Do overcast days cut charging efficiency in Washington

[Dark_Urd]

People keep saying solar works fine in cloudy places but after a week of overcast skies here in Washington I am starting to doubt it. My system still charges but it is much slower and the battery never seems to top off like it does in the summer. By the end of the week I am relying on the grid a lot more than I want to. Is this just how it goes in Washington with shorter days and gray skies cutting efficiency or has anyone figured out ways to stretch their systems during these cloudy spells? Maybe timing charging better or shifting loads around? I am curious if other homeowners in Washington are seeing the same drop in performance or if my setup just is not tuned right.

 

[hvrvey]

My sister's husband manage by shifting flexible loads to midday when the sun pops out, lowering nonessential usage, or topping off from the grid if needed. Your system is not necessarily off, its just limited by the weather and daylight

 

[Psaro_Manslayer]

Clouds scatter sunlight, so panels still work, just at a fraction of their potential. If your system’s hitting maybe 20 - 40% of its usual summer output, that’s normal for Washington’s fall weather. Some folks add a small grid-assist window overnight to top off the battery like it costs a few cents but keeps you from hitting empty during long gray stretches.