Enlargement of PV system; current best practices for new PVOutput configuration?

General
#1

Hello

I intend to expand my PV system (Enphase Microinverters) from 18 panels to south - south-west with 14 additional panels to north - north-east, to totally 32 panels.

How should I ideally proceed with the reconfiguration of PVOutput? Can I simply “adapt” the existing configuration or do I have to define a new system and start again from day 0? Will adjusting the system output lead to an incorrect calculation of the previous values?

To put it briefly: are there any current “best practices” on how best to do this?

Thank you for any help and tips.
Best regards
Roman

#2

Look at parent/child systems
Although being micro inverters it might not matter.

#3

Edit the system and update the number of panels and/or panel power to match the upgraded total size.

Historic output data is unchanged, including the kWh/kW figures which is record with the current system size. One other advantage is that you will keep your PV Ladder position rather than start over.

However historic figures may appear lower for the new bigger system size. For this reason, some people may want to create a new separate system to avoid the confusion.

#4

I have five systems, one parent and four children, the children are the actual physical installations.

One problem is that the parent and child systems don’t share installation data, so on the parent system I’ve had to put 43 panels at 361w, with panel type shown as average - see child systems. The array tilt, panel orientation and shading are all wrong, and really shouldn’t be shown, as the child systems are all different.

Two of the children systems have recently been added, in fact turned on in the last few days.

https://pvoutput.org/intraday.jsp?id=107991&sid=97272&dt=20240920

#5

Thanks. That means, you don’t “recommend” a parent - child configuration (like the autors before and after), if I understand you right?

#6

Thanks as well. If all your four systems are “children”, was one of these, the first, ever a parent?
And if so, can you make a parent into a child without losing data?

@B-Man , @bankstownbloke , @ron-ski : Again thanks, but I’m still a little confused about the several options I seemengly have, especially regarding “easily adjust system size” and “configuring parent - child”…

#7

I’d probably do what Bankstownbloke said. Just edit your system to suit the kw your solar is now.

It keeps it simple, continues on as it is and stays as one system.

Being micro inverters instead of the normal string inverters it’s probably better to stay as one system.

#8

Parent/Child aggregation would only be useful if you had multiple systems and wanted an aggregated view of all these systems in the form of a ‘parent’ system. For simple single system upgrades, just change the existing system details or create a new system.

#9

I’m pretty sure I setup up my parent for the sole purpose of combining my original two systems.

I only really have two systems, a Solaredge system and a Victron system, but have recently added two more arrays to the Victron system, and want to be able to see the history separately for each solar charge controller on the Victron system.