Solar Performance Improvement–in October??

I added a second solar panel to the aquaponics a couple months ago.

The two batteries would top off quickly every day unless it was cloudy.  Even then, they seemed to get enough light to have the charge maxed at the end of the day.

Then I swapped the pump in the aquaponics.  I almost tripled the water output.  Some mornings found the batteries drained.  They would charge up again, but it’s obvious I need at least one more battery.

I’m waiting because I’m planning on taking the aquaponics to a new level next year.  I don’t want to invest on infrastructure that isn’t going to last.

The last change was the greenhouse.  It’s more of a winter shelter for the AP.  I don’t want to lose the fish and all that good bacteria and have to start over again.  The greenhouse worried me though.  I figured that it would end up shading the solar panels.  The pic below shows an evening picture.  The panels are on the north side of the greenhouse.

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Umm, the best reading I’ve seen on the charge controller was 5.6 amps, around noon in September.  The wife took a look at 9 or 10 in the morning the other day and the charge controller was running in the 5s AND the batteries were already topped off at 14 volts (the highest the controller will charge them).

Looks like the greenhouse is reflecting extra light to the panels.  Something to keep in mind!

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