back of 310 panels

ws9876

CS 310 watt mono

These panels have a third connector in the middle of the back...what is it for??

BB.

Have you tried to measure voltage between the leads and the "patch" on the back?

I looked through the online information, and did not see anything about it.

https://www.solar-electric.com/canadian-solar-cs3k-310ms-monocrystalline-310-watt-solar-panel.html
https://www.canadiansolar.com/upload/8102016807594b1b/70dcb1cb16607d16.pdf

It would be surprising if that "patch" was electrically connected to the rest of the panel... That would expose high voltage and current from the array to the outside world.

-Bill

billybob9

I bought the CS 300w panels and was wondering the same thing. The POS & NEG wires are also in the middle of the panel on each end. Great for attaching clips toward the top or bottom. 

littleharbor2

When you say "connector" are you referring to the sealed box in the center of the panel? There's no leads coming out of are there? Those type panels are basically two sets of 60 cells in parallel giving the added advantage of not killing all the panel's output if part of the panel were shaded. My best description of that 3rd box would be it is a sort of combiner for the two halves of the panel. 

ws9876

probably