The solar panels used on the RV are generally 100W, and the riders will also install several solar panels. How should they be connected? Is it better to connect in series or in parallel?
First of all, let’s learn a little knowledge. If there are two identical 100W solar panels, how many volts and watts will they become after they are connected in series? How many volts and watts will it become after a parallel connection?
Take hard glass panels as an example. When two solar panels are connected in series, the voltage is doubled and the current remains unchanged. Because the power P = u * I, the power will also be doubled. Then the total power after being connected in series is 200W and the open-circuit voltage is 44.6v;
When two solar panels are connected in parallel, the voltage remains unchanged, and the current doubles. Similarly, because the power P = u * I, the power will also double. The total power after the parallel connection is 200W and the open-circuit voltage is 22.3v;
By analogy, three pieces and four pieces are calculated in this way.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a series connection?
As can be seen from the above introduction, the series connection does not increase the current flowing through the output line but increases the total output power. In this way, the circuit does not have to replace the thicker output line, which is advantageous in long-distance transmission.
However, when two solar panels are connected in series, if one of them is damaged and loses power generation capacity, the whole circuit will be blocked and stop transmitting electric energy to the outside, because the whole circuit has become an open circuit.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of parallel connections?
The parallel connection does not change the voltage but increases the total output power by increasing the current value. However, the current increases and the wire used will need to be thicker.
Compared with series, when the solar panels are connected in parallel, when one of them is damaged and loses power generation capacity, forming an open circuit, it will not affect the whole circuit, because the solar panels of other branches can work normally.
At this time, the voltage of the whole circuit will not be affected, but the output power will be affected by the change of output current.
Of course, whether in series or in parallel, it is best to choose solar panels of the same specification. If you connect solar panels of different specifications in series, the current value tends to the minimum current panel, and in parallel, the voltage value tends to the minimum voltage panel, which is a waste of high-power solar panels in the same circuit.
After a brief understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of series-parallel connection of solar panels, it is not difficult to find that although parallel connection will increase the cost of some wires, in the moving scene of our RV, it is not long-distance transmission, and the increase of wires will not be much.
The stability of the parallel connections is higher, and the circuit is not easy to be completely paralyzed. Therefore, it is suggested that the solar panels should be installed in parallel, which is more suitable for the mobile scene of RV.
