Quote:
Originally Posted by Thalas
All the tests I’ve seen done on shading with solar show testers placing an item directly ON the solar panel. In real world conditions where the boom or sail partially shade a panel, they are quite a distance away and there is still bounce light hitting each cell even when direct sunlight is blocked. What are the real world negative effects of this kind of shading in terms of output reduction? Does a partially shaded cell that is still receiving bounce light limit the electrical production of every cell in its series (even those in direct sunlight) to the output of that shaded cell?
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Before you buy, make sure you understand that there are multiple types of
panels and their pros and cons.
Mono Pro: Highest total output per unit area over the course of a day.
Mono Con:
Price and they hate shadows.
Poly Pro: Cheaper and more shadow tolerant than mono.
Poly Con: Not as good under lower light conditions, so less total output per day.
Thin Film Pro: Resist shading, more heat tolerant and more flexible.
Thin Film Con: Less efficient and not really
cheap.
I just installed 4 mono
panels with individual
mppt controllers. See pics and get some good insight on this thread. Mine is on the last page.
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ts-179638.html
Besides the
wiring being more
work, individual controllers can be less expensive overall than bigger ones, especially if carry a spare of the bigger one. I have 4, so losing one is no big deal. Don't skimp on the
wiring and give up
power from voltage drop. Keep it 3% or under.