Parking location can be critical for sure. I usually park on the right side of the drive and when there, a big pine tree virtually kills my
solar from noon to 3PM (just when it would normally be most effective).
If I park facing the same way on the left part of the drive, just 10 foot over, my
solar over the day can go up maybe 100%. And if I go back a few feet, it becomes much better again (As I am otherwise parked north of a tall house)
I just don't really know but do realize the logic of your question. Well over winter we were parked up on EHU until about June, then have just been using
solar until quite recently. But we are parked right between two houses facing SW so only really get max sun towards midday till about 3pm but still get some lesser but okay charge either side. Our power usage is very low so perhaps the early sun may have replenished the charge in summer before midday? If so would that throttle the
solar output? Does the
Victron only log it's peak output rather than peak input?
But as an aside I could test the
solar panel out proper next summer with the view to an upgrade or addition.
A few things to bear in mind ....
If the panel is only slightly shaded, the entire panel is compromised.. that can have an significant effect.
Peak input Vs peak output. They are really the same minus a few percentage points for controller losses. if there is nowhere for the harvested power to go, it doesn't get harvested so the peak input drops right back. There is no provision for the controller to record a "what if" potential peak power. What you can do if you want to check how well the panel is working is to check with the batteries low enough they will take all the potential power the panel could give, or at maximum sun (around 1PM in the summer in the UK) put on a load of at least what the panel *could* provide (so around 10A for a 120W panel) and see how much the panel steps up to deliver.
Angling panels is all well and good IF you have a clear unobstructed view from panel to sun. Very few do and angling can be counter-productive. I was running a combo of fixed flat roof panels on the van, plus a portable panel kit in the garden tilted at an angle.
When in the sun, the portable kit was more effective for sure, but only for short periods. I used to have to keep moving it to change position due to sun position and tree obstruction. The roof kit plodded along, not getting the maximum efficiencies the portable kit did, but over the day was actually more effective.
If you are in a big field by yourself, sure. If you are in a more typical UK location, nah...
Fit and forget!
