# solar panels of different voltage?



## sisterpine (May 9, 2004)

I was just doing my daily scan for moderately priced solar panels and I am seeing bunches of panels that are 16.? volts? Is this because 3 will equal a 48 volt system and this is all they can be used for?

Our system is 12 volt changing to probably 24 volt and I am wondering what voltage panels I am supposed to be looking for. TIA sis


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## greg273 (Aug 5, 2003)

Those 16 volt panels are most likely 12 volt nominal. Any panel has higher voltage when its not connected to a load. There are a few specs to look at, and most panels have this information on the back of them. You'll see terms such as Voc, Isc, VMP, and a few others. Look up those terms and you'll be able to decipher just what sort of panel youre getting.


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## dunewalker (Mar 4, 2007)

My old BP 75 watt panels are 17.0 volts. This is normal. The important thing is to get panels of similar voltage. I'm not sure why, technically--maybe wis-jim can answer that.


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## sisterpine (May 9, 2004)

I am wondering about the matching deal also. our current panels are kyocera 120's and of course they dont make that size anymore LOL


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

dunewalker said:


> My old BP 75 watt panels are 17.0 volts. This is normal. The important thing is to get panels of similar voltage. I'm not sure why, technically--maybe wis-jim can answer that.


Because the higher voltage panel may backfeed through the lower voltage panels instead of feeding the batteries. Don't run different panels without running blocking diodes on each individual panel to prevent this. 

The 16v panels are what somebody made for a 12v system. They could be wired in series for 24v systems. It would be nice is sisterpine would post a link to them. Maybe it's just the style of panel that someone is making.


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## sisterpine (May 9, 2004)

Here are the panels. 
MODEL SPECIFICATIONS PRICE PER MODULE PRICE PER WATT 
M-PW6-123
123 Watts, 7.0 Amp, 17.6 Volts $522.75 $4.25 
PW 100 100 Watts, 6.25 Amp, 16 Volts, 48.7x42.6x1.77, 22 lbs. $400.00 $4.00 
PW 110 110 Watts, 6.67 Amp, 16.5 Volts, 48.7x42.6x1.77, 22 lbs. $440.00 $4.00 
PW 130 130 Watts, 7.6 Amp, 17 Volts, 48.7x42.6x1.77, 22 lbs. $520.00 $4.00 
PW850/85 85 Watts, 4.86 Amp, 17.5 Volts


I think my questions may be answered....you are saying that the 16-17 volt panels are meant for hooking to a 12 volt system and in pairs for a 24 volt system- right? So then it would follow that the big panels like 220 watts at 24-30 or 28 volts can be hooked singly to a 24 volt system and in tandem to a 48 volt system? sis
Click Here For Specs $390.00 $4.59


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## lacyj (May 14, 2002)

You might check these folks out:
Nanosolar 'prints' first flexible solar cells



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http://www.news.com/greentech/8301-11128_3-9835241-54.html?tag=nefd.top 

Well-financed solar start-up Nanosolar on Tuesday said it has started shipping its flexible thin-film solar cells, meeting its own deadline and marking a milestone for alternative solar-cell materials. 

On the company's blog, CEO Martin Roscheisen announced that the first megawatt of its solar panels will be used as part of a power plant in eastern Germany. 

The release of Nanosolar's first products is significant because the company develops a process to print solar cells made out of CIGS, or copper indium gallium selenide, a combination of elements that many companies are pursuing as an alternative to silicon. 

The 5-year-old company, based in San Jose, Calif., has raised more than $100 million in financing and has drawn in Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page as investors. 

Because of the high price of silicon, several companies are making thin-film cells from CIGS, but a number have run into technical problems. 

Roscheisen said the manufacturing process the company has developed will enable it to eventually deliver solar electricity for less than a dollar per watt, which would be significantly cheaper than fossil fuel sources of power generation.
_________________


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## greg273 (Aug 5, 2003)

Personally, I would stick with American made solar panels. Sure, Chinese ones may be a bit cheaper, but will they have the quality? Will they last as long? Will their manufacturing provide jobs to Americans? Solar panels are a long-term investment, I wouldnt want to comprimise system longevity to save a few bucks upfront.... just my 2 cents....


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

A primary purpose of most of those 'big' panels is to hook up in 'series' strings for the high voltage inputs (400vdc or so) for grid tied inverters.
Or 2 or 3 in series into a MX60 and out into your 24vdc system.

Nanosolar has had their Big talk for a while now, but as of yet no product is in the hands of the little guy.
All that talk of the "megawatt" is fine and dandy . . . . . .But . .how about letting some of us little guys put it into our systems . . .????
I hope their stuff works.
But holding my breath waiting for product would endanger my health.


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## WisJim (Jan 14, 2004)

I've been waiting since I bought my first PV panels in the 1980s for the prices to make a big drop due to new technologies. So far, there have been some technological advances like thin film PVs (don't ask me about the Sovonics panels I bought when they first came out, unless you want lots of bad words), but in spite of that, increased demand actually made prices rise for awhile. I would say buy what you need now, don't wait for any hypothetical "magic" technologies.


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## Explorer (Dec 2, 2003)

greg273 said:


> Personally, I would stick with American made solar panels. Sure, Chinese ones may be a bit cheaper, but will they have the quality? Will they last as long? Will their manufacturing provide jobs to Americans? Solar panels are a long-term investment, I wouldnt want to comprimise system longevity to save a few bucks upfront.... just my 2 cents....


Has something changed from last year?



> In San Jose, Nanosolar has built what will soon be the worldâs largest solar-panel manufacturing facility.
> 
> http://www.popsci.com/popsci/flat/bown/2007/green/item_59.html


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## sisterpine (May 9, 2004)

no nothing has really changed, but nanosolar is selling most all of their new panels to germany and to other BIG guys not to the home energy market.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

I don't expect to see Nanosolar products available to the general public for at least 10 to 15 years. It'll take that long for them to fill the commercial/industry orders. Those big orders is what will make it profitable for them. Why deal with the little guy that only wants 1 to 2kw in panels when they have orders for 2-10 megawatts of panels to fill. 

http://www.nanosolar.com/blog3/

Releasing even just a few to the general pulbic wouldn't solve anything as dealers that receive them would just bump the price up and sell to the highest bidder. Making them only slightly less costly than current panels. That would hurt Nanosolar's reputation as they have put out the word that there panels will be 99 cents a watt.


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## WisJim (Jan 14, 2004)

Has anyone ever actually seen a Nanosolar panel? None of the solar professionals that I know have, or even know anyone who has. All the pictures I have seen have been very generic looking too. 
And I wouldn't want to buy them until they have had 10 or 15 years of field experience with them, based on my past experience with "new technologies" in the PV field.


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

So . . Sisterpine . . . forget that 'nano' was even mentioned . . . . .that is if your going to make the 'change' with in the next 'short amount of time'.

You really couldn't go wrong if you got pairs of Kyocera 130's 
or their 85's. . . . . .good product.

And don't worry about voltage thing that you started this thread with.


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