Updated: 2016-02-04
We have continuous snow on the ground for so long I can't really remember when it was dry and not muddy as well (the snow melts daily destroying the roads.)
The surprising effect of snow reflecting light onto the panels and the cold combine to have amazing effects on solar panels. Yesterday I saw the main house array producing 66A which meant that each panel was producing over 10.7A which is over the fuse ratings on each leg on the junction box but they are not blowing.
It is really something to see the C60 overheat and go into thermal shut down and/or over current shut down. I wish a "C-80" existed, sigh. I am squandering power even when it is so cold because we have had quite a few sunny days recently.
Since there is less sun in winter, I still have to switch to grid power for awhile in the evening (or during the day when it is cloudy which seems to be often during this "El Nino") to charge up the batteries before bedtime.
In the summer I can get by without that most of the time unless I have been draining the battery bank doing something (like running the cubical monolith cluster.)