Solar Panels Series or Parallel + Other Wiring Related Questions

StealthCamper

Guest
Greetings All

I've got 3x 80w monocrystalline solar panels with the MC4 connectors on the end of each panel. Just about to pop them up on the roof of my LDV LWB Convoy van / stealth camper.

Question...

Should I wire them up in series or in parallel?

What are the pro's and cons of each method please?

I've already got the 30amp regulator, small I know but this is only to power my laptop and a 3w LED lighting strip in the back. I'm not planning to run a fridge or a TV off this regulator.

So, if I wire them up in parallel (you'll have to excuse me, as far as electrics go I'm about as thick as 5 short planks of sawdust) should I use on the 3rd solar panel a pair of MC4 solar branch connectors and from there feed my wire to the regulator directly or should I be using some kind of junction / combiner box between the last panel and the regulator?

When answering please do keep your replies if you would be so kind extraordinarily easy to understand and if instructions come with your reply, please keep them very basic. Start getting technical on me and my eyes have this funny habit lol of glazing over with the most perplexed and confusing look crossing my face in utter and sheer bewilderment.

Please tell me what I need to buy next and if you could point me to the exact product/s on eBay, this would be highly appreciated.

Obviously I want whatever I'm buying to be able to take the load. I do know from past experience if you overload things they have a tendency to blow up on youl. :mad1:

Huge thanks and much appreciation for your help.

Warmest regards,


Mark
 
It seems no-one answered your question :(

Techno100 is our expert on things solar, and I recall seeing another thread on here where this was discussed.

I'd recommend a search to see if you can track it down.

Regards

Chris
 
StealthCamper said:
Greetings All

I've got 3x 80w monocrystalline solar panels with the MC4 connectors on the end of each panel. Just about to pop them up on the roof of my LDV LWB Convoy van / stealth camper.

Question...

Should I wire them up in series or in parallel?

What are the pro's and cons of each method please?

I've already got the 30amp regulator, small I know but this is only to power my laptop and a 3w LED lighting strip in the back. I'm not planning to run a fridge or a TV off this regulator.

So, if I wire them up in parallel (you'll have to excuse me, as far as electrics go I'm about as thick as 5 short planks of sawdust) should I use on the 3rd solar panel a pair of MC4 solar branch connectors and from there feed my wire to the regulator directly or should I be using some kind of junction / combiner box between the last panel and the regulator?

When answering please do keep your replies if you would be so kind extraordinarily easy to understand and if instructions come with your reply, please keep them very basic. Start getting technical on me and my eyes have this funny habit lol of glazing over with the most perplexed and confusing look crossing my face in utter and sheer bewilderment.

Please tell me what I need to buy next and if you could point me to the exact product/s on eBay, this would be highly appreciated.

Obviously I want whatever I'm buying to be able to take the load. I do know from past experience if you overload things they have a tendency to blow up on youl. :mad1:

Huge thanks and much appreciation for your help.

Warmest regards,


Mark
Click to expand...

I could be wrong but guess you are confusing your solar regulator with an inverter.

You can't run anything of the solar regulator, you will need a big battery as storage of the electricity first before you can use it.

for using a 240Volt laptop with a wall charger you need an INVERTER to connect it to the 12Volt battery

3 80Watt Solarpanels just for a light seem really like overkill to me.
 
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