Can I connect solar panels of different watts ( not of the same wattage) in parallel?
Question:
Answer:
The wattage should not be an issue - but the voltage is. They should be of the same voltage, and obviously connected positive-to-positive, negative to negative.
Maybe that can help
The important thing is to make sure they produce the same VOLTAGE. If one of them produces a lower voltage, then some of the current will drain backwards through it!
You can also put in an 8 ohm resistor in series to protect the lower voltage panel.
If they are the same voltage, then YES, you can connect them in parallel to provide more power, or wattage as you have called it. You would get 60W + 24 W = 84W. Make sure that the wires are rated to carry this amount of current in Amperes. Since power is current times voltage, the current would be the power divided by the voltage.
If they are the same voltage, then yes, there'll be no damage, and you just add the watts together (60+24=84watts)
Yes you can but there is a BUT invloved. And no you will not hurt your system other then loose power.
If the 24 watt module is 17.1 volts and the 60 watt module is 24.3 volts. You will pull the 60 watt module down the the voltage of the 24 watt module. You loose amps because the voltage is not being down converted.
You get the same effect when using the cheap charge controllers. A cheap charge controller just opens up and allows the solar modules to connect direct to the battery bank which pulls the solar voltage down to the battery voltage. So if you had a 24 volt module hooked to a 12 volt battery bank you loose 12 volts and half of your amps.
You should get an mppt charge controller that will down convert on any solar electric system.
Here is a page on mixing solar module brands and sizes.
http://www.oynot.com/solar-panels.html...
Here is a page on charge controllers and MPPT.
http://www.oynot.com/charge-controllers.
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