Solar Potential Explorer — Support

Support for Solar Potential Explorer (SPE) provided by Zenthor Systems Limited.

Getting Started

Solar Potential Explorer requires three inputs to calculate your solar potential:

Optionally enter your Panel Power Rating in Watts to see energy potential in kWh.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Solar Potential Explorer calculate?

SPE calculates the theoretical maximum solar energy available to your specific panel installation for any day of the year. This assumes a perfect day — full sunshine, no cloud cover, no shading and clean panels.

Why does my actual generation differ from SPE?

SPE calculates the upper limit of what is physically possible. Real world generation is always lower due to:

Comparing your actual generation against SPE's calculation on a clear sunny day reveals your system's real efficiency.

Do I need a perfect day to use SPE?

No — any clear sky moment is enough.

When your panels are in full sun with no shading:

  1. Note the date and time
  2. Read your inverter's instantaneous power in Watts
  3. Enter the date in SPE and read the Instant Potential percentage from the graph
  4. Divide your actual Watts by your total panel rating and multiply by 100 to get your actual percentage

Example: SPE shows 78% and your panels are rated 1000W. Your inverter reads 706W — that's 70.6%. The 7.4% gap represents your system losses.

The gap between theory and reality is your system's loss figure — instantly, without waiting for ideal conditions that may never come.

What is a Full Sun Equivalent hour?

A Full Sun Equivalent (FSE) hour represents one hour of solar energy at peak intensity (1000W/m²). It is a standard industry measure allowing fair comparison between different locations and panel orientations.

What is the Perfect Day benchmark?

The Perfect Day benchmark is the maximum energy your panels could theoretically generate on a given day under ideal conditions. It provides a fixed reference point against which real performance can be measured.

Does SPE work for the Southern hemisphere?

Yes. Enter your latitude as a negative number for Southern hemisphere locations. Example: Sydney = -33.9. SPE correctly handles all latitudes from the Arctic to the Antarctic including polar day and polar night conditions.

How do I find my latitude?

The easiest way is to search for your location in Google Maps, right click on your location and select the coordinates shown. The first number is your latitude.

How do I find my panel azimuth?

Use your phone's compass app pointed in the direction your panels face. Alternatively check your installation documentation or ask your installer.

How accurate is SPE?

SPE has been validated against real solar installation data from an EcoFlow Powerstream system. Under clear sky conditions SPE consistently predicts within 8% of actual generation, with the difference accounted for entirely by known system losses such as inverter efficiency and wiring resistance.

Version History

Version 1.0 Initial release. Instant and hourly solar potential display. Annual totals and best day calculation. Full Sun Equivalent hours. Perfect Day potential energy.

Contact Support

If your question is not answered above please contact us at:

support@zenthor.com

We aim to respond within 2 business days.