Solar-Panel to Controller Loss
Much has been made of the lower losses on the panel to controller path with MPPT because the amps are less. So once you have your loss measured, how valuable is it to improve on that if you don't lik...
Forum Discussion
I added to Salvo's with my results from tracking with a 130w panel instead of just tilted up pointing South all day. Isc was 8.2 which I was getting ( I plotted that as 8).
Don't forget Salvo was doing 12-12 with a 36 cell panel for MPPT and "PWM"
I get the same sort of better results against 12-12 PWM with 24-12 MPPT that Salvo got, when my panel temp is 45C, but then it reverses at 50C with my set-up. YMMV.
At 50C I was getting 13.5a instead of 14.5. At 45C I was getting 15.5 with MPPT instead of 14.5. (230w panel)
The higher temperature further reduces panel voltage and so its power (that affects MPPT but not the PWM) and so its output amps, but also now we must look into the 60 cell factor when voltage gets that low. Just where along does it start to squeeze? Does that just happen to be after the panel gets hotter than 45C on the way to 50C? Needs more work on this.
Don't forget Salvo was doing 12-12 with a 36 cell panel for MPPT and "PWM"
I get the same sort of better results against 12-12 PWM with 24-12 MPPT that Salvo got, when my panel temp is 45C, but then it reverses at 50C with my set-up. YMMV.
At 50C I was getting 13.5a instead of 14.5. At 45C I was getting 15.5 with MPPT instead of 14.5. (230w panel)
The higher temperature further reduces panel voltage and so its power (that affects MPPT but not the PWM) and so its output amps, but also now we must look into the 60 cell factor when voltage gets that low. Just where along does it start to squeeze? Does that just happen to be after the panel gets hotter than 45C on the way to 50C? Needs more work on this.
