Solar Help - Four Panels, Weird Reading

[MrKABC]

Hello again helpful folks!

Interesting issue here. I have four solar panels:

• OEM Future Solutions KS#679074 panel, 200w (1)
• Eco Worthy L02M195-1 panel,195w (3)

I'm wiring two of the Eco Worthy panels in series ("Group 1"), and the FS and Eco Worthy in series ("Group 2"), joining both in parallel at the rooftop "gland". This is done to remain below 100v at my MPPT controller.

Moderate overcast weather.

Group 1 readout is 43.39v (pic attached). That's fine, no issue there.

Group 2, however, is reporting 61.35v (pic attached) and an error appears "OVER VOLTAGE". Not getting any wattage readout from the group. I separately tested both panels, and the Future Solutions panel then reporting 38.44v and 10.63 watts, and the Eco Worthy panel reports 22.06v and 17.99 watts. The trouble appears when I wire them in series.

Any idea as to why I would get an OVER VOLTAGE error? I haven't hooked anything up to my MPPT, since both groups combined would result in at least 104.74 volts which might damage it.

[MrKABC]

Adding two more images with the specs for each panel. I am unable to find the Future Solutions 679074 exact specs since the panel here doesn't look like mine.

[Stircrazy]

are you sure you wired them in parallel? your voltages should have stayed very close to the output of one panel but your current should have went up.

Steve

[Rob.S]

I'm in the process of adding to the 200w factory solar on my Avalanche. The 200w future solutions panel mine came with is a 36v panel. I believe, from your readings, yours is too. I'm not sure how your set up will behave with 3 other panels of 12v, I'm sure someone more solar savvy than I can help with that. I'm pretty certain too that all 4 are in series, giving you the high voltage reading. If you parallel the 2 banks of 2 panels in series you would only be seeing the highest voltage of the 2 banks at your victron, the 61.35.

[jxnbbl]

+1 on the last two replies. If you are doing this in parallel then voltage stays the same and amps increase, series the opposite.

[German Shepherd Guy]

Originally Posted by Stircrazy

are you sure you wired them in parallel? your voltages should have stayed very close to the output of one panel but your current should have went up.

Steve

Agree there. Is your battery voltage set correctly? I noticed it would set at either 12 or 24V


Oak

[MrKABC]

Originally Posted by German Shepherd Guy

Agree there. Is your battery voltage set correctly? I noticed it would set at either 12 or 24V


Oak

Thank you all for your thoughts so far!

I have two of the Eco Worthy panels in series. (Group 1)

I have one Eco Worthy and the OEM Future Solutions in series. (Group 2)

Plan is to combine both groups in parallel in order to not exceed my MPPT voltage of 100v. The problem appeared in Group 2, where it appears the Future Solutions is putting out too much voltage, resulting in the over volt error.

@Rob S. I think what you are getting at is that I have incompatible panels? If so...

The most apparent fix is to wire all three Eco Worthy panels in series to one MPPT, and the Future Solutions by itself to another one (I have the OEM Victron one that came with the trailer), but that would entail taking down the ceiling to run wires to my battery compartment. I'm not sure I want to go down THAT road if I can avoid it!

[Cheesehead4Life]

If I’m reading this correctly, you don’t have them connected to your MPPT, correct? That means the error is coming from your tester, right? What’s the max voltage of that tester? Pull the manual or look for specs on the back. I’m guessing you are over the max for that tester.

And given the individual tests of each panel alone, I’d say the OEM panel is a 24v (nominal) panel given that it is about double the voltage in the readings.

[firestation12]

Originally Posted by Cheesehead4Life

If I’m reading this correctly, you don’t have them connected to your MPPT, correct? That means the error is coming from your tester, right? What’s the max voltage of that tester? Pull the manual or look for specs on the back. I’m guessing you are over the max for that tester.

And given the individual tests of each panel alone, I’d say the OEM panel is a 24v (nominal) panel given that it is about double the voltage in the readings.

Bingo! This is the logical reason for the over voltage message.