More MPPT Confusion and Question

My understanding of MPPT is that the controller will not let it freefall over the knee. The reason being that there would be fewer watts there than higher up on the curve. The MPPT controller's job is to find the voltage that yields the highest watts, then buck that down and "create" amps. The controller will be doing so with whatever net V it gets, post V-drop. It has no idea what the panel MPP is; it just works with whatever it gets, and determines the "system" MPP accordingly. It can't (won't) let the panel V drop into the knee because the system MPP will not be found there no matter what.

Chasing V drop might still be worthwhile. But not as drastically important as you are thinking. Just IMO!