When installing a solar kit, one question for our customers is how to wire the panels. It is very important to know how to wire them to obtain the design voltage of the installation. In this article, we talk about how to connect solar panels.

Depending on the connection mode, it can be series, parallel or a combination of series and parallel. 

How to connect my solar panels: Connecting the solar panels in parallel

We have to connect all the positives and, on the other side, all the negatives. In this way, the voltage obtained (volts) is that of the solar panel, and the intensity (amperes) that will flow through the line coming down from the panels will be the sum of all the intensities of each panel.

For example, if we connect four solar panels of 190Wp 24V (Vmp=37.08V) 5A in parallel, this will result in a photovoltaic field of 760Wp with an intensity in amperes that will flow down the photovoltaic field measured in standard conditions of 20A at a voltage of 24V.

To make this connection between two panels, it is recommended to use the MC4 shunt connector to make the connection watertight and secure. This will ensure a safe electrical connection in the event of inclement weather. 

How to connect my solar panels: Connect the solar panels in series.

We have to connect the positive of one solar panel to the negative of the next panel, and so on. In this way, the voltage will be the sum of the voltages of all the panels connected, and the current will not be modified.

For example, if we connect two solar panels of 140Wp 12V (Vmp=18,08V) 7,66A in series, we will have; as a result, a photovoltaic field of 280Wp at a voltage of 24V and with a current measured in standard conditions of 7,66A.

This type of connection is very common, and if we use MPPT regulators, these allow higher input voltages of the photovoltaic field (100V or 150V maximum open circuit voltage) than those of the battery. So if we use MPPT regulators, we can connect panels to a higher voltage than batteries. The number of series panels that can be connected depends on the type of MPPT chosen. In addition, this type of regulator can get more than 20% more production from the panels.

Remember that if we use PWM regulators, we can only use panels of 36 or 72 cells for panel connection voltages of 12V, 24V or 48V. It is not possible to use 60-cell panels with this type of regulator. If you’re wondering how to clean solar panels, we have plenty of resources available on our solar panel blog.

How to connect my solar panels: Connecting solar panels in series-parallel

Also, it is necessary to mix the two types of connections in many cases to achieve the ideal intensity and voltage for the system. With this system, both the voltage and the current of the system are increased. 

For example, we need to connect four solar panels, 260Wp 60 cells 30,3 Vmp (maximum power voltage) 8,58A, to a regulator MPPT maximizer EPSOLAR TRACER 4210A. We need to make a connection between two groups of 2 panels in a series and these two groups between them in parallel. With this system, we will get a voltage of 60,6Vmp and a current of 17,16A. Solar Panels Tasmania is a premium provider of solar panels in Tasmania and are always available to answer any questions you may have about how solar panels are made.

Another example: we need to connect six 260Wp panels to a Victron BlueSolar 150/60 MPPT maximiser; we need to connect two groups of 3 panels in series and between these two groups in parallel. Thus, we will get 90,9V and a current of 17,16A.