Mix & match PV panels OK? Installers Surrey?
Mix & match PV panels OK? Installers Surrey?
Hi, I see some members have different brand or wattage panels installed, do these need to be on different strings?
Secondly can anyone offer good or bad feedback on installers in Surrey (Guildford Camberley Woking area)
Secondly can anyone offer good or bad feedback on installers in Surrey (Guildford Camberley Woking area)
Re: Mix & match PV panels OK? Installers Surrey?
Hi Snuggy,
Welcome to the forum. You can mix and match panels but there will be losses if the imbalance is great as the string power (Amps) will default to the lowest outputting panel in the string.
If you can keep your panel voltages and Amps as close as you can in each string.
What are your plans for the system?
Welcome to the forum. You can mix and match panels but there will be losses if the imbalance is great as the string power (Amps) will default to the lowest outputting panel in the string.
If you can keep your panel voltages and Amps as close as you can in each string.
What are your plans for the system?
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Ripple 7kW WT & Gen to date 19MWh
42kWh LFPO4 storage
95kWh Heater storage
12kWh 210ltr HWT.
73kWh HI5
Deep insulation, air leak ct'd home
Zoned GCH & Hive 2
WBSx2
Low energy bulbs
Veg patches & fruit trees
Re: Mix & match PV panels OK? Installers Surrey?
Welcome!
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Look up So Go Solar - they installed my home array and our work system - Ben is a top bloke very thorough.
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Re: Mix & match PV panels OK? Installers Surrey?
Joe are you sure you mean voltage? If you have a string with several panels in series surely the voltage will be the sum of the individual panels, but the current might be limited by the smallest?Joeboy wrote: ↑Wed Jun 19, 2024 2:33 pm Hi Snuggy,
Welcome to the forum. You can mix and match panels but there will be losses if the imbalance is great as the string voltage will default to the lowest outputting panel in the string.
If you can keep your panel voltages as close as you can in each string.
What are your plans for the system?
Re: Mix & match PV panels OK? Installers Surrey?
Countrypaul wrote: ↑Wed Jun 19, 2024 2:48 pmJoe are you sure you mean voltage? If you have a string with several panels in series surely the voltage will be the sum of the individual panels, but the current might be limited by the smallest?Joeboy wrote: ↑Wed Jun 19, 2024 2:33 pm Hi Snuggy,
Welcome to the forum. You can mix and match panels but there will be losses if the imbalance is great as the string voltage will default to the lowest outputting panel in the string.
If you can keep your panel voltages as close as you can in each string.
What are your plans for the system?
Edit- you are right Paul.The voltages in series are added together. If a lower Amp panel was in the string, it would be the default current output for the string I'm away to edit, cheers!
I found the link below, it's quite
https://solarpanelsvenue.com/mixing-solar-panels/
19.2kW PV SE, VI, HM, EN & DW
Ripple 7kW WT & Gen to date 19MWh
42kWh LFPO4 storage
95kWh Heater storage
12kWh 210ltr HWT.
73kWh HI5
Deep insulation, air leak ct'd home
Zoned GCH & Hive 2
WBSx2
Low energy bulbs
Veg patches & fruit trees
Ripple 7kW WT & Gen to date 19MWh
42kWh LFPO4 storage
95kWh Heater storage
12kWh 210ltr HWT.
73kWh HI5
Deep insulation, air leak ct'd home
Zoned GCH & Hive 2
WBSx2
Low energy bulbs
Veg patches & fruit trees
-
- Posts: 520
- Joined: Sun Jul 18, 2021 11:50 am
Re: Mix & match PV panels OK? Installers Surrey?
Found this site which appears to explain mixing panels: https://solarpanelsvenue.com/mixing-solar-panels/Joeboy wrote: ↑Wed Jun 19, 2024 2:53 pmI'm pretty sure the voltage defaults to the lowest but always wondered at the mechanism. Happy to be shown the error of my ways though!Countrypaul wrote: ↑Wed Jun 19, 2024 2:48 pmJoe are you sure you mean voltage? If you have a string with several panels in series surely the voltage will be the sum of the individual panels, but the current might be limited by the smallest?Joeboy wrote: ↑Wed Jun 19, 2024 2:33 pm Hi Snuggy,
Welcome to the forum. You can mix and match panels but there will be losses if the imbalance is great as the string voltage will default to the lowest outputting panel in the string.
If you can keep your panel voltages as close as you can in each string.
What are your plans for the system?
Edit- you are right Paul.The voltages in series are added together. If a lower Amp panel was in the string, it would be the default. I'm away to edit, cheers!
https://solarpanelsvenue.com/mixing-solar-panels/
Note that this is just the first site I found.
Re: Mix & match PV panels OK? Installers Surrey?
Aye, the same site?Countrypaul wrote: ↑Wed Jun 19, 2024 3:03 pmFound this site which appears to explain mixing panels: https://solarpanelsvenue.com/mixing-solar-panels/Joeboy wrote: ↑Wed Jun 19, 2024 2:53 pmI'm pretty sure the voltage defaults to the lowest but always wondered at the mechanism. Happy to be shown the error of my ways though!Countrypaul wrote: ↑Wed Jun 19, 2024 2:48 pm
Joe are you sure you mean voltage? If you have a string with several panels in series surely the voltage will be the sum of the individual panels, but the current might be limited by the smallest?
Edit- you are right Paul.The voltages in series are added together. If a lower Amp panel was in the string, it would be the default. I'm away to edit, cheers!
https://solarpanelsvenue.com/mixing-solar-panels/
Note that this is just the first site I found.
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At least we're consistent!
19.2kW PV SE, VI, HM, EN & DW
Ripple 7kW WT & Gen to date 19MWh
42kWh LFPO4 storage
95kWh Heater storage
12kWh 210ltr HWT.
73kWh HI5
Deep insulation, air leak ct'd home
Zoned GCH & Hive 2
WBSx2
Low energy bulbs
Veg patches & fruit trees
Ripple 7kW WT & Gen to date 19MWh
42kWh LFPO4 storage
95kWh Heater storage
12kWh 210ltr HWT.
73kWh HI5
Deep insulation, air leak ct'd home
Zoned GCH & Hive 2
WBSx2
Low energy bulbs
Veg patches & fruit trees
Re: Mix & match PV panels OK? Installers Surrey?
It can be a complicated business and unless you know what you are doing, stick to the same panels all pointing in the same direction and elevation angle for each string. If you can get the strings nearly identical you can parallel them up into the same inverter / charge controller MPPT input even with differing direction and elevations.
You can also use TIGO's (voltage optimisers) to help uneven strings but thats another science in itself.
Question (or puzzle) for you all,
How many strings can you see in this picture and I am not using any TIGOs. ?
![Image](https://i.postimg.cc/85pb77cX/Strings.jpg)
You can also use TIGO's (voltage optimisers) to help uneven strings but thats another science in itself.
Question (or puzzle) for you all,
How many strings can you see in this picture and I am not using any TIGOs. ?
![Image](https://i.postimg.cc/85pb77cX/Strings.jpg)
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Ripple 6.6kW Wind + 4.5kW PV > 22MWh generated
5 Other RE Coop's
105kWh EV storage
60kWh Home battery storage
40kWh Thermal storage
GSHP + A2A HP's
Rain water use > 510 m3
Re: Mix & match PV panels OK? Installers Surrey?
I think I mean watts? But hey I was pants at physics so you guys lost me in the discussion above!!
Say for example could I have a row of large panels for example
JA Solar 565W (JAM72S-30-565-LR) and underneath another row of JA Solar 425W (JAM54S-30-425-LR-BF) This is simpler than what I am proposing but I want to know if they will work ok, or if I am better to keep to the same wattage panel and not maximise my roof space.
I am hoping to understand your next answer Thanks
Say for example could I have a row of large panels for example
JA Solar 565W (JAM72S-30-565-LR) and underneath another row of JA Solar 425W (JAM54S-30-425-LR-BF) This is simpler than what I am proposing but I want to know if they will work ok, or if I am better to keep to the same wattage panel and not maximise my roof space.
I am hoping to understand your next answer Thanks
Re: Mix & match PV panels OK? Installers Surrey?
5 maybe 6?
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Tesla Powerwall 2
100 x 47mm Navitron tubes (still being installed!) Now likely to be removed for more PV.
MK2 PV router DHW diverter
Morso 5kW WBS
Vaillant AroTherm 10kW ASHP
Nissan Leaf