Great! You are the only person on YT who clearly states how to wire multiple solar panels together. This is sorely needed information happily received! thank you!!
My father is an electrician, and he gave me an hour long spiel about cutting the connectors off the wires and having to solder them together crimping them with screw connectors and heatshrink and silicone, but you explained how to do it in 3 minutes with a quarter the amount of work.
Good video. Would be nice to share why you did series or parallel in each video then a separate my one depth. You may already have but I have not looked. Nice work!
Did you get your answer? If you use a solar generator the voltage might require a higher voltage. The AC200 solar generator requires at least 35 volts to charge up the unit. Or you can use a 12v cigarettes outlet in your vehicle.
This video and the article referenced below are spot on. However, you must have an MPPT charge controller since it will lower the voltage coming from the solar panel and increase the current going to the battery. If you are using a PWM controller, I believe the voltage will also be stepped down but the current will not be increased.
I wanted to wire my 24 solar panels into four strings of 6. I installed them in two rows on a ground mount with a junction box in the middle of each row. I mounted them side by side. When I went to connect them in series I ended up 20 ft from my junction box. Now I have to run a jumper wire all the way back to the junction box. I should have mounted them end to end, reversing the top row so the connectors were next to each other.
Really appreciate all your tutorials, many thanks. In many of your videos you show Viktron mmpt charge controllers, inverter chargers etc. I'm interested in your opinion of the Viktron EasySolar unit versus getting individual components.
I've seen many videos demonstrating series wiring. A few questions that no-one seems to cover ... What does this do to the Volts, Watts and Amps totals? Why would someone wire in series/parallel? And what does wiring in series/parallel do to Volt, Watt and Amp totals? Thx -Love your channel!
I have a Ecoflow Delta Pro. I want to connect (16) 100watt panels, so to get the 1600 watts of power (in ideal conditions), would I connect a set of 8 panels in series, then connect them in parallel, with each other, using 2 branch connectors?🤔 Thanks a lot!
But if you need longer cables then your panel offer, how do you do that because you can't hook a positive wire with an mc 4 connector to a positive wire w/an mc4 connector. Theyre both male. I need a female end to connect to the posotive wire coming off the panel which is a male end . Yes I said that right. I'd have to change the mc4 connector on the positive wire im adding ??
Get an MPPT people and make sure your setups match voltages as best you can from solar panel to charge controller to battery setup to minimize complications. PWM controllers suck, just invest for MPPT
All of my diagrams and setups use MPPT charge controllers: www.explorist.life/solarwiringdiagrams We don't even sell PWM's in our store: shop.explorist.life
@@EXPLORISTlife Yeah i was just preaching advice to the noobies. I feel sorry for the people who wasted their money on PWMs...also I've seen a lot of people damage their equipment with them.
I have 5 200w panels rated @28.98 each and wired in series for 144.9 voc but they are measuring at 157voc which is over for my 150v charger... I have the same exact string and charger on the rv and it's showing around 132v for the other string. Why is the voc higher in the 2nd string? Both charges have the same charing parameters. Please help
When mixing panel sizes , in my case ( 190w +50+50+50) and they are all different manufacturers, do you receommend a series or parallel connection to a 30amp charge controller with 2 Battleborn 100AH batteries?
Fantastic video and I have subscribed! I am considering buying a couple 330 watt panels for my RV but they have rated volts: VMP and VOC. Which do I use to determine the volts for wiring in series? Thanks!
Hey Nate, I am wondering what the difference between solar cable and regular (like Ancor) stranded copper marine wire is. I have a fair amount of 10 AWG solar cable left over from the kit I bought from you and I am wondering if I would be able to use it to wire other things in my van like USB outlets. Thanks!
Great video question please. I have 4 100 watt panels of same make, but with different voltage and amperage. Do you see any problems hooking them up in series. Any suggestion. 2 Renony rng 100d and 2 Renogy rng 100d-ss Thanks, Tom
Hey, @timrobertson8218! I appreciate you taking the time to ask your question, but unfortunately, I don't have enough info about your specific question to provide an accurate answer, but here is a playlist that, if you watch all of the videos start-to-finish (and take notes 😉), you'll have a REALLY good idea of how to design a solar array: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Jkbs84sBHsg.html&list=PLmvhcyi4n0TV9pi83rFTv3ZuMT_S1xIZt Alternatively, I have some of my most common solar array setups pre-built here: shop.explorist.life/product-category/all-products/camper-wiring-kits/solar-charging-wiring-kits/
two questions. first you didnt use the shrink wrap with the heat gun would it complete the installation? second, why is the inter connection wire red and not black?
The heat shrink was really just a visual for the video. I wouldn't do that in real life. I'd just remember which was which. The interconnects could be either red or black.
Hey Nate, love your videos. Got a question: I'm looking to place two 375w solar panels on my van's roof. However I will have to have one slide over the other when driving as there isn't enough space for both on the roof. So I want to wire them both in parallel and series to get the most efficiency when one is covered up as I drive and when they are both extended side by side when I'm camped. I believe I can wire them up to make it work, but I'll need a three way switch that allows 1) two wire inputs for the series connection, 2) an off position in the middle, and 3) 4 inputs for the parallel connection (maybe two if i can establish a good connection (one for the negatives coming off the panels and one for the positives coming off the panels)). My question is where I could find such a device (could such a device exist to use mc4 connections? my trina panels and victron bluetooth 150/70 mppt both use mc4 connections. Also looking to remove as much wiring redundancy as possible while maintaining safety. Sorry for the lengthy question :)
I would wire them both into a DIY combiner box (amzn.to/3bUVJI1)with two, dual pole disconnects (amzn.to/3aQoOmF). and simply turn the one wired the the bottom panel 'off' when you are stowing it away. Let me know if that doesn't make sense...
Does the control charger have to have a certain level of volts. to handle the solar panel. I have a solar panel with max volts of 28. My controller chargers has a max volts of 25. Or is there a cut off ?? I’m use to the amps must be higher to handle the amp from panel. Just wasn’t sure if was the same for volts
I've bought a converted van that has a solar panel already fitted, how can I find the spec of the solar panel? Do I need to get on the roof to find some info on the panel or can I find it via the solar control monitor. I was told it is a 240w panel but it turns out the last owner told some lies about other items so I'm not so sure if I can trust this info...
Thanks for the Video! If I wire 5 panels in Series and the negative side of the panels is the farthest away from the charge controller. Do both wires to the controller have to be the same length? If they don't have to be the same length, is there an advantage to having the Positive side closer to the controller?
Hi Nate, Question...I have 6 - 1oo watt solar panels wired in Parallel on my RV roof I've decided to add 2 more 100 watt panels that will be located the furthest from my combiner box. Can I wire the last 2 panels in series without hurting my system? The voltage boost would be desirable. All examples of series/parallel setups are always shown 2 and 2, or 4 and 4 etc for the series/parallel setup....not 6 and 2 (parallel/series in this case). Thanks.
As long as the change doesn't exceed the max voltage input or the max wattage of whatever charge controller you've got, it will be fine. Sorry for the vague answer, but I don't have enough info about your setup to make a full analysis.
I have a question about combining multiple arrays to a single combiner box. I have (2 150w in series) (2 150w in series) and want to add (3 200w panels) I have in either series or paralell whichever is optimal. Each array will be running through a breaker in the CB and out in 2ga wire to a 100Amp Epever controller. I am trying to understand the effects of this on the panels and the controller by doing this combination at the combiner box. I'm having a hard time finding a answer. 150w specs are VOC 22.92 IMP 8.20 200w specs are VOC 24.29 IMP 9.52
Hi Nate. I have purchased your “30 Amp OEM Camper Electrical Upgrade Wiring Diagram” and am getting ready to install all the equipment in that plan. I have a travel trailer with a TPO roof. Should I use a separate copper wire to ground the frames of my solar panels to the trailer’s chassis ground since my roof is not metal (assuming a metal roof would, eventually, be linked to the chassis)? I don’t see you mention whether or not to ground solar panel frames in any of your videos but thought it best to ask. Thanks!
@@EXPLORISTlife Thanks Nate! Are you able to treat the solar panels as a ‘floating’ array because you are mounting them on a metal roof? My camper has a TPO roof, so I will not be mounting any of the solar panel hardware to a metal surface. Instead, I will be screwing the brackets into the wood roof framing. Does that mean I should add a grounding wire to connect the solar panel frames to the ground point on the camper frame?
Hi Nate, Thank for the informative video. I'm wiring up 4 panels in series, but they are not mounted beside each other. Two are in front of the other 2, do I need the expansion wire to do that? its still positive to negative? then the last 2 wires would go to the growatt all-in-one solar input? I'm mounting the panels on the flat roof of a cabin I built last year.
So if I have 5 12 volt 100 watt panels and I connect them together in series the volts would be 60 right? Now the actual voltage they make is around 18 volts each. So my question is does it still count as a 60 volt set up? Or does it count as a 95 volt system?
@@EXPLORISTlife I figured it out thank you. I was confused because it says weize 12 volt 100 watt panel. I realized the voc was 18 so I just went off that. Thank you.
Have a question...have a 300w solar generator (Wattfun) portable power station 300w regulated voltage LiFePO4 with MTTP charger limited to charging by solar to 130w (etc) I have 320w panels if I connect the panels to the power station will it only accept for charging purposes the 130w limit or not work at all because its too much wattage or worse damage the generator? Thanks
I'm not familiar with that particular unit. You would want to reach out to the manufacturer for that information. I know that Victron Charge Controllers can handle 'excess' wattage given that the maximum input voltage and amperage is not exceeded.
does shading affect panels wired in series or does the bypass diodes negate just the shaded panels in a similar way a shaded panel in parallel drops out?
Performance on shaded panels is tough to guess. If you want the best performance from your panels, regardless of how they are wired, it's best to avoid shade.
So does the shown configuration double your charge output as long as the panels are of equal voltage 200w+200w=400w? Also what is the major benefit in wiring in this fashion?
Yes, but... 200w + 200w is going to always be 400 w (given you don't mix panel sizes (Don't do that)). The main benefit is being able to increase the array voltage heading to the charge controller. MPPT charge controllers like higher voltage than what parallel wired arrays (at ~20v) can deliver. That's the MAIN benefit of it, but when we get to the more concepts/theory based videos, I'll cover this in greater detail. More Info: www.explorist.life/solar-panels-series-vs-parallel/
EXPLORIST life - DIY Campers Doesn’t the output voltage of the array have to match the voltage of the battery bank? You can’t put 24v through your solar charge controller to a 12v bank, can you? BTW awesome channel and site! You’ve helped me tremendously in my install and purchases Nate...many thanks!
@@itsayswithoutgoing9571 Great question, but not quite. The job of an MPPT charge controller is to regulate a high voltage from the solar panel array down to a low voltage of your battery bank. Pretty much all of my diagrams on www.explorist.life/solarwiringdiagrams use charge controllers capable of converting up-to 150 volts down to the 12v battery banks that I put in the diagrams. More info: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-MxziHKvTRh8.html
EXPLORIST life - DIY Campers That helps alot! Thank you!!! So my 40amp charge controller doesn”t care what my 2 190w panels do, and I can go series or parralel with my array? Wish i had know that before bying y-connectors. We’re converting an ambulance which has about 3miles of wire, circuitboards, switches and fuses which is extremly intimidating for someone needing YT to figure out ho wto use a multimeter(thanks for that lesson too) . Keep up the good work!
Nope. When wiring a battery bank: + to + and - to -, that is in parallel which means you would add the Amp hours together while the voltage remains unchanged.
Not quite. This video will teach you how wiring in series vs parallel vs series-parallel affects the array output: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-KJ5zCY5EBeQ.html
