Hey everyone! I'm trying to set up my solar system for the first time and need some advice. I have two 100W rigid panels from EcoFlow and a charge controller that can handle 90 volts and 60 amps — definitely overkill for my setup. I get a full day of sunlight, but I'm on the fence about whether to wire my panels in series or parallel. I'm also charging a 12V 80Ah battery, which might help with context. Any insights?
2 Answers
When it comes to wiring, going with series is usually the way to go. MPPT charge controllers are more efficient with higher voltage inputs, which is important for effectively charging your batteries. For example, I recently had two Renology 100W panels wired in series, and my output really improved. When I had them wired in parallel, I was only seeing about 13 volts, which wasn’t ideal for charging. So, unless you're worried about shading on one of the panels, series should give you a better overall performance.
To add to that, just keep in mind that if you have even a little shading over one panel, it can really slow things down in a series setup. That's the main reason some prefer going with parallel wiring; it’s more forgiving if one panel gets shaded while the other stays clear. The shaded panel won’t hold back the performance of the others like it would in series. So think about your specific installation location and how much shade you might encounter.