---
title: Solar Assessment Guide
description: "**OVERVIEW** Solar-powered systems are designed with a built-in level of battery autonomy, balancing cost, physical size, and operational runtime. Even with proper sizing, all systems have a finite reserve that will deplete during prolonged periods of insufficient sunlight. There is…"
url: "https://vettedsecuritysolutions.com/docs/solar-assessment-guide/"
updated: "2026-03-16"
category: Solar and Battery Maintenance
---

# Solar Assessment Guide

**OVERVIEW**

Solar-powered systems are designed with a built-in level of battery autonomy, balancing cost, physical size, and operational runtime. Even with proper sizing, all systems have a finite reserve that will deplete during prolonged periods of insufficient sunlight.

There is a fundamental limitation: if there is no sun, there is no power. This is most acute during winter months, when shorter days and frequent cloud cover reduce solar availability.

This guide provides a standardized procedure for assessing system performance when solar production declines or the battery reports a low state of charge.

**ASSESSMENT PROCEDURE**

**Step 1: Check Current Weather Conditions**

Before performing technical diagnostics, verify site-level weather patterns.

- Use the following satellite visualization tool for real-time and historical imagery:

[https://zoom.earth/maps/satellite/#view=27.9959,-83.283,7z](https://zoom.earth/maps/satellite/#view=27.9959,-83.283,7z)

- Review the last 24 hours using the playback feature.

Significant cloud cover or overcast conditions typically correlate with reduced solar production

**Step 2:** **Review Historical Cloud-Cover Data**

Evaluate cloud conditions for the past several days to determine if weather patterns explain the reduced solar yield.

1. Visit [https://weatherspark.com/](https://weatherspark.com/) 
2. Enter the **closest city or airport** to the deployment site.
3. Scroll to the **Cloud Cover** section.
4. Examine the hourly cloud-cover chart.
   - Heavy gray shading indicates limited solar availability.
     - Extended gray periods directly correspond to low battery SoC or offline conditions

![](https://vettedsecuritysolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/cloud-cover-1024x606.png)

Note: *Peak solar production generally occurs between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM, with shorter windows during winter.*

**Step 3:** **Examine Solar Production via Victron VRM**

Use VRM tools to compare forecasted solar irradiance against actual system performance.

1. Navigate to the site in Victron VRM.
2. Open **Advanced**view.
3. Enable the **Solar Irradiance chart**.
   - This chart displays forecasted versus actual solar production.
   - When actual production closely follows the forecast curve, the system is performing as expected.
   - Significant deviations may indicate a hardware or system configuration issue.

![](https://vettedsecuritysolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/cloud-cover-1.png)

*Note: This feature requires the site’s location to be properly set in VRM.*

**REFERENCE PROCEDURES**

**Reference 1:**Enabling the Solar Irradiance Widget in VRM

1. Open the site in **VRM** and Select **Advanced** view.
2. Click the **Filter** button (top-right).
3. Under **Gateway**, enable **Solar Irradiance**.
4. Close the filter menu; the widget will now display.

![](https://vettedsecuritysolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ref-1-1-1024x481.png)

![](https://vettedsecuritysolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ref-1.1-1024x571.png)

**Reference 2:**Setting the Site Location in VRM

1. Navigate to the site in VRM.
2. Select **Settings**.
3. Click **Location**.
4. Enter the correct **site coordinates or address**.
5. Click **Save**.

![](https://vettedsecuritysolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ref-2.2-1024x537.png)

![](https://vettedsecuritysolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ref-2.png)

*Note: This process provides a preliminary assessment and should be completed before beginning deeper system diagnostics.*