How to wire different sizes of solar panels together 

This is wild, never thought adding a panel would hurt the efficiency of the system. Thank you for info!

Bro thank u soooo much that helped me so much. im working on a 12v system rn i can double it to make 24 but I'm not quite there and all the different Configurations is absolutely what I have been searching for 4 like the last 5 to 10 days. Tully thank u.

Although I have a good grasp off this topic Your explanations are far and above the easiest too follow on the Internet Very good explanation 👏

Running through your content. I know how much time it takes to put this stuff together so appreciate the explanations

Great video! Just what I was looking for, a clear explanation of the different types of combinations of PV panels. Greetings from Argentina.

Excellent. Content that isn't other available on RU-vid! Congrats.

I understood before that wiring dissimilar capacity panels would impact array output but never understood why, or how to design around that constraint. This explanation is very clear and simple, and may show me how to address a problem I’m working on now to upgrade my current installation. THANKS!!

Your video helped me immensely. Thank you so much

It's an excellent explanatory video. Thanks!

Thank you for your time I learned a lot

Thank you for posting a educational video.

Something every mismatch solar panel video fails to mention is the Diodes. The lower value diodes in smaller panels must be changed to the value of the diodes your highest output panel .

Excellent video. Clear explanation about solar wiring.series,parallel,series-parallel of different solar panels Thanks Sir.watching from Philippines

Very infirmative and educative explanation with great presentation ,Thank you, all the best.

Thanks you for bringing this information to our memory.

Thank you you made it very easy to understand solar

As usual..the BEST.....

You’re great! Thanks for your help.

Thanks for this information. I’ve always been told that you can’t use a 100w & 50w in parallel. Not so if the voltage is the same. I had to try it for my self. Connected both panels. One 21.8v and 20.0v. Works great.

Thank you Sir.

At 5:44, is total installed capacity 400W or 500W due to the new 100 w panel, hence efficiency is now 60%??

Great video, did not know that.

Good 👍 stuff.

At 12:04 could you increase the efficiency by wiring the two 50w panels in parallel and then wiring that string in series with the two 100w panels for a total of 275w and 91% efficiency? (55v x 5a = 275w)

Thank you for this video I’ve now watched a few videos ,I’m very impressed on how you deliver the general understanding of systems

Hello, great to hear you're enjoying the videos! One question, can I use a set of 4 panels of 330W (2 in parallel) and add (2 in parallel) 4 panels of 550W, all in pairs, then in series, and connect them in a combiner box? I don't want to discard the old panels.

This is good, for a theoretical example. However, as you know, solar panels' VDC varys wildly, depending on conditions. So, at what reference point does one determine the voltage requirements, for combining panels of various voltage? Open circuit VDC? Vmax? Or somewhere in between? Loving the series, BTW. Thanks.

Sir this is very good explanation, I am learning Thank you...

Sir ,You had very good knowledge of circuits. 👌👌👌👌

I have 25 x 100w 24.3voc panels and 2x 320w 40.3voc Renogy solar panels to install. Perhaps I should not have bought the 320w yesterday. I hope I didn't do a boo boo. Thanks for the video, great stuff.

on the example where you did paralell to add current but 20volt and 15 volt panels. doesn that matter since controller cuts the woltage on a pwm to battery 14.2 setting for example ?

Thanks I have 12 panels that produce 29.7v @ 7.3 amps. I am getting 10 more panels that have 31.5v @13 amps. It comes out to around 6400 watts max. My inverter can handle 6000 PV watts so that is perfect. my other inverter will get 6600 watts PV but only use 6000 max. Over sizing a bit is good for winter.

Hi! Have you ever heard of the Shoals Plug and Play cables / system? Can anyone judge whether it makes sense to use it? Although they seem to be a bit more expensive, they are extremely easy to use and no professional installer is required. Installation is also said to be very quick and more energy efficient than conventional cables... How do you think about that?

In your last example, would i be correct in assuming that adding two more of the 50 watt in series with the other 2 50 watt panels, your efficiency would go back up to 100%? Great video by the way!

I think it is important to consider the length of the run of wire, and the purpose/inverter used. Lower voltage can be better for batteries and higher voltage for a grid tie inverter.

Thanks.. But a doubt: 7:00-7:10 part. You say while in series, the current shall be limited to 2.5A! My doubt is, when the sunlight falling on the 5A panels is capable of producing 5A and the load is capable of eating out the 5A, won't the 5A current flow through the 2.5A panels resulting heating up and damaging them??🤔 Please clarify 🙏

In the last diagram with the 5 panels you could have wired them for 40V 10A with 400 watts and 100% array efficiency. 40V 5A for two 100watt panels in series. Then the one 100watt in series with the two 50W panels but those 50W panels would be in parallel so they combined would equal a 100W 5A panel. They could have also be wired for 80V 10A for 400W and 100% array efficiency. In both configs just imaging turning the two 50W 2.5A panels into one 20V 5A panel then wiring the rest up. Also your wiring on the last diagram would likely burn out the two 50W panels. You're trying to connect a 60V 5A strand to a 40V 2.5A strand that would likely burn out the smaller 50W panels. The voltage and current cannot be mismatched in this manner when connecting in series or parallel. In series, the current has to be the same through both strands, which isn’t the case here. The panels wired to produce 40V, 2.5A cannot handle the 5A current that the 60V strand can handle, which could indeed lead to the lower-rated panels being damaged or burned out. In parallel, the voltage across both strands has to be the same, which also isn’t the case here. Therefore, connecting these two strands as depicted would likely cause failure in the lower-rated panels due to overcurrent. The appropriate method is to match panels with the same ratings in series and the same in parallel to prevent any damage and ensure proper functionality.

I like how you've got the black dot moving around on the diamonds on the panels, can't be looked at but exists. Bit like the electrons thru the slots experiment.... different when viewed... ok off topic but interesting LOL

Been watching tons of solar videos so far but no one told me this. Thank you.

So if we run a windmill and an array of solar panels they go through a controller that matches them up so that they work together efficiently? Instead of connecting their + and - at the batteries. Generally speaking if we had 2 large strings of panels of differing voltage and current we could wire one into the dolar input and the other into the wind input and they should produce efficiently? Or if we had an array on a roof that got more midday sun and an array on a wall that got morning or winter sun better we should use 2 different controllers before feeding the batteries. I'm going a bit wide off the subject but does this make sense?

Can two seperate 400 watt arrays setup like shown here in 2s2p be combined in a combiner box for 80v at 10amps? Also would I need inline fuses for my power lines or is a combiner box good enough?

Is this the same of you have pairs in series and then those in parallell, all the with the same rating, but facing different ways. Will the more shaded seriell connnected pair, bring down the other pair? The question comes from if the problem is what they atr producing or the internal resistance of the product itself.

at 6:20 - when speaking of series connections being limited by the current of the ' panel with the lowest current rating ' Should it be better said that the series configuration would be limited by the current of ? : EITHER 1 . the panel with the lowest current rating or 2 . a paralleled panel group whose amperage summation is lowest Also - in that diagram of the two 100 watt and two 50 watt panels - would this be correct : If the two 100 watt panels were in series with the paralleled two 50 watt panels then the equation would be 55 volts times 5 watts = 275 watts ? Second question : Do the panels communicate with each other, or is there some regulation from an external source ? I can readily understand how the current would be restricted in a series circuit, however, I don't understand how a higher voltage at a parallel junction can be limited solely by the presence of a lower voltage . I have not looked into the workings of these systems yet, however, just the mention of open circuit and short circuit gives me an idea that it is some type of pulsed on off switching . Is that similar to a water hammer - only with electrons ? Just kidding . And at the last example -> would putting the two 50 watt panels as parallel to each other and in series with the 100 watt panels give 80 volts times 5 amp = 400 watts ? Am I correct in asserting that ' only the best professors ' reply : ' you are correct in all of your assumptions, surmising, suppositions, and assertions ' ...

do you help ppl with there setup?? mine has been runing for 2 years,, but i would like some one ales to look at it cose it might be wrong..

I thought the whole idea of going in parallel was to have one string not affect another string. So if one of the two series panels got shade, the voltage would go down as well. You are saying that the lowest voltage in parallel is he output. Interesting.... That doesn't sound intuitive. Is there some diode setup to isolate effects of parallel string with another parallel string? Video was well done, I subscribed.

Does it mean it's possible to parallel batteries with different amps but the same voltage

Then, I can assume, that a combiner (of separate solar panel series strings) can no be an ‘adder combiner’? I have two identical strings of 255watt panels (wired in series), coming into a combiner box. However, each series array, is on opposite sides of the roof. Neither string will have the same voltage/current, except at about noon. Although, the voltage is most often the same, the currents (wattage generated) are not the same! How do I ‘maximize’ this setup?

Hello. I am new to learning about volts and amps, and connecting up solar panels to an Ecoflow power station (generator). I have a question that I hope someone will answer. Is it ok, if I connect four 200W 12 Volt panels in series, to add in one additional 200W 12 Volt panel, using parallel? Or will this cause problems. Thank you, Lori

Thanks for the lecture. However, I saw two types of current ( short circuit current and maximum power current) and also two types of voltage (open circuit voltage and maximum power voltage) on the label or tag of solar panels. Which of these currents and voltages should be considered when merging solar panels of different capacities (wattage) either in series or parallel? Thanks

THANK YOU

@11.90 wire the 3 100w x 5A pv in series with the 2 x 50w x2.5A pv wire in parallel connected to the 3 x 100watt pv in series. would that not give 80volts at 5A making 400w - am i missing something .

Hi Drew, can you help me please, I have 4 x 120ah lithium battery's can I wire them in series or not as I have heard it may cause a ballance problem...or is there a way it can be done...thank you

So if I have 2 string of 260 w panels and a string of 230 watt panels If I just add an extra panel in the lower voltage string I should be good when I combine them in the combiner box There’s only .5 amps difference in the panels Is my logic / Calculations correct ?

I am struggling how to connect old 400x8 Watt (40 v, 10 amp) panels to new 580x3 watt (48V, 15amp) pannels.

thanks for the information. how best can i connect 330w, 370w, 400w and 400w to get best results all panels have same voltage of 36 volts what will be the total power

Hello. I am setting up my own solar power system. So I have "2" 415w panels with voc 37.5 in parallel. What size charge controller would I need and the size batter bank? I truly would love your assistance. 👍

What about connecting two separate charge controllers in parallel to the battery Brand A on 1 and Brand B on 2? 1:24

Your the man ❕❕👍🏼

Hello sir, my 6kw growatt only has max 150 open voltage ..I have 16 panels of 320w 39 open voltage..I want to run 4 different strings 2series n 4 parallel..is the combiner box will allow me to be able to do that? Thank you

WILL IT DAMAGE THE PHOTOVOLTEC CELL OF LOW WATT PANEL

100w is so 2019, we got 64w panel in 2000, took long time to go over 400w, they had solar panels in 1924

thanks

Your first example adding an additional 100w panel you forgot to add that to the total system capacity 500w vs 400w

HOWdy E-UME, Thanks COOP ...

500 Watts Total, 300 Watts output, 40% Loss ? ? Yes/No

❤❤❤

My single panel is giving 20V and 7Amps. When I wire 4 of them together in parallel then it gives me 16V and 16 Amp Combined? What is the issue?

Not fair changing the specs of the 50w panels in mid-stream from 15v*3.3a to 20v*2.5a. Of course, the 20v*2.5a is probably more realistic, but wouldn't have illustrated your earlier parallel example as well.

In the last scenario If you were to parallel the two 50 watt panels, then wire them in series with the three 100 watt panels you would get 100% efficiency or 400 watts. Why then would you ever wire them the way shown in the video.

Iam confused! Why can't you just wire all of them in parallel and let the voltage intact? If all the panels have the same voltage and u wired in parallel ur simply adding up the amperage and leaving the voltage the same, thus aswell getting 100% output! But u never mentioned that way, why?

😀👍

I just hook everything up as 12 volt bringing each line in to a positive and bring it into the house and bring anything negative into the negative and bring it to the house without combining them and my one's doing fine my other one I'm not exactly sure cuz it's never been able to put on its full power because the battery is enough so I don't know if I'm running all that one or just kiss somebody and 28 amps and the one I know is okay because that's all I hooked up to is 28 amps and they're both hooked up the same way with two different size solar panels but the bigger 60 amp one is connected with additional 60 w solar panels same as the other one with 150 w solar panels and they both sets have two 405 w solar panels no one at 950 Watts runs okay for the tubing size solar panels I'm not sure about the other one which is 1440 Watts I'm not sure how that one is actually doing cuz it's never been a run up to its total amount of power. Cuz in other words connected to it and with them together it's running smaller than the small one is I'm not sure why except that I don't have enough batteries I'm not using the power to make it work all its power that it needs to work I'm not sure.

I have a crazy idea. What if some company creates a voltage regulator. For example, Ani input from 18v to 60v to regulate it to 18. And you can put that regulator in every "same type" pannels group,. then you end up with a 18v output. that you can set in parallel. getting the most efficent output even with different pannels. And if one group goes down wont affect the other

Damn I must be doing something wrong! Mine keeps jumping well above the wattage the panels are rated for 😂. 5x 375w panels voc-41.60 10.98amp max 2x 400w panels voc-37.07 12.90amps max I am trying to get as close to 1900 watts as I can while keeping the volts between 120v-300v but the panels are getting more watts not less with the calculations of series in the video.😂 2x2 of each panel I am getting 1727.59watts Ht60-166m-375 Dna-108-bf10-400w Can someone help?

5:53 wouldn't efficiency be 60% as you are limited to 300W but have a total of 500W of panels installed?

I have always been taught that two 12V 100W panels in series is now 24V 100W output. Two 12V 100W panels in parallel is 12V 200W output. And that is how the world actually works. Now you have changed the laws of electric physics?

And now for a question that I am sure that you will really enjoy : Why would you you go through all the bland momentum-less-ness of, day after day, just letting your beard grow; when you could be symphonically orchestrating and conducting the movement by incessantly chopping all those face hiding proteins ? Speaking of proteins - what about the insanity of their attempt to ( their - meaning they - the ones who think they know what's better for everyone else ) make us eat bugs ? After they get told to eat mud until they stop it - maybe they will learn how to make hamburgers out of hair and try to make us eat that ? Want some conditioner sauce on that ? How about a pony tail pie ?

@5:43 should be total system capacity of 500w (5x100 panels), but producing only 300w, net efficiency of 60%.

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This lowest common denominator, is it not BS??? I mean, if you have 200000 panels of total 20 volts and 2 panels of total 15 volts, you really think that the whole shibang is gonna come down to 15 volts? i don't, i had 6 panels putting out 60 volts and then i made a mistake wiring 2 more, and they only put out 30 volts(i did not put these 2 in series, like the others--3P2S); i fixed that a week later; meantime, the wattage stayed the same as if the 2 last panels were not there; that is why i saw some' was wrong; Remember, they have DIODES to protect them from being"charged" by higher voltages; i see this deal of the lowest voltage ALL OVER the Net and of RU-vid, so i must be wrong ?

TLDR: Use the same panels.

I skipped thru the stuff I didnt come here for, I didnt see how to wire anything... Did i FF to quick or was it not there?

at minute 5:30, are you sure this is what would happen?

Thank you for showing the effects of different serial & parallel configurations, very helpful!

Excellent video, but I would also like to see the solution to be applied in case of necessity. For example, I have panels of the same model and specifications. due to space limitations, I have to mount them in 3 areas of different sizes. I want to place the maximum number of panels in each area. In this case, 3 different strings will generate electricity at 3 different output voltages/amps. Can I connect these 3 strings to the mppt after making parallel connections in the combiner box? Or in such a necessity, considering the minimum cost and maximum efficiency, what would be your solution?

Very well explained and informative video . I have one more question at this point in my next system addition . I currently have one 250w panel that rated at 23.83v and 10.51 a. My charge controller's nominal pv power is 700w, so would the addition of 2x220w panels be better for the total of 680w , or one addtl.250w panel and one 200w panel be the way to go? I have a Victron 100/50 mppt controller and Newpowa 250w panel so far . Thank you for your time .

Why not combine the 50 w panels in parallel. Wouldn't that be just like a 100 w panel 20 v 5 a

Well illustrated and explained, thanks

hi there, I have bought 4 solar panels 340w ,Max Current (Imp) 9.82A Max Voltage (Vmp) 34.6V Short Circuit Current (Isc) 10.51A Open Circuit Voltage (Voc) 42.5V Weight 18.7KG Dimension 1664x992x35mm Cell Technology Monocrystalline but I didn't parallel yet I need help before somethings goes wrong LOL, my system run by 48v what I must to do? do I need to do all panels + and - to parallel ?

Awesome video, sir. Well done 👏