_ABC_module_Aiko-A-MAH72Mw_600-620W_en.pdf&fbclid=IwAR35vbwizCIMA3Tch2oDNpXnVBJgfYuJe10kC1x3G8pY0-2CEnHPjjy_6ZA

It is hard to compare as I am an end user so don't have the luxury to have different panels and test them

However what I can tell is

I have 10 of them NW and even in Winter there are been days (the overcast one) where they produced more than my 4kWp SE (panels from 2016)
I have also 6 more (5 on the wall facing WS and the other 1 on a lower roof facing SE along with 2 more AIKKO 450W), They have Tigo optimizers. Despite those conditions they generate pretty much from the same time than my 4kWp on the main roof facing SE. Of course, they won't produce as much power early in the morning but still generate. I was very surprised because those panels are still in the shade. There is obviously enough light to get things started.

When I think I picked AIKO because they were the only brand available in the UK having those large panels I didn't even know the brand. I spend ages trying to find those +600W from JASolar, Canadian Solar, Jinko DMEGC and nothing available.

I am very please so far (some have a couple of bird's poo (but I take those from 2016 too). They perform better than I anticipated especially that they are not located on the prime location and a few installers told me it would not work...

For those interested




610W AIKO are used for the Main Roof NW and the Wall
450W AIKO + 1 610W AIKO on the small Roof
the 4kWp are 250W from 2016.

The graph has not been updated for the last 3 days.


The forum tries to embed the graph and it does not show properly.

https:// docs.google.com /spreadsheets/ d /e/2PACX-1vSZ_Y4imI2b5J45i0ZChbKLqSLnIDqQsCX3erOP_Kke8qOiiFKPXH9MWfFOq7fw68vRId5NswNVeYbQ/pubchart?oid=1635044060&format=interactive

just remove the blank spaces

or click on the link

 

[binky]

interesting numbers. I'm guessing your original array would be less efficient panels, but your numbers also show how the days are getting longer and sun setting more NWesterly.

 

[Bob Smith]

As always Binky. you are 100% correct and I would add the Sun is also getting higher in the sky. So my wall panels are still producing at peak about 80% of their Wp which I am surprised I would I though that number would decrease by now and those on the main roof NW are also getting more sun earlier in the day because it is higher in the sky.

Overall I have for 14.05kWp of PV modules. I had estimated before the installation that at peak they would reach 7 to 8kW. I was very wrong. The highest recorded was 11.9kW It was a cloudy day and the sun played hide and seek. I know the light bounce on the cloud and this helps. Nonetheless, everyday now I reach between 10 and 11kW. I am so glad I have a 12kW inverter (I was originally looking for a 8 or maybe 10kW but Lux only provides for the UK 7kW or 12kW...) This will be the topic of another post? The added benefits and unexpected (for the neo Solar man I am) of such a large inverter.

 

[binky]

Despite the dubious weather, this time of year is good for generation, good irradiance combined with clean air and panels - there is a bonus to rain

I think your systems also demonstrate how much the panels have improved, and you have leant why I don't like undersizing inverters, at least not by much, and certainly not by 20%.

 

[bladerunnerpv]

"I have 10 of them NW and even in Winter there are been days (the overcast one) where they produced more than my 4kWp SE (panels from 2016)"

So NW is 6.1kWp into one mppt on the Lux inverter?
And 4kWp SE into one mppt on the original inverter?

Instinctively surprised it works so well in winter but I haven't tried it out in easyPV or PVgis. Guessing roof pitch 30degs?

Just wondering about the cause, is the inverter startup voltage much different between the Lux and your SE linked inverter? IIRC the aiko are about 22% efficiency poss more, wonder how that compares to the SE panels

Glad to hear it's working well for you.

 

[binky]

8 years ago panel efficiency was around 15%. Your original panels will also have degraded a few percent by now as well.

Locked to prevent being resurrected (again)