There are 3 ways to connect solar panels.
Connecting 3 solar panels in series.
The connecting solar panels in series is very easy just like connecting battery cell with one anther however lets get a review on.
Should you connect a 3a solar panel to a 3 5a solar panel the all round current will probably be pulled down to 3a.
Parallel series and a combination of parallel and series.
This kind of a lowering of current would of course cause a loss of power output and eventually loss in equipment efficiency.
By connecting multiple solar panels in series we increase the system voltage.
The connection of multiple solar panels in parallel arises from the need to reach certain current values at the output without changing the voltage.
The capacity of a solar panel to produce energy is measured in watts which is calculated by multiplying a solar panel s voltage by the amps of current it produces when a solar installer builds a solar energy system they need to find the right balance of voltage and amps to ensure that the system performs well.
When you connect two or more solar panels like this it becomes a pv source circuit.
For this example i am showing you connecting panels that are for a 12 volt system.
Typically solar panels of specific or matching current needs to be connected with each other in series.
In fact by wiring several solar panels in series we increase the voltage keeping the same current while wiring them in parallel we increase the current keeping the same voltage.
Connecting solar panels in series.
The series connection is done by wiring the positive terminal of each panel to the negative terminal of the next panel a connection similar to the ones of the christmas lights until the final panel is connected to the charge controller or inverter.
The first way i am going to talk about is parallel because this is probably the most common way that panels will be connected.
After these clarifications let s see how the series connection takes place.
Comparing solar panels in series vs.
Solar panels are wired in series when you connect the positive terminal of one panel to the negative terminal of another.
So when connecting solar panels in series always try to keep the electrical properties of the solar panels identical to get the full benefit of the solar array.
In a solar power system the higher the voltage and the lower the energy losses along the cables to know the maximum system voltage we usually just need to turn the panel and read the label where the value is reported.