MPPT controller and panels

[Caladh]

I'm hoping I can wire up my 4 different solar panels to one Morningstar MPPT controller and for it to do "the business". The only misgiving I have is that 2 panels are the same make and size and the other 2 are different makes and sizes. Does anyone have any background to this sort of setup ?

 

[dmmbruce]

I'm hoping I can wire up my 4 different solar panels to one Morningstar MPPT controller and for it to do "the business". The only misgiving I have is that 2 panels are the same make and size and the other 2 are different makes and sizes. Does anyone have any background to this sort of setup ?

The make of panel doesn't matter. The different power might. It is worth an email/phone call to MorningStar, or their distributor.

In my case, I was warned by the supplier against putting very different power units together in one MPPT controller, but I was using a relatively cheap one. MorningStar are bigger and better than I was using.

It is worth the comment maybe that I have found the MPPT very well worthwhile. I have semi-flexible panels that do not have quite the same peak power as the rigid ones, but are more tolerant of shade and poor light. Which is important in the UK. With the controller, they go on providing some useful power from sun up to sun down, and boom shade has little effect.

Mike

 

[Caladh]

Thanks for that Mike. Anyone else have any experience of mixing SP's ?

 

[noelex]

Ideally the panels should be the same and experiencing the same conditions. If you don't adhere to this there is no risk of damage to any of the components or batteries, but the output will be less because the MPP will be different.
In practice try to make sure if using different panels that the MPP voltage is similar. more than 0.5v is not ideal, but it wll only cost 10-15% of output, so slightly larger panels will compensate for the losses. A non MPPT regulator will give a better output if the panel differences are large.