Wire Gauge Required Question
For some reason I just can't understand the various wire gauge tables, and I have tried to, so I am hoping somebody will take pity and do all the work! :) One table that I can follow says that for...
Forum Discussion
Meanwhile, playing with Southwire calculator, I discovered an interesting thing. The bigger panel - the better. Shocking, isn't it? :)
Here is why.
V drop = IR. R remains the same (say, #10), I is the same for one 24V panel or many 24V panels in series. So V drop is the same in absolute numbers, say, 1V.
Now, if you only have a meager 230W panel ;), 1V = 3% loss of 30V, a heck of a loss. But with 3*230W same 1V drop = 1% of 90V, this is negligible.
The absolute value of daily loss in AH or WH remains the same, but with 700W panel it means lower percentage of daily harvest, you will hardly notice it.
Seriously though, I don't think that loss of 0.3 AH a day is important for somebody who doesn't rely on his solar exclusively, which is the case here.
Here is why.
V drop = IR. R remains the same (say, #10), I is the same for one 24V panel or many 24V panels in series. So V drop is the same in absolute numbers, say, 1V.
Now, if you only have a meager 230W panel ;), 1V = 3% loss of 30V, a heck of a loss. But with 3*230W same 1V drop = 1% of 90V, this is negligible.
The absolute value of daily loss in AH or WH remains the same, but with 700W panel it means lower percentage of daily harvest, you will hardly notice it.
Seriously though, I don't think that loss of 0.3 AH a day is important for somebody who doesn't rely on his solar exclusively, which is the case here.
