Your Entire Solar System Is Only As Good As The Weakest Solar Panel In Each Series Chain.

Here's A Bit Of Information That Can Prevent Significant Power Loss In A Grid Tie Solar Power System.

A typical solar system is wired together in what is know as a series chain or series string circuit. The positive connection of one solar panel is connected to the negative connection of the next panel and so on and so on.

Although this may be efficient from an installation perspective, it does have one especially crippling weakness. If you have one poorly performing solar panel or a panel that has been partially shaded in the chain, it will pull the rest of the chain down which will cause the entire circuit to perform at the level as the weakest panel.

This is why it is so important to buy solar panels with the lowest negative tolerance possible and at all times, prevent shading of your solar panels, if you're after maximum performance.

MOST MODERN SOLAR PANELS HAVE A 3% NEGATIVE TOLERANCE RATING AND THE HIGHER THIS NUMBER, THE LOWER THE AMOUNT OF POWER THAT A SOLAR PANEL HAS THE CHANCE OF PRODUCING.

HERE'S AN EXAMPLE: 

Sharp® Solar Panels: Many Sharp solar panels have a comparatively poorer 5% negative tolerance rating when compared to 3% or better solar panel brands which means for example that a Sharp 230 Watt solar panel with a 5% negative tolerance rating stands a chance of producing only 218.5 Watts new, right out of the box, even though you paid for 230 Watts.

LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MIX A 230 WATT SOLAR PANEL WITH A 5% NEGATIVE TOLERANCE RATING THAT RESULTS IN A 218.5 WATT OUTPUT WITH A CHAIN OF (9) TRUE 230 WATT PANELS.

So even though you might have 10, 12, 15 or more solar panels in the same chain that are producing the correct amount of power, if you add in just one poorer tolerance panel or partially shade just one solar panel, it will pull the whole chain down. Even if you add in solar panels that produce more than their nameplate rating it won't make a difference with a weaker or shaded panel in a series chain.   

Why take the risk of shortchanging yourself. The simple rule to remember is the higher the negative tolerance number the higher the chance of getting less power out of your solar array. Always insist on solar panels with a 3% or lower negative tolerance rating.

And always avoid shading any solar panel or choose an inverter with built in partial shade protection circuitry like SolarEdge.

Here's a video that explains how SolarEdge protects your system against solar panel mismatch and partial shading.

At Discount Solar Supply We Only Offer Solar Panels With A 3% Or Better Negative Tolerance Rating And We Always Recommend SolarEdge's Higher Performance Shade Protection System When You're Faced With Partial Shading Issues.

Click Here View A Comparison Between SolarEdge And Enphase®