solar panels with diodes between each cell

pianotuna wrote:
Gdetrailer,

I don't know how they are doing it or what diodes they are using. However, they are producing them.

Yep, they may be making them but the "devil is in the details".

As I mentioned, standard silicon diodes in parallel with each solar cell because of their inherent high forward voltage drop would not be of any advantage for a small series string.

each single solar cell only develop .5V but placing a silicon diode in parallel to create a bypass is going to drop .7V..

Now if they are Shottky diodes at .3V drop that might make better sense..

From my POV I suspect perhaps a large series string of panels may have a bigger potential benefit, perhaps at least 3 panels in series and more panels in series would be even better since you spread out the losses over a greater area.. But then you run into max input voltages of the MPPT controller issues..

Depends on which poison you want to take..

Not sure I would be very concerned about if the panel had them or not for series strings of two or three..

Seems to me, putting the money into a few good high wattage panels and finding a good spot with minimal panel shading through the day most likely will work just as good.

Diodes of any kind represent a loss, just can't get around that fact.