Monocrystalline v Polycrystaline

Hoolie

Hoolie

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I know mono solar panels are supposed to be more efficient than poly, but looking at devices offered on eBay there doesn't seem to be much difference.

Poly is a bit cheaper, but my priority is panel performance with shadows. I can only realistically mount a panel on the hatch garage, but it's susceptible to shadowing mainly from the boom.

Does a poly panel perform better than mono in part shadow?
 
Mono v Poly

Mono panels are generally physically smaller then poly for the same power rating. They are made from a single crystal rather than a group of crystals (or so Mr. Google tells me!!!).

I just bought two mono panels for that reason (they are not much more expensive these days).


Alan.
 
But the mono - poly panels I've been looking at are much the same size and output. And price if it comes to that.

Maybe the seller's got it wrong and his panels are mono after all - can't believe everything you read on eBay ... ... ...

But it's still the shadowing I'm concerned about
 
Mono and Poly perform similarly in shade, which means both drop efficiency. Some panels are wired using parallel sectors so that a partially shaded panel might still have one sector delivering full power.

Mono are more efficient than Poly of the same size because of the purer cristal. However Poly maintains efficiency in higher temperatures than Mono.

If you want a panel that can still deliver good power in shade you want a flexible Amorphous (these have a dark uniform coloured surface). The advantages are flexibility and capability to deliver good power in shade (whilst Mono and Poly drop the output significantly), the disadvantage is that you require a much larger panel for the same max output.

I hope this helps.
 
Working out how much power you need from a panel/panels is the critical thing. If all you want is to keep a couple of batteries topped up, a 30 or 40 watt on the hatch garage will be more than adequate, e.g. Here's a calculator that may be useful. I've had mono panels off ebay, 3 of them - 2 aluminium framed, one semi-flexible and they're very good value for money I think. I'd suggest you fit the largest mono you can on the hatch garage, a semi-flexible one possibly if there's a chance it may get trodden on a bit, but they are more expensive. The size of Amorphous panels makes them prohibitive for use on boats really...
 
Mono crystalline cells are more efficient than poly, but the shape of the mono cells is less easy to pack tightly into a panel. So the panel efficiency for mono and poly is generally similar for the common 14-16% panels ( The higest effeciecy, expensive +19% panels are usually mono, however)

The efficiency is easy to work out knowing the size of the panel watts per area is easily calculated.

In other aspects such as shade tolerance etc mon and poly are very similar.
 
Hello,

I installed a 100W which is supposed to give 6amps of charging but in reality I am getting between 3 and 4 amps. When the panel is in the shade (eveb if only 1 cell is in the shade) the charging drops significantly. I have two large 110 Amp batteries connected to it and I manage to get 2 out of the batteries with the panel. Now I am considering of getting a second 100Watt panel for next season.

Jezzb
 
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