Hey everyone! I just installed four ground-mounted solar panels, each rated at 240 watts. They're located about 70 feet away from the controller. I'm trying to decide whether to wire them in series or parallel. Also, what size wire should I use for this setup? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
3 Answers
If you wire your panels in parallel, you'll need to use wire that's four times thicker because of the increased current, and trust me, that can get expensive. I highly suggest going with series wiring and getting an MPPT controller designed for that setup.
It really depends on the controller you’re using! In general, wiring in series is recommended because it results in higher voltage and lower amperage, which makes it easier to choose the right wire size. This can save you some cash on thicker wire too! Do you happen to know what controller you're planning to use?
Just a heads up, I've got my four panels in series as well, and it's working great. Be sure to pick a controller that can maximize your panels' output. Take a look at a few options and see which ones support higher voltage setups!