Hybrid Series + Parallel setup to utilise a cheaper Solar Charge controller
Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2024 3:05 pm
I wouldnt have considered mixing series and parallel setups but I'm considering doing just that to keep the costs down.
I recently bought a 150/35 Victron solar charge controller for my 575w panels and it works great. But now i'm thinking about my fence design, I could reuse the 435w LONGi panels from the Pergola as they were pretty good, rubbish in shade though.
The voltages were fine for 2 panels (other the 435 LONGi or the Canadian Solar 575's) but when you start putting them together; in my case 2x2 on a shed type roof as seen below; the Volts and Amps get higher ^^
The current views from my neighbor after me saying the single line of panels would be prohibitively expensive, and I would prefer to go with a cut down version of my 2x3 with a 2x2 design instead, this gives us the shed type facilities that we want as part of the extra panels.
I could utilise my 2xLONGi panels and get 2 more (they are or were cheap), they are slightly smaller too at 1733x1134, compared to my preference of Canadian Solar 575T's at 2200x1134.
This makes the whole thing much smaller and acceptable by next door. Also technically I wouldn't need planning permission either as the highest part of the roof would be just under the 2.6m trigger.
Anyway, the issue at hand is no matter which combination I got for with either series or parallel i'd have to spend near on £500 for a high voltage or high amps unit.
However, if I did a mix of series and parallel I get the best of both worlds from a V and A point of view but is there a downside?.
Like this
If they are perfectly matched panels, what is the down side to mixing series/parallel?
thanks in advance
I recently bought a 150/35 Victron solar charge controller for my 575w panels and it works great. But now i'm thinking about my fence design, I could reuse the 435w LONGi panels from the Pergola as they were pretty good, rubbish in shade though.
The voltages were fine for 2 panels (other the 435 LONGi or the Canadian Solar 575's) but when you start putting them together; in my case 2x2 on a shed type roof as seen below; the Volts and Amps get higher ^^
The current views from my neighbor after me saying the single line of panels would be prohibitively expensive, and I would prefer to go with a cut down version of my 2x3 with a 2x2 design instead, this gives us the shed type facilities that we want as part of the extra panels.
I could utilise my 2xLONGi panels and get 2 more (they are or were cheap), they are slightly smaller too at 1733x1134, compared to my preference of Canadian Solar 575T's at 2200x1134.
This makes the whole thing much smaller and acceptable by next door. Also technically I wouldn't need planning permission either as the highest part of the roof would be just under the 2.6m trigger.
Anyway, the issue at hand is no matter which combination I got for with either series or parallel i'd have to spend near on £500 for a high voltage or high amps unit.
However, if I did a mix of series and parallel I get the best of both worlds from a V and A point of view but is there a downside?.
Like this
If they are perfectly matched panels, what is the down side to mixing series/parallel?
thanks in advance