Very good explanation of the different wiring types. Most of these don't include things such and voltage drop and why to use the different configurations. This was perfect.
I changed my solar array from Parallel to Series and volts went up in the sun it was great UNTIL a cloud came by and unlike when I had parallel hook up the drop of voltage was huge! I can see with series that they are all impacted as ONE when shading happens. With Parallel I had a better sustained energy coming in even with some clouds. PEACE
I purchased a 24v hybrid inverter charger that has a Max PV open circuit voltage of 100. I have 4 panels with an ISC of 5.21 amps and an open circuit voltage of 24.3. I wanted to wire the panels in series for the reasons you mentioned. That would bring my input voltage to 97.2v, just under 100v. The folks from the panel manufacturer say I should wire them in a 2s2p configuration as it would be safer. They said the voltage will damage the controller. Is this being overly cautious, or are they correct?
I believe you can add a bypass diode to each panel in addition to the bypass diodes already in clouded in the back. So the panel shaded getts by passed
Excellent breakdown of series and parallel set up. Very informative and well explained, I am new to solar and you made it very easy to understand. Thank you very much for the time you put into this and for sharing your knowledge .
I have a new setup built following your guide on videos and book. The item I overlooked was shading. I have 2 panels in series and it works but charging my 2 100ah batteries in series is slow. Today, I'm waiting on the y connectors to change it to parallel since one of my panels is often shaded. I'm hoping this will make it better since I need this setup to charge my ego z6 mower. Thanks for your clear videos.
@cleversolarpower I may be in trouble then. VMP for the panels is 20.4, batteries are in series and inverter is for 24v. I thought the Victron mppt 100/30 would increase the voltage for battery charging.
@cleversolarpower I still have time to return the 24v inverter. Just ordered a 12v inverter and will switch batteries to parallel. Glad I was able to chat with you.
Very good explanation, but you didn´t mention that most panels has a bypass diode, and maybe also a blocking diode. These eases up a lot of the shading problems. Also for parallel connection there is a need for blocking diodes if not shading of one panel shall reduce the power from the other non shaded panels.
Hello Rudy, A bypass diode bypasses 1/3 of the solar panel. That means there is 2/3rds left. This reduces the current by 1/3. Bypass diodes are not miracle devices like many people say they are. They still reduce the current of the panel, thus the whole current of the series string as show in the example.
Glad you included AWG in your explanation, however perhaps a more indepth explanation is needed, as in 100m of 10ga vs 100m of 14ga wire voltage losses and current capability...
One thing to add is the rated Amperage of bypass diodes in panels. I removed them because of the 10 A value. A voltage drop will occur if diodes are not rated correctly. In my case it reduced voltage from 72 volts to 50 volts in a 2 x 36 volt series setup.
That is very weird and unlikely to be the cause of the problem. Solar panel manufacturers know the panels will be placed in series, why would they add a 50V diode to it? Which panel was it?
@@cleversolarpower Eco Line ES50P72 has only 1 diode because of the array 2 x 18 cells. I really did find a voltage drop and after removing diodes I had 72-80 volts in series of two 50 Watt panels (49 euros each) producing 4.2 Amp. Not even strait at the sun. Very happy now.
@@QUADBOYification They have weird panel specs 41V at 1.5A. SOmebody in the reviews mentions the same problem. Maybe that's why they stopped selling them.
@@cleversolarpower Amazon had them originally listed as actual 100 Watt panels, probably not far off if you test them. The specs show up to 3.5 Amps with full strong sunlight and even very good efficiency at very low temperatures. You do need a good MPPT Controller. They were sold out, at that low price not surprising. I got two.
I'm new to this stuff I have a EcoFlow 100W Flexible Solar Panel and Renogy 175w fixed solar panel, would these be compatible in series? My powerstation is EB55.
I enjoy your videos and have watched many of them. I am planning a portable solar system for my Travel Trailer. I am planning to use my 2 x 200 watt panels in parallel and place my charge controller in a water tight enclosure to move it with the panels to where I have the most intense sun light as we travel. That way I keep the minimum start voltage loss problem to a small value, and the charge controller can then send the power to my battery's via #10 awg wire. My charge controller is rated at 30 amps 100 Volts. Does my plan make sense to you? Additional information; My trailer is equipped with all 12 volt equipment so switching to 24 volt would be more costly. I do not use an inverter. Our load items, Fridge, and pump which are propane and 12 volt respectively, ( yes the fridge has 12 VDC ignition). All cooking and boiling etc we do via propane stove, lights in and outside the trailer are LED 12 DVC. small use of USB charging of mobile phones as well.
Makes sense to me to keep the 12v when you don't have an inverter. Charge controller and panels are ok. You wire them in parallel for shading issues? If the panels are in the sun, better wire in series. Lowers your voltage drop. But overall, it seems ok to me.
I just watched an other video and felt it good to add the following, My solar panels have an 18.3 VDC output which is in line with your recommendation for 12 V plus 5 Volts for my MPPT charger, do I understand correctly? I had two 100 watt panels, last year and found shading to be a problem in most camping parks at one time or an other hence I am thinking to do Parallel arrangement.
Why does the series, in hybrid need to be even numbers? 2, 4, 6 the reason why is I am having issues with set 1 series 5 panel and set 2 series of 5 panel charging the batteries..any suggestion
Lets say string a solar panel is 20V and 5A (100W). String 1 consists of 2 panels in series to make 40V, 5A. String 2 consists of 3 panels in series to make 60V, 5A. If we combine these in parallel (current adds up, voltage stays the same) we get 40V, 10A, because the voltage takes the lowest string into account. So we get 400W with 5 panels.
i have all 3 solar setups.. 1 full parallel 8 panels 150w, 1 series-parallel 6 panels 320w, and 1 series string 5 panels 450w.. all grid tied and on the same roof with the same orientation.. the all parallel produces power early 5:30am.. the series-parallel will start producing at pass 6:30am, and the string will produce power at around close to 8:00 am... otherwise they will all read zero watts... seams to me the all parallel is better performing at low light condition..
That sounds backwards. Since charging requires voltage exceeding the battery voltage, panels in series get to charging voltage when the light is still low. In my setup, panels in series begin charging the battery at 5:30AM when the sun is just above the horizon. The charging day lasts until nearly 7:30 PM when the sun is setting. The parallel equivalent cuts the charging day by more than two hours.
@@randymaclean2707 theres one reason why half cut cells and shingled solar panels are advertised to perfom better in low light and shade.. gues why.. cells are in parallel.. cells in series total power output is only as good as the weakest cell in the string. since not all cells are exactly alike there will be variations.. you will soon find that if there is not enough sunlight to saturate all cells in the string the power output will suddenly drop..
@@randymaclean2707 series tends to work better for longer output. But with parallel you can prevent voltage sag meaning that while the voltage can be high enough you may not have but amperage meaning series cells won't output but parallel cells will add the amperage giving it enough to start charging whatever it is.. Low light parallel will almost always win.. but with full sun series can work better as long as nothing gets shaded. If you have mixed shade then parallel will be better as well.
@@randymaclean2707 But voltage rises faster by low light. Zo u fast sitting with no sun but light. At arount 60 % max voltage. With current its mutch later. Curent starts at around when the voltage is above that.
Thank you. I find this very clear. I am installing solar panels these days. To begin the project, I purchased 150W X 4 panels. I think hybrid system will help in my case. (No shading at all but the location is hot 😢)
Good evening sir. Pls I need your advice on my installation of 24v 2batteries 1.4kva inverter The charge controller is pwm bsc6048 have 4 PCs of 300 watt monoch. So around pick period of sunny dey it usually gives 02.4A while everywhere is hot and gives 70.5 kwh and 25.5 volt Does it means that the panels are connected in series ? Thanks.
With solar roof we take whole strings and parallel them together. This allows us to use less MPPTs Nice thing about micros also is that with an AC system everything is already paralleled Pros and cons of both
I need an explanation: I have two solar panels of 455W each, but on different sides of the cottage, and a 12V, 160ah battery. What connection of solar panels do you recommend? Thank you very much
A 110V solar panel doesn't exist. I assume you meant Watts. Checkout my video about wiring mismatched solar panels. Make sure the ecoflow can handle the input voltage and current.
You have to match the solar panel voltage closely to the battery voltage (battery voltage +5V). If you do not match it to the battery voltage it will be less efficient.
@@cleversolarpower That's what the panel opitmizer manufacturers are telling the public, but that's not what happens in real world testing. There are many credible videos on UA-cam debunking this claim.
I am planning to install the solar on my boat. I found this panel of 530w 48v at a good price and thinking to get 4 of them for a total of 2120w. If I install them in parallel of 1060w each, can I use then a heater of 1500w? I will use 3000w inverter. Thank you
U didn't mention the Amp's rating and Voltage rating of the hybrid system.. what will the exact output .. Does amp's multiply or not and what about voltage.. I'm trying to understand what the exact reading will be for my 12.92 amp's & 44.88 voltage per panel with a hybrid system of 10 panels ..
Both the voltage and current would be increased. Assuming you use a configuration of 5 series, 2 parallel, you are going to have a voltage output of 224.4 volts and current output of 25.84 amps. If they're wired in a configuration of 2 series and 5 parallel, you'll get 89.72 volts output and 64.6 amps output.
Thanks so much for this information. Please, I have 2 300w solar panels and 60amp Charge Controller my question is which connection will be appropriate for me? Parallel or Series connection? I will appreciate a response. Thanks.
Shading is not a big problem with bypass diodes. They are normally built-in in every modern panel! There is still a bit of current suffering, but not as much as you described.
I have connected 8 solar pannels in series with 180 Amp MPPT solar inverter but in b/w 12 PM - 3PM ( pakistan std) my 4 pannels are facing shading...can i use hybrid connection or only parallel or series...?? Plz tell me,, distance is 50 feet,, i have used wire of 8mm size from solar to inverter..... Please
Hi. I have 8 solar panels, each 590watts with 41V and 18Amps. While My inverter Tesla MKSII MPPT range is from 120-430 and maximum range written 500VDC with 80Amps. What do you think I should make 4 series then another 4 string in series after then parallel and I will get 164V MPPT VDC and will get 36 Amp for inverter will be Ok or I need to connect all in series where will get 328VDC and 18Amps. Please advise
Hello, If you do not have shade on your panels, I would wire them all up in series. It will save you on wire costs and limit the voltage drop over them. When you connect them, measure the leads first to make sure they are under 430V. 8 panels placed in series should give you 360V max, so I think you are going to be okay.
1) Secondary component list, such as fuse type and location, breakers. 2) Matching different solar panel cable connection types; cutting off ones that don't match and putting on one that does or just crimping a sleeve to join them. 3) Trouble shooting a dead panel. Thank you so much!
I have 5 panels , each panel is 410w and 36v , I intend to use these to trickle charge my EV car and when not charging EV I would power some appliances. What inverter is best for me ?.
Thank you for this explanation and I do have 2 questions if you have the time: - I have 8 panels connected in series to my inverter, I want to include another 2 panels that are facing the west to capture the sun after 6pm (the 8 are facing south and don't capture after 6pm). How can I achieve that? any advice? - How can I add a wind turbine to my solar system? If I replace my MPPT hybrid inverter with one that takes 2 PV input, will that allow me to do that? Many thanks
1) If you use batteries, you can add a new charge controller in parallel. Search 'multiple charge controllers' on google and my website will be the first to pop up. 2) not have experience with wind turbines. But it will be similar to 1. Add a charge controller in parallel.
Exactly - the series string may pass the voltage threshold earlier, but at that stage the power available is close to ZERO. One needs to look at the curves for Voltage and Current vs irradiance to see that while the PV Panel may produce voltage under poor light, it doesn't produce much current - hence power.
On an East-West-South roof (in Europe) with 4 panels, what is the best set-up? a) 2 East + 2 West series parallel? Or all 4 panels on the South; b) 4 series or c) 4 parallel or d) 2+2 series-parallel? Which one provides the best average power output throughout the day?
Throughout the day its better to have 2 panels south, and two panels east or west. Make a 2S2P system on one charge controller. That is if you don't have batteries (grid inverter). If you have batteries, it's best to have 4 panels south in series.
Sure - at 5:35 you talk about the volt drop of the cable. First - Before the charge controller threshold is reached there is no current flow so there is no volt drop on the cable. Second - even when the solar panel voltage crosses the threshold there is almost no current flow. Solar panels voltage is pretty quick to reach max, but current is related to irradiance. Third - It is only with a series set-up and a MPPT where there is a threshold to pass, Typically a few volts above battery voltage. In your recommendation of a Parallel set of panels benefitting from a PWM - then Parallel and PWM will beat series hands down because there is virtually no threshold to overcome. The PWM will simply switch the PV Panel voltage through to the battery no matter what it is. Simply put - in practice series holds little to no advantage, and may even be a disadvantage in low light conditions. Cable Volt drop is a non issue for start up because there is no volt drop if there is no current flow. In the series system typical threshold to achieve (VICTRON) is 5 volts above battery voltage. PWM and parallel will start charging at a few mV above battery voltage. It also depends where you live - where I live, in Africa, near the equator, the transition from no Solar PV output to a useful Solar PV output is a very very short time, and any advantage gained will be minimal. This doesn't mean all your other considerations shouldn't be taken into account, they are extremely useful and valid, just the low light issue is a bit of a hot potato.
1. That's why wiring in series has an advantage. It doesn't need to wait to reach the treshold. 2. True, but the parallel isn't going to be a better option. 3. Yes, those are the most common systems. Series and MPPT. 4. PWM requires parallel wiring. If you have a 12V battery and you wire the 18V panels in series you will have a lot of losses. The battery should be matched to the voltage of the solar panels to minimize losses. 5. We wire in series to save on wire cost. It's true that the current will only flow when there is irradiance. During sunset, the voltage will still be high, but the current will drop. I think this is what you mean or I have understood it incorrectly.
@@cleversolarpower Thank you for the reply - To me series will have no discernable advantage over parallel in low light conditions, assuming of course that we have selected all the correct components. Unless we are talking enterprise or industrial size systems the cost/saving of the wire in a 2/4 panel mobile or residential system doesn't offset the risk/reward ratio against shading/system-faults, nor does it lead to an easily expandable architecture. (panels must be identical and you can quickly get into an overvoltage situation with small charge controllers.) Typically, below about 1000W I default to parallel, or hybrid S/P, above that Series. Lets just leave it here for now. Once again, I enjoy your input and thank you for that.
I have 220a better-6 , 12of 300wat panels and 3.5kva inverter how can I connect it Scnd issue is that they always have power failure and they do have shed some time what of connection i need to do
Thank you, great explanations! One question please: "Different models of panels should never be connected together". You mean different 'size' panels hence different Watt- or power-panels, don't you?
Yes, different panels have different voltages and current. If you connect panels in series, the voltage needs to be the same. If you connect in parallel, the current needs to be the same. Check my article on my website about mismatched solar panels.
I have a 40 Amp mppt charge controller. I have two 330 watt panels hooked in parallel. I also have one 330 watt I bought on a good deal from a friend. Can I hook this 3rd panel up in parallel with my other two panels and will my charge controller handle it okay?
That depends on your charge controller max current and your battery voltage. if your battery voltage is 12V, then you need a 83amp charge controller. Those are expensive, so you better get a seperate charge controller.
After watching your video I was very impressed. Just bought your book. Now I have question I have 32 Lg Bifacial solar Panels . Each solar panel is 410 Watts, Voc is 49.40V and Isc is10.48. I am very interested in victron charge controllers specially victron smart solar mppt RS 450 / 100 or 200. Could you please give me your advice what is the best way to connect 32 solar panels Thanks.
Thank you for your kind words. it is best to have as many panels in series until the max input voltage of the controller. For you, that would be a hybrid connection. I also recommend looking at the schneider conext for a charge controller.
instead of using expensive microinverters which doesnt work on standalone systems (off grid) you can use a boost conveter on each panels. by the way did you realise if you use microinveters you will still need to convert back to dc to charges batterties?
Microinverters are not that great for off-grid. As Dan mentioned, you would have to convert again to DC which leads to losses. You can use an optimizer if you have shade and want to put your panels in series. Personally I wouldn't use optimizers if you have the space.
@@cleversolarpower I agree about the losses, but with the latest hybrid inverters you can feed AC AND DC, therefore you can balance your demands for feeding the loads during the day without conversion and a seperate feed of panels dedicated to topping up the battery for when the solar is not producing. Higher investment, but a much better potential to use the available power. Over the lifespan of the components it should pay for itself easily.
@@simonpaine2347 You can, but you need an off-grid hybrid inverter. Which doesn't need input from the grid to make its sinus. There is no advantage to using microinverters over series connecting your solar panels. Installing microinverters are more expensive and not needed. But that is my opinion, everybody can have their own.
@@cleversolarpower I totally respect your opinion, but I also have seen numerous videos from Engineer 775 who has installed numerous systems with Sol-Ark inverters with AC coupled systems with micro inverters. They seem to make sense and work well.
So I have a question. So I am trying to max out the wattage I can input into my eco flow delta pro which is 1600, 150 volt/15 amps. I have 8-200 watt panels, 24.3 open circuit voltage, 10.2 short circuit current. Looking to wire 2 series strings of 4 panels then running those two in parallel. So I get the 1600 watts, 97.2 volts but my amps goes over the 15 amps. I was told this would just be wasted. My question is if I over panel and get more amps is it just extra not being able to be used?
That depends on the MPPT inside of the ecoflow. It should be mentioned in the manual if it's possible or not. If it's not I would contact the company and ask if it's possible to over-panel the current input.
I have 3 panels of 300W each, and a 60A MPPT solar controller. There will definitely be shade at some times of the day. Your suggestion is IF shade or PWM then parallel, otherwise series. What about for my situation where I have shade and MPPT... would you advise I use series or parallel? Thanks!
If you only have 3 panels with shade, then wire in parallel. Fuse every panel with an inline fuse. Check my video about fusing solar panels. If you had more panels I would have used another MPPT and put the shaded panels in series.
Hi, I have a question, if you have a 12v system & three 12v panels connected in series to a 100v MPPT controller, even though you are getting the same power to the controller, you are getting 1/3 the current so are you charging the battery the same or less than with higher current parallel connection?
Connecting your panels in series or parallel will deliver the same energy into the battery if there is no shade. For example: 3x18V panels in series = 54V at 10A for a total of 540W. The charge controller will bring down the voltage and increase the current. So: 540W/12V=45A.
I have 5panels East in serie 33,9V and 9,7A. One another 5panels West in serie 33,9V and 9,7A without shade. Both together goes to the inverter with Y switch. Is this OK or do you see anything wrong? The inverter is starting 120V, 600V max, panel 330wp. Thankful
Who is beter me 2 panel 170 w7.7 Amp 160w7.25 amos same volts 22.07 but deferent Amp what im need paralel or series 😟 this big problem or its OK help plss
Yes. An MPPT is a voltage converter. If the voltage is lowered to match your battery, the current will increase. A PWM cuts the voltage without doing any current adjusting.
What i dont understamd is why you would want higher voltage to a charge controller (series connection). Amperage is what charges batteries faster, not voltage. Maybe i am mistaken, but this is the information i keep searching for, however, no one is discussing
No, the MPPT will take the higher voltage and reduce it to charge your battery while increasing the current. Let's say your solar panels are 400W total (2*200W) with 10A and 20V each. Series connection: 10A, 40V -> 400W -> charging a 12V battery= 33.33A. Now if we put the panels in parallel as you suggest is better: 20A, 20V -> 400W -> charging a 12V battery= 33.33A. It has the same charging current if you wire in series or parallel. Therefore we wire in series to reduce voltage drop in the wires and use thinner wires.
Hey sir. I love your work! But I have a question. In series connection what kind of wire do you use in the middle? is it Positive or negative? Thank you for your response
Thanks for the advise, we have gone for a parallel set-up, lithium batteries and an MPPT SC because MPPT is 20 - 30 % more efficient. Yes I need bigger cables but that is a once off cost to have a more efficient system overall. We live full time in our caravan for 18 months and have not plugged in, in this time. I would not recommend PWM for mobile homes / caravans, but that's my opinion.
@@notaperson3338 My first recommendation is to wire in parallel. But if you want redundancy you can use one MPPT per panel. It's going to cost you more, but you have peace of mind if one charge controller fails. Redundancy is the only reason here.
All solar panels have bypass diodes that work well with shading, and take the other panels to 100% of functioning while the shaded panel will have a lower output.
Bypass diodes work so there is no back feeding. This is to limit the heat generation of shade spots. It does not improve the current generation of the other panels in a series string.
@@bobrock704 If a panel is shaded and produces 2/3's of it's current because of the bypass diode, then the whole series string will have a 2/3's output. If you want to optimize for shading and you want the other panels to produce 100%, then you need to wire in parallel. If every panel has an individual MPP power optimizer, you are correct. But that's an additional cost and most panels don't come with it. You can make a video about it and explain me your reasoning
No, they bypass 1/3 of the panel so 2/3 of the panel is still going through. This means that the entire series string suffers from a 2/3 of the total power.
A correct way if concerned someone will break a wire is put it in a safe place so it not break. , or make a second wire in a different way of lay out instead of one.
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Very good explanation of the different wiring types. Most of these don't include things such and voltage drop and why to use the different configurations. This was perfect.
Thank you for not putting in dumb music and a clear and concise explanation.
I tried 😉
I changed my solar array from Parallel to Series and volts went up in the sun it was great UNTIL a cloud came by and unlike when I had parallel hook up the drop of voltage was huge! I can see with series that they are all impacted as ONE when shading happens. With Parallel I had a better sustained energy coming in even with some clouds. PEACE
Make sure you increase the diameter of your wire too. Wiring in parallel increases the current.
I purchased a 24v hybrid inverter charger that has a Max PV open circuit voltage of 100. I have 4 panels with an ISC of 5.21 amps and an open circuit voltage of 24.3. I wanted to wire the panels in series for the reasons you mentioned. That would bring my input voltage to 97.2v, just under 100v. The folks from the panel manufacturer say I should wire them in a 2s2p configuration as it would be safer. They said the voltage will damage the controller. Is this being overly cautious, or are they correct?
I believe you can add a bypass diode to each panel in addition to the bypass diodes already in clouded in the back. So the panel shaded getts by passed
@@mileshanley8052 you can calculate the diameter of the cables you need to work with for maintaining both safety and voltage
U can combine series & parallel together
This was a very concise and efficient explanation and for me a reminder of how this all works. thank you.
You are my first ever commenter! Thanks, and glad you enjoyed it!
Yep 👍 great video
What he said.
Excellent breakdown of series and parallel set up.
Very informative and well explained, I am new to solar and you made it very easy to understand.
Thank you very much for the time you put into this and for sharing your knowledge .
Thank you!
Well, the last hour I spent searching for a satisfactory explination finally paid off!
I have a new setup built following your guide on videos and book. The item I overlooked was shading. I have 2 panels in series and it works but charging my 2 100ah batteries in series is slow. Today, I'm waiting on the y connectors to change it to parallel since one of my panels is often shaded. I'm hoping this will make it better since I need this setup to charge my ego z6 mower.
Thanks for your clear videos.
Yes, paralleling will get rid of the shading issues. Make sure the panel voltage vmp is 5V over the battery voltage
@cleversolarpower I may be in trouble then. VMP for the panels is 20.4, batteries are in series and inverter is for 24v. I thought the Victron mppt 100/30 would increase the voltage for battery charging.
@cleversolarpower I still have time to return the 24v inverter. Just ordered a 12v inverter and will switch batteries to parallel. Glad I was able to chat with you.
Very clear and simple explanation of the different types of wiring, and things to conditions to consider.
Good explanation in terms of differences when connecting series and Parallel
Thank you. explaining from the basics was very clear!
Thank you Ananda!
Very good explanation, but you didn´t mention that most panels has a bypass diode, and maybe also a blocking diode. These eases up a lot of the shading problems.
Also for parallel connection there is a need for blocking diodes if not shading of one panel shall reduce the power from the other non shaded panels.
Hello Rudy, A bypass diode bypasses 1/3 of the solar panel. That means there is 2/3rds left. This reduces the current by 1/3. Bypass diodes are not miracle devices like many people say they are. They still reduce the current of the panel, thus the whole current of the series string as show in the example.
Precise and to the point.
Thanks
Very clear explanation. Thank you very much 👍
I do solar day in and day out and think you explain things to non solar people great.
Fab job :D
Thank you!
Great video very simple easy to understand instructions great job
Very simple but effective explanation 👍Thank you
Glad it was helpful!
Well done excellent explanation .. Thank you from a solar installer .........
That means a lot to me. Thank you!
3:46 if the other two panels make 5 amps, why doesn't that current flow around the shaded cell through bypass diodes?
Good job. I hope you continue to make videos.
I will start making videos again.
Good clear explanation!
Glad you included AWG in your explanation, however perhaps a more indepth explanation is needed, as in 100m of 10ga vs 100m of 14ga wire voltage losses and current capability...
I made a video about voltage drop. But a more practical example is a great idea. Thank you!
One thing to add is the rated Amperage of bypass diodes in panels. I removed them because of the 10 A value. A voltage drop will occur if diodes are not rated correctly. In my case it reduced voltage from 72 volts to 50 volts in a 2 x 36 volt series setup.
That is very weird and unlikely to be the cause of the problem. Solar panel manufacturers know the panels will be placed in series, why would they add a 50V diode to it? Which panel was it?
@@cleversolarpower Eco Line ES50P72 has only 1 diode because of the array 2 x 18 cells. I really did find a voltage drop and after removing diodes I had 72-80 volts in series of two 50 Watt panels (49 euros each) producing 4.2 Amp. Not even strait at the sun. Very happy now.
@@QUADBOYification They have weird panel specs 41V at 1.5A. SOmebody in the reviews mentions the same problem. Maybe that's why they stopped selling them.
@@cleversolarpower Amazon had them originally listed as actual 100 Watt panels, probably not far off if you test them. The specs show up to 3.5 Amps with full strong sunlight and even very good efficiency at very low temperatures. You do need a good MPPT Controller. They were sold out, at that low price not surprising. I got two.
Thank you for this great and very clear explanation 👍
I'm new to this stuff I have a EcoFlow 100W Flexible Solar Panel and Renogy 175w fixed solar panel, would these be compatible in series? My powerstation is EB55.
If I have four 100 watt solar panels in series. Should I have a 40 or 60 amp Mppt controller??. Would like to add a couple more panels in a few months
If your battery is 12V, then you need a 40A controller (400W/12V=33*1.25=41A)
@@cleversolarpower can I run a 60 amp charger instead?? Probably and more panels next year.
Yes, a 60 amp will allow for future expansion.@@donbowerman1703
I enjoy your videos and have watched many of them. I am planning a portable solar system for my Travel Trailer. I am planning to use my 2 x 200 watt panels in parallel and place my charge controller in a water tight enclosure to move it with the panels to where I have the most intense sun light as we travel. That way I keep the minimum start voltage loss problem to a small value, and the charge controller can then send the power to my battery's via #10 awg wire. My charge controller is rated at 30 amps 100 Volts. Does my plan make sense to you?
Additional information;
My trailer is equipped with all 12 volt equipment so switching to 24 volt would be more costly. I do not use an inverter. Our load items, Fridge, and pump which are propane and 12 volt respectively, ( yes the fridge has 12 VDC ignition). All cooking and boiling etc we do via propane stove, lights in and outside the trailer are LED 12 DVC. small use of USB charging of mobile phones as well.
Makes sense to me to keep the 12v when you don't have an inverter. Charge controller and panels are ok. You wire them in parallel for shading issues? If the panels are in the sun, better wire in series. Lowers your voltage drop. But overall, it seems ok to me.
I just watched an other video and felt it good to add the following, My solar panels have an 18.3 VDC output which is in line with your recommendation for 12 V plus 5 Volts for my MPPT charger, do I understand correctly? I had two 100 watt panels, last year and found shading to be a problem in most camping parks at one time or an other hence I am thinking to do Parallel arrangement.
Thank you ever so much, I will likely set my self up do series then. @@cleversolarpower
Finally find it this is easy to understand thank you so much
thank you but you did not inform of the hybrid voltage and amps
Why does the series, in hybrid need to be even numbers? 2, 4, 6 the reason why is I am having issues with set 1 series 5 panel and set 2 series of 5 panel charging the batteries..any suggestion
Lets say string a solar panel is 20V and 5A (100W). String 1 consists of 2 panels in series to make 40V, 5A. String 2 consists of 3 panels in series to make 60V, 5A. If we combine these in parallel (current adds up, voltage stays the same) we get 40V, 10A, because the voltage takes the lowest string into account. So we get 400W with 5 panels.
@@cleversolarpower ahh yes, thank you... My set 1 of 5 panels and set 2 of 5 panels are the same model and voltage so I should be good.
i have all 3 solar setups.. 1 full parallel 8 panels 150w, 1 series-parallel 6 panels 320w, and 1 series string 5 panels 450w.. all grid tied and on the same roof with the same orientation.. the all parallel produces power early 5:30am.. the series-parallel will start producing at pass 6:30am, and the string will produce power at around close to 8:00 am... otherwise they will all read zero watts... seams to me the all parallel is better performing at low light condition..
That sounds backwards. Since charging requires voltage exceeding the battery voltage, panels in series get to charging voltage when the light is still low. In my setup, panels in series begin charging the battery at 5:30AM when the sun is just above the horizon. The charging day lasts until nearly 7:30 PM when the sun is setting. The parallel equivalent cuts the charging day by more than two hours.
@@randymaclean2707 theres one reason why half cut cells and shingled solar panels are advertised to perfom better in low light and shade.. gues why.. cells are in parallel.. cells in series total power output is only as good as the weakest cell in the string. since not all cells are exactly alike there will be variations.. you will soon find that if there is not enough sunlight to saturate all cells in the string the power output will suddenly drop..
@@randymaclean2707 series tends to work better for longer output.
But with parallel you can prevent voltage sag meaning that while the voltage can be high enough you may not have but amperage meaning series cells won't output but parallel cells will add the amperage giving it enough to start charging whatever it is..
Low light parallel will almost always win.. but with full sun series can work better as long as nothing gets shaded.
If you have mixed shade then parallel will be better as well.
@@randymaclean2707
But voltage rises faster by low light. Zo u fast sitting with no sun but light. At arount 60 % max voltage.
With current its mutch later. Curent starts at around when the voltage is above that.
Also mppt charges with 12 v. At 17 18 v input. Zo eitherwhay u fk
Thank you. I find this very clear. I am installing solar panels these days. To begin the project, I purchased 150W X 4 panels. I think hybrid system will help in my case. (No shading at all but the location is hot 😢)
If you don't have shade, use series. Up until your total VOC is under the input voltage limit of the charge controller.
@@cleversolarpower Thanks!
Good evening sir.
Pls I need your advice on my installation of 24v 2batteries 1.4kva inverter
The charge controller is pwm bsc6048 have 4 PCs of 300 watt monoch. So around pick period of sunny dey it usually gives 02.4A while everywhere is hot and gives 70.5 kwh and 25.5 volt
Does it means that the panels are connected in series ? Thanks.
With solar roof we take whole strings and parallel them together. This allows us to use less MPPTs
Nice thing about micros also is that with an AC system everything is already paralleled
Pros and cons of both
I have no idea what you just said there.
@@cleversolarpower the time is now
I need an explanation: I have two solar panels of 455W each, but on different sides of the cottage, and a 12V, 160ah battery. What connection of solar panels do you recommend? Thank you very much
Parallel, and for the most efficient solution another charge controller.
@@cleversolarpower Please, I don't understand how two controllers are possible? thanks
Hello, just a quick question. Can i do a series connection of a 110v solar panel with 160v solar panel to charge my Ecoflow River 2 Pro or Delta 2?
A 110V solar panel doesn't exist. I assume you meant Watts. Checkout my video about wiring mismatched solar panels. Make sure the ecoflow can handle the input voltage and current.
@@cleversolarpower you are right. 110w. I have 110w and 160w. Can i connect them together?
Could you explain why a parallel connexion is better
With PWM controleur
You have to match the solar panel voltage closely to the battery voltage (battery voltage +5V). If you do not match it to the battery voltage it will be less efficient.
Wouldn't the bypass diodes in the solar panels mitigate the impact of shading in series setups?
Yes, the voltage becomes 2/3 of the panel. But the current also decreases. So the whole string will be 2/3 the current.
@@cleversolarpower That's what the panel opitmizer manufacturers are telling the public, but that's not what happens in real world testing. There are many credible videos on UA-cam debunking this claim.
Can you also add input on battery connections as to how and when they should be connected in series/parrallel.
I made a video specifically for that. Check it out on my channel.
I am planning to install the solar on my boat. I found this panel of 530w 48v at a good price and thinking to get 4 of them for a total of 2120w. If I install them in parallel of 1060w each, can I use then a heater of 1500w? I will use 3000w inverter. Thank you
With that much solar, you should have a 48V system. Will be much cheaper. Check my video 12V, 24V or 48V systems.
@@cleversolarpower I actually mentioned 48v
series it is, for my van! Thanks friendly internet man
Very relaxt to Watch thank you. About shade, is that not the same as a cloud? There are almost everyday some clouds in West europe. What is wise?
We can't do anything about clouds, but we can do something about direct shading, like poles, chimneys or trees.
U didn't mention the Amp's rating and Voltage rating of the hybrid system.. what will the exact output ..
Does amp's multiply or not and what about voltage..
I'm trying to understand what the exact reading will be for my 12.92 amp's & 44.88 voltage per panel with a hybrid system of 10 panels ..
Both the voltage and current would be increased.
Assuming you use a configuration of 5 series, 2 parallel, you are going to have a voltage output of 224.4 volts and current output of 25.84 amps.
If they're wired in a configuration of 2 series and 5 parallel, you'll get 89.72 volts output and 64.6 amps output.
Thanks so much for this information. Please, I have 2 300w solar panels and 60amp Charge Controller my question is which connection will be appropriate for me? Parallel or Series connection? I will appreciate a response. Thanks.
Parallel for PWM and Series for MPPT.
@@cleversolarpower Thanks 🙏
Very nicely done. Thanks for sharing!
Shading is not a big problem with bypass diodes. They are normally built-in in every modern panel! There is still a bit of current suffering, but not as much as you described.
Good explanation, great job..
I have connected 8 solar pannels in series with 180 Amp MPPT solar inverter but in b/w 12 PM - 3PM ( pakistan std) my 4 pannels are facing shading...can i use hybrid connection or only parallel or series...?? Plz tell me,, distance is 50 feet,, i have used wire of 8mm size from solar to inverter..... Please
Take a look at my video about voltage drop. That will help you.
@@cleversolarpower can you please share the link of such video. Thanks
Hi. I have 8 solar panels, each 590watts with 41V and 18Amps. While My inverter Tesla MKSII MPPT range is from 120-430 and maximum range written 500VDC with 80Amps. What do you think I should make 4 series then another 4 string in series after then parallel and I will get 164V MPPT VDC and will get 36 Amp for inverter will be Ok or I need to connect all in series where will get 328VDC and 18Amps. Please advise
Hello, If you do not have shade on your panels, I would wire them all up in series. It will save you on wire costs and limit the voltage drop over them. When you connect them, measure the leads first to make sure they are under 430V. 8 panels placed in series should give you 360V max, so I think you are going to be okay.
Phenomenal Video - Thank you
very illuminating video
Thank you!
Excellent presentation!
Straight to the point with adequate detail.
Thank you for your feedback! What topic do you struggle with concerning solar power?
1) Secondary component list, such as fuse type and location, breakers.
2) Matching different solar panel cable connection types; cutting off ones that don't match and putting on one that does or just crimping a sleeve to join them.
3) Trouble shooting a dead panel.
Thank you so much!
I have 5 panels , each panel is 410w and 36v , I intend to use these to trickle charge my EV car and when not charging EV I would power some appliances. What inverter is best for me ?.
Get an inverter with an islanding function. Growatt SPF 3000TL LVM-ES
Thank you for this explanation and I do have 2 questions if you have the time:
- I have 8 panels connected in series to my inverter, I want to include another 2 panels that are facing the west to capture the sun after 6pm (the 8 are facing south and don't capture after 6pm). How can I achieve that? any advice?
- How can I add a wind turbine to my solar system? If I replace my MPPT hybrid inverter with one that takes 2 PV input, will that allow me to do that?
Many thanks
1) If you use batteries, you can add a new charge controller in parallel. Search 'multiple charge controllers' on google and my website will be the first to pop up. 2) not have experience with wind turbines. But it will be similar to 1. Add a charge controller in parallel.
Exactly - the series string may pass the voltage threshold earlier, but at that stage the power available is close to ZERO. One needs to look at the curves for Voltage and Current vs irradiance to see that while the PV Panel may produce voltage under poor light, it doesn't produce much current - hence power.
On an East-West-South roof (in Europe) with 4 panels, what is the best set-up?
a) 2 East + 2 West series parallel?
Or all 4 panels on the South;
b) 4 series or
c) 4 parallel or
d) 2+2 series-parallel?
Which one provides the best average power output throughout the day?
Throughout the day its better to have 2 panels south, and two panels east or west. Make a 2S2P system on one charge controller. That is if you don't have batteries (grid inverter). If you have batteries, it's best to have 4 panels south in series.
Excellent explanation !!! Congratulation👍👍s
What do I do if 4x 400w panels are 200v ?
You split them up. 2 in series in two parallel sets to get 2S2P wiring setup. Called a hybrid system.
Sure - at 5:35 you talk about the volt drop of the cable. First - Before the charge controller threshold is reached there is no current flow so there is no volt drop on the cable. Second - even when the solar panel voltage crosses the threshold there is almost no current flow. Solar panels voltage is pretty quick to reach max, but current is related to irradiance. Third - It is only with a series set-up and a MPPT where there is a threshold to pass, Typically a few volts above battery voltage. In your recommendation of a Parallel set of panels benefitting from a PWM - then Parallel and PWM will beat series hands down because there is virtually no threshold to overcome. The PWM will simply switch the PV Panel voltage through to the battery no matter what it is.
Simply put - in practice series holds little to no advantage, and may even be a disadvantage in low light conditions. Cable Volt drop is a non issue for start up because there is no volt drop if there is no current flow. In the series system typical threshold to achieve (VICTRON) is 5 volts above battery voltage. PWM and parallel will start charging at a few mV above battery voltage.
It also depends where you live - where I live, in Africa, near the equator, the transition from no Solar PV output to a useful Solar PV output is a very very short time, and any advantage gained will be minimal.
This doesn't mean all your other considerations shouldn't be taken into account, they are extremely useful and valid, just the low light issue is a bit of a hot potato.
1. That's why wiring in series has an advantage. It doesn't need to wait to reach the treshold.
2. True, but the parallel isn't going to be a better option.
3. Yes, those are the most common systems. Series and MPPT.
4. PWM requires parallel wiring. If you have a 12V battery and you wire the 18V panels in series you will have a lot of losses. The battery should be matched to the voltage of the solar panels to minimize losses.
5. We wire in series to save on wire cost.
It's true that the current will only flow when there is irradiance. During sunset, the voltage will still be high, but the current will drop.
I think this is what you mean or I have understood it incorrectly.
@@cleversolarpower Thank you for the reply - To me series will have no discernable advantage over parallel in low light conditions, assuming of course that we have selected all the correct components. Unless we are talking enterprise or industrial size systems the cost/saving of the wire in a 2/4 panel mobile or residential system doesn't offset the risk/reward ratio against shading/system-faults, nor does it lead to an easily expandable architecture. (panels must be identical and you can quickly get into an overvoltage situation with small charge controllers.)
Typically, below about 1000W I default to parallel, or hybrid S/P, above that Series.
Lets just leave it here for now. Once again, I enjoy your input and thank you for that.
@@keithduffield5239 Thanks for your constructive feedback Keith.
Pros and scones.. haha, just stirring... good video man, you made it easy to underatand. 👌
I have 220a better-6 , 12of 300wat panels and 3.5kva inverter how can I connect it
Scnd issue is that they always have power failure and they do have shed some time what of connection i need to do
Hello Ak, I don't understand your question. Can you send me an email?
Thank you, great explanations! One question please: "Different models of panels should never be connected together". You mean different 'size' panels hence different Watt- or power-panels, don't you?
Yes, different panels have different voltages and current. If you connect panels in series, the voltage needs to be the same. If you connect in parallel, the current needs to be the same. Check my article on my website about mismatched solar panels.
I have a 40 Amp mppt charge controller. I have two 330 watt panels hooked in parallel. I also have one 330 watt I bought on a good deal from a friend. Can I hook this 3rd panel up in parallel with my other two panels and will my charge controller handle it okay?
That depends on your charge controller max current and your battery voltage. if your battery voltage is 12V, then you need a 83amp charge controller. Those are expensive, so you better get a seperate charge controller.
After watching your video I was very impressed. Just bought your book. Now I have question I have 32 Lg Bifacial solar Panels . Each solar panel is 410 Watts, Voc is 49.40V and Isc is10.48. I am very interested in victron charge controllers specially victron smart solar mppt RS 450 / 100 or 200. Could you please give me your advice what is the best way to connect 32 solar panels Thanks.
Thank you for your kind words. it is best to have as many panels in series until the max input voltage of the controller. For you, that would be a hybrid connection. I also recommend looking at the schneider conext for a charge controller.
@@cleversolarpower Thank you very much for replying and advise.
@@cleversolarpower hi
0 loo lii
@@cleversolarpower helpful response appreciated
Great, easy to understand explanation. What about using micro inverters? How do they help with either option?
instead of using expensive microinverters which doesnt work on standalone systems (off grid) you can use a boost conveter on each panels. by the way did you realise if you use microinveters you will still need to convert back to dc to charges batterties?
Microinverters are not that great for off-grid. As Dan mentioned, you would have to convert again to DC which leads to losses. You can use an optimizer if you have shade and want to put your panels in series. Personally I wouldn't use optimizers if you have the space.
@@cleversolarpower I agree about the losses, but with the latest hybrid inverters you can feed AC AND DC, therefore you can balance your demands for feeding the loads during the day without conversion and a seperate feed of panels dedicated to topping up the battery for when the solar is not producing. Higher investment, but a much better potential to use the available power. Over the lifespan of the components it should pay for itself easily.
@@simonpaine2347 You can, but you need an off-grid hybrid inverter. Which doesn't need input from the grid to make its sinus. There is no advantage to using microinverters over series connecting your solar panels. Installing microinverters are more expensive and not needed. But that is my opinion, everybody can have their own.
@@cleversolarpower I totally respect your opinion, but I also have seen numerous videos from Engineer 775 who has installed numerous systems with Sol-Ark inverters with AC coupled systems with micro inverters. They seem to make sense and work well.
So I have a question. So I am trying to max out the wattage I can input into my eco flow delta pro which is 1600, 150 volt/15 amps. I have 8-200 watt panels, 24.3 open circuit voltage, 10.2 short circuit current. Looking to wire 2 series strings of 4 panels then running those two in parallel. So I get the 1600 watts, 97.2 volts but my amps goes over the 15 amps. I was told this would just be wasted. My question is if I over panel and get more amps is it just extra not being able to be used?
That depends on the MPPT inside of the ecoflow. It should be mentioned in the manual if it's possible or not. If it's not I would contact the company and ask if it's possible to over-panel the current input.
I have 3 panels of 300W each, and a 60A MPPT solar controller. There will definitely be shade at some times of the day. Your suggestion is IF shade or PWM then parallel, otherwise series. What about for my situation where I have shade and MPPT... would you advise I use series or parallel? Thanks!
If you only have 3 panels with shade, then wire in parallel. Fuse every panel with an inline fuse. Check my video about fusing solar panels. If you had more panels I would have used another MPPT and put the shaded panels in series.
Very good explanation
Will both charge a battery at the same pace? Or that just depends on the charge controller
I don't understand the question. Please contact me on my website.
You did not give the voltage and amperage totals for the 2 in series and 1 parallel... I'm curious what do you get?.. thanks
If every panel is 20V, 5A (100W), then the total combined is 40V 10A (400W).
W can i get my battery charged fast.. Parallel or series
I have made another video about this. Check my channel for charging batteries in series or parallel.
@@cleversolarpower i wl chk sir
Thank you for sharing your information. 🕯🙏🏻🕯
thanks for video
Nice information
Thanks! 🙏
Hi, I have a question, if you have a 12v system & three 12v panels connected in series to a 100v MPPT controller, even though you are getting the same power to the controller, you are getting 1/3 the current so are you charging the battery the same or less than with higher current parallel connection?
Connecting your panels in series or parallel will deliver the same energy into the battery if there is no shade. For example: 3x18V panels in series = 54V at 10A for a total of 540W. The charge controller will bring down the voltage and increase the current. So: 540W/12V=45A.
Well done, and a very good video.
Thank you!
I have 5panels East in serie 33,9V and 9,7A. One another 5panels West in serie 33,9V and 9,7A without shade. Both together goes to the inverter with Y switch. Is this OK or do you see anything wrong? The inverter is starting 120V, 600V max, panel 330wp. Thankful
I assume it's a grid-tied system? If east and west are connected separately it's ok.
Who is beter me 2 panel 170 w7.7 Amp 160w7.25 amos same volts 22.07 but deferent Amp what im need paralel or series 😟 this big problem or its OK help plss
Same volts = Parallel
great explanation!
excellent video👏👏👏👏👏👏
Does an MPPT solar controller turn excess voltage into Current/Amps?
Yes. An MPPT is a voltage converter. If the voltage is lowered to match your battery, the current will increase. A PWM cuts the voltage without doing any current adjusting.
Thank you.
You got info rong at 3:50.
That’s very old info.
Shade don’t effect it that way anymore.
Yes it does unless you have an optimizer for each panel.
The basics battery pic is not clear!
Learned a lot. Thanks🙏
Nice explanation I get some knowledge
Wow I like the way u explain
Thank you, still working on it.
What i dont understamd is why you would want higher voltage to a charge controller (series connection). Amperage is what charges batteries faster, not voltage. Maybe i am mistaken, but this is the information i keep searching for, however, no one is discussing
No, the MPPT will take the higher voltage and reduce it to charge your battery while increasing the current. Let's say your solar panels are 400W total (2*200W) with 10A and 20V each. Series connection: 10A, 40V -> 400W -> charging a 12V battery= 33.33A. Now if we put the panels in parallel as you suggest is better: 20A, 20V -> 400W -> charging a 12V battery= 33.33A. It has the same charging current if you wire in series or parallel. Therefore we wire in series to reduce voltage drop in the wires and use thinner wires.
very clear and usefull info , thank you sir.
Hey sir. I love your work! But I have a question.
In series connection what kind of wire do you use in the middle? is it Positive or negative? Thank you for your response
The wires are the same, it's just labeled as red and black. By code, it should be colored in black.
Thanks for the advise, we have gone for a parallel set-up, lithium batteries and an MPPT SC because MPPT is 20 - 30 % more efficient. Yes I need bigger cables but that is a once off cost to have a more efficient system overall. We live full time in our caravan for 18 months and have not plugged in, in this time. I would not recommend PWM for mobile homes / caravans, but that's my opinion.
Indeed, if space is a constraint like a caravan, then i recommend parallel or every panel on a separate MPPT.
@@cleversolarpower I don't understand the purpose of individual MPPT on each panel? Can you elaborate please?
@@notaperson3338 My first recommendation is to wire in parallel. But if you want redundancy you can use one MPPT per panel. It's going to cost you more, but you have peace of mind if one charge controller fails. Redundancy is the only reason here.
Thanks so much- a super helpful video :)
Thank you for sharing
All solar panels have bypass diodes that work well with shading, and take the other panels to 100% of functioning while the shaded panel will have a lower output.
Bypass diodes work so there is no back feeding. This is to limit the heat generation of shade spots. It does not improve the current generation of the other panels in a series string.
@@cleversolarpower If your so clever, put together a setup of solar panels and shade one or two, you will see!
@@bobrock704 If a panel is shaded and produces 2/3's of it's current because of the bypass diode, then the whole series string will have a 2/3's output. If you want to optimize for shading and you want the other panels to produce 100%, then you need to wire in parallel. If every panel has an individual MPP power optimizer, you are correct. But that's an additional cost and most panels don't come with it. You can make a video about it and explain me your reasoning
do bypass diodes not mitigate the effect of shade on panels wired in series?
No, they bypass 1/3 of the panel so 2/3 of the panel is still going through. This means that the entire series string suffers from a 2/3 of the total power.
So if any shading is likely to occur, it would be better( assuming the mppt can handle the increase in current) to wire in parallel?@@cleversolarpower
A correct way if concerned someone will break a wire is put it in a safe place so it not break. , or make a second wire in a different way of lay out instead of one.
Perfect. Thank you!!!!
Clear video.thx!
Thank you Jeff!
very good!
Good stuff :)
Thanks