Combining solar panels of different sizes?
_OS_
Solar Expert Posts: 207 ✭✭✭
Hi,
I am considering upgrading my system that has one 80W BP Solar panel. A local dealer has Kyocera 85W panels on sale at about one third the price of a new 80W BP Solar panel. My question is: can I combine these two in some way? I will use them together with a SunSaver MPPT charge controller that I have ordered.
Thanks!
Ole
I am considering upgrading my system that has one 80W BP Solar panel. A local dealer has Kyocera 85W panels on sale at about one third the price of a new 80W BP Solar panel. My question is: can I combine these two in some way? I will use them together with a SunSaver MPPT charge controller that I have ordered.
Thanks!
Ole
Comments
-
Re: Combining solar panels of different sizes?
If the : Voltage power Max (Vpmax) is not too different, you can parallel them.
If you place in series, the 85 w panel Amps will be limited to the Amps of the 80W panel.
The better they are matched, the less loss. Newer panels may have very different voltage/amp specs than old panels, and it may be better to park the old panel at an outbuilding to power a light there.
example:
VPMAX : 25V Amp =2 50Watt
VPMAX : 18V Amp=2.7 50watt
This is a pretty extreme mismatch, and the 25V panel will only output 36W instead of 50, if it was paralleled with the 18V panelPowerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
|| Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
|| VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A
solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister , -
Re: Combining solar panels of different sizes?
The 80W solar panel I have is only one year old and is still in production. Here are the specs:
Vmp = 17.6V, Imp = 4.5A
And for the Kyocera I am considering:
Vmp = 17.6V, Imp = 4.8A
So this means I can safely parallel them?
Regards,
Ole -
Re: Combining solar panels of different sizes?
You can connect them in series or parallel just fine.
Since you will be connecting them to the SunSaver MPPT--I would probably connect them in series so you can have a single pair of wires home-run back to the controller--instead of two pairs of wires or heavier gauge home run...
Parallel may give you a bit more power (per data sheet).
-BillNear San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset -
Re: Combining solar panels of different sizes?
series = go with same imp. if not matched go with the lowest imp spec.
parallel = go with same vmp. if not matched go with the lowest vmp spec.
do note that if you place them in series that both pvs are limited to 4.5a being the lowest imp of the pvs, so you lose about .3a x 24v = 7.2 watts. paralleled they are a perfect match as both vmps are identical.
Categories
- All Categories
- 222 Forum & Website
- 130 Solar Forum News and Announcements
- 1.3K Solar News, Reviews, & Product Announcements
- 189 Solar Information links & sources, event announcements
- 886 Solar Product Reviews & Opinions
- 254 Solar Skeptics, Hype, & Scams Corner
- 22.3K Solar Electric Power, Wind Power & Balance of System
- 3.5K General Solar Power Topics
- 6.7K Solar Beginners Corner
- 1K PV Installers Forum - NEC, Wiring, Installation
- 2K Advanced Solar Electric Technical Forum
- 5.5K Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems
- 424 Caravan, Recreational Vehicle, and Marine Power Systems
- 1.1K Grid Tie and Grid Interactive Systems
- 651 Solar Water Pumping
- 815 Wind Power Generation
- 621 Energy Use & Conservation
- 608 Discussion Forums/Café
- 302 In the Weeds--Member's Choice
- 74 Construction
- 124 New Battery Technologies
- 108 Old Battery Tech Discussions
- 3.8K Solar News - Automatic Feed
- 3.8K Solar Energy News RSS Feed