Comments on: Parallel Solar Architecture Increases Performance, Decreases Costs http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/products/parallel-solar-architecture-increased-performance-decreases-costs/ A blog about residential solar power, brought to you by CalFinder. Fri, 26 Aug 2011 10:36:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Dan http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/products/parallel-solar-architecture-increased-performance-decreases-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-20367 Dan Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:33:43 +0000 http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/products/parallel-solar-architecture-increased-performance-decreases-costs/#comment-20367 Thank you Ray for the compliment and the question. You are correct, when wiring multiple panels in PARALLEL the voltage throughout will remain the same. This is because the individual panels are not wired to each other directly. In a series circuit--the standard for system wiring to this point--the current must flow through one panel in the series in order to get to the next. So the current (amps) remains the same throughout, but the voltage is free to increase, or "swing," along the line. When wired in parallel, each panel has its own loop which is wired to the main line running to and from the source in typical electrical configurations (of course for a solar array it is the individual panels that ARE the source, with the resistor being essentially your home, it's a reversal but the electrical fundamentals remain the same). In parallel, the current increases as more panels are added but the voltage in each panel does not change. Hope that helps and thanks again for writing in! Thank you Ray for the compliment and the question. You are correct, when wiring multiple panels in PARALLEL the voltage throughout will remain the same. This is because the individual panels are not wired to each other directly. In a series circuit–the standard for system wiring to this point–the current must flow through one panel in the series in order to get to the next. So the current (amps) remains the same throughout, but the voltage is free to increase, or “swing,” along the line.

When wired in parallel, each panel has its own loop which is wired to the main line running to and from the source in typical electrical configurations (of course for a solar array it is the individual panels that ARE the source, with the resistor being essentially your home, it’s a reversal but the electrical fundamentals remain the same). In parallel, the current increases as more panels are added but the voltage in each panel does not change.

Hope that helps and thanks again for writing in!

]]> By: Renewable Ray http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/products/parallel-solar-architecture-increased-performance-decreases-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-20242 Renewable Ray Sat, 12 Sep 2009 21:46:30 +0000 http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/products/parallel-solar-architecture-increased-performance-decreases-costs/#comment-20242 Great post Dan. Stupid question, wiring multiple 12 volt panels like this will still be 12 volt? Great post Dan. Stupid question, wiring multiple 12 volt panels like this will still be 12 volt?

]]>