solar panels with diodes between each cell

rlw999 wrote:
There are specialty low loss "diodes" made for applications like this. They aren't traditional diodes but use a controller that switches a MOSFET. Essentially it acts as a switch that turns on when it senses forward voltage and off when it senses reverse voltage.

Here's an example that has a 26mV forward voltage.

Bypass diodes can use standard P-N or Schottky diodes, they are only forward biased (on) if a cell/string is shaded to allow the current to pass around the shaded cell. Definitely no need for a MOSFET 'ideal diode'.

Edit: Should have read the data sheet first - you are right they are selling these for use as bypass diodes. Seems to me that this would be more important for blocking diodes that are always in the circuit.