Choosing between parallel and series wiring depends on your system’s needs. Parallel is perfect for more current without upping voltage. Series fits if you need higher voltage. Consider your charge controller and shadowing too. How do I ensure my solar panels are compatible for a parallel connection?
The connection of multiple solar panels in parallel arises from the need to reach certain current values at the output, without changing the voltage. 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).
Wiring solar panels in parallel implies connecting positive terminals of each panel together and wiring the negative terminals of each panel together as well. Then, they are connected to the charge controller or to the inverter of the solar system.
When it comes to wiring solar panels together, there are two main options: series and parallel. In this article, we will focus on wiring solar panels in parallel and provide a diagram to illustrate the setup. Wiring solar panels in parallel means connecting the positive terminals of each panel together and the negative terminals together.
This means that if you wire four 12V solar panels in parallel, the total voltage output will still be 12V, but the current output will be four times higher than that of a single panel. Here is a diagram illustrating the wiring of solar panels in parallel:
In this case, it is possible to wire the two 6V panels in series and then wire the resultant array in parallel to the 12V panel. However, the latter type of connection is at the expense of efficiency. It is therefore essential, before making a parallel connection, to carefully check the voltage of the solar panels.