Hooking Solar Panels In Series

Parallel series or a combination of the two in this article we ll give you the basics on wiring solar panels in parallel and in series.

Hooking solar panels in series.

Connecting in series means joining the positive terminal of a solar panel to the negative terminal of the next solar panel until eventually you are left with one free positive and one free negative terminal of the array which are to be connected to the input either of the inverter in case of a grid tied system without a battery backup or the charge controller in case of a grid tied system. In a solar power system the higher the voltage and the lower the energy losses along the cables to know the maximum system voltage we usually just need to turn the panel and read the label where the value is reported. Let s start off with a quick comparison of parallel circuits and series circuits. The capacity of a solar panel to produce energy is measured in watts which is calculated by multiplying a solar panel s voltage by the amps of current it produces when a solar installer builds a solar energy system they need to find the right balance of voltage and amps to ensure that the system performs well.

When installing solar panels in series the voltage adds up but the current stays the same for all of the elements. Connecting solar panels in series. Absolute interconnected power 150w 150w 150w 150w 600w. Connecting your panels in series will increase the voltage level and keep the amperage the same.

When solar panels are wired in series the voltage of the panels adds together but the amperage remains the same. By connecting multiple solar panels in series we increase the system voltage. In fact by wiring several solar panels in series we increase the voltage keeping the same current while wiring them in parallel we increase the current keeping the same voltage. The reason why series connections are utilized with mppt controllers is that mppt controllers actually are able to accept a higher voltage input and still be able to charge your 12v or more batteries.

After these clarifications let s see how the series connection takes place. For example if you installed 5 solar panels in series with each solar panel rated at 12 volts and 5 amps you d still have 5 amps but a full 60 volts. So if you connect two solar panels with a rated voltage of 40 volts and a rated amperage of 5 amps in series the voltage of the series would be 80 volts while the amperage would remain at 5 amps. The connection of multiple solar panels in parallel arises from the need to reach certain current values at the output without changing the voltage.

When connecting multiple solar panels in a 12 48 volt off grid system you have a few options.