Solar charging with some shade
I'm facing west today, so I'm getting a pretty good shadow on one of six series-connected panels. Panels are all around 135w @ 12v. Shade is on the far-left panel - about half of it: No...
Forum Discussion
Ok, so that leaves whether you would gain string watts by disconnecting the shaded panel. Will the amps increase in the remaining 5 panels make up for the loss in total voltage to make more watts?
6 x 135 = 810w, 6 x 17v = 102v
5 x 135 = 675w, 5 x 17v = 85v
OP display shows 77.8v x 7.3a = 568w with the reduced string amps.
We don't know what the watts would be for the 5 un-shaded panels in the same solar conditions as the OP situation (you would have to try it out), but there is room there between 568 as was with one shaded of 6, and possible 675 (minus some for heat loss) at STC with five un-shaded.
6 x 135 = 810w, 6 x 17v = 102v
5 x 135 = 675w, 5 x 17v = 85v
OP display shows 77.8v x 7.3a = 568w with the reduced string amps.
We don't know what the watts would be for the 5 un-shaded panels in the same solar conditions as the OP situation (you would have to try it out), but there is room there between 568 as was with one shaded of 6, and possible 675 (minus some for heat loss) at STC with five un-shaded.
