Live data
Data from the test rig near Prague
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Test rig specifications
The installation uses:
- 1 cubic metre water capacity tank
- 18.5 m2 total collector aperture area
- External tank location (overnight heat loss)
- Panels pitched for winter collection
Graph explanation
The graph plots seven channels logged every minute:
| Colour | Channel | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Orange | Panel | Collector panel temperature (C) |
| Blue | Tank | Tank bottom temperature (C) |
| Green | Out | Outside air temperature (C) |
| Black | Flow | Pump flow rate |
| Purple | kWh/m2 | Cumulative energy per m2 of aperture |
| Red | kWh | Cumulative energy (kW) |
| White | Day (ldr) | Light level from LDR sensor |
The initial "teeth" in the panel trace show the collector catching morning sunlight, with modulating pump speeds to prevent short-cycling. An optical sensor mounted in an inverse trap monitors panel filling status.
Location
The test rig is near Prague:
- Large trees to the immediate east
- 1,670 hours annual sunlight average
- Summer temperatures approaching 40 C
- Winter temperatures reaching -20 C
Data collection
Sensor data transmits via RS485 protocol. Logging occurs about every minute with CSV uploads to the server for browser-based graphing.