mppt controler with different size panels?

12 Posts

Feb 10, 2007 09:43 am

The BZ 500 mppt is on sale so I want to get a back-up controller to my Xantrex/Trace c-40. I am in the Bahamas on a sailing catamaran so I like to have spares and have the space for 6 panels.
1 Evergreen 110 watt
2 Photowatt 50 watt
1 Photowatt 40 watt
2 Photowatt 80 watt
TOTAL......410 WATTS
Would I get any boost with these different size panels or should I get a Xantrex c-35 and save $100?

I charge 2ea. l-16 type Rolls S-530 batteries and use 40-60 amps overnight with computer, lights, fridge and fan.

« Last Edit: Feb 10, 2007 09:57 am by william isherwood »

James Cormican

578 Posts

Feb 12, 2007 10:18 am

Re: mppt controler with different size panels?

I vote no to the mppt controller with mixed modules. Mppt works best when there is an array of all the same modules that have the same IV curve. While having mppt wont hurt any, I dont think that you will gain that much with a mixed array.

bz products makes nice stuff, but I would not invest with a mixed array. It is interesting to not that blue sky controllers fall back to pwm operation when there is no advantage to be gained from mppt.

perhaps some other folks can share their experiences.

james - Alt-E staff

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Steve Barton

3 Posts

Feb 12, 2007 05:23 pm

Re: mppt controler with different size panels?

I am currently using two BlueSky controllers a 60 and a 50 series. I have 8 sharp 175w on the 60 (1400w) I have
2 sharps 175w in series (350w) and 4 seimens 100w in series (400w) on the Bluesky 50. I realize I am losing 50 watts on the seimens giving me a net 700 w on the Bluesky 50.
My point is both the digital readouts on my trimetric and the Digital readouts on the Blue sky units are always one half of each other.
So I am suffering no ill effects that I can see outside of my 50w loss.

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mppt controler with different size panels?

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