Shaded Panels

Copperking

Papers for Bld Permit should be in this week and a truck load of parts from our Forum Host are on the way.
I will be using a FlexPower FP1-4 with a FM80 controller.
The question is: I have 21 Evergreen 200 panels that I configured into 7 strings of 3 Panels. One of those strings gets shaded at about 2:30pm.
Should I drop that string, install a shunt, or live with it? Will it draw down the other strings or will the FM80 adjust?
What do you think?

And Thanks to N Wind n Solar for advice and sales service.

Cariboocoot

Re: Shaded Panels

It gets sun at other times? Leave it in. When it stops producing it simply won't contribute to the array power. The FM80 readjusts continually to whatever power is available and whatever power is needed. Partial shading of a single panel may not even be noticed as the bypass diodes leave that bit out of the mix.

Shading issues real affects are greatly exaggerated sometimes. My panels get shaded off and on through the day at different times depending on the season. It simply is not an issue because over-all they get the needed hours of sunlight even if occasionally interrupted. And my MX60 does periodic sweeps, which is not as efficient as the FM80's MPPT.

Copperking

Re: Shaded Panels

Thanks Cariboo
Yes it gets full sun till 2:30 and even then only shaded from Oct to March.

Cariboocoot

Re: Shaded Panels

By that time of day the batteries ought o be fully charged anyway, so the additional power won't really be missed.